Help For Newly Indoor Cat.

[Darky]

Our kitty Spike (around 12-13 years old I believe) has always been a happy, country outdoors cat. However, he has recently started showing a lot of signs of age.

He has had breathing / chest problems all of his life and used to be prone to abcesses. He was a runt of sorts, and is a chubby-built fellow with very short legs.

Recently he has had a little trouble with his back legs sometimes when getting up.

Well, last night I was woken at 2AM by my brother to come and look at Spike. He had gone rather limp and had ended up defecating on the table. I cleaned him up and he was not his usual, constantly-purring self. He was hardly reacting to touch and upon a test of movement he would take a step and then just fall down, he seemed so insanely tired.

This morning he is very bright and seems almost completely normal, still a bit tired, apparently someone obliviously let him out and he is no worse for it.

So now I would like to keep him indoors, at least for autumn and winter, for I worry that one day he'll have trouble like this outdoors and not come back. We need him indoors where he is safe and warm, and we can notice any changes for when a veterinary visit is in order.

However, we have a rather crazy dog. Because of this, Spike does not have free reign of the kitchen floor anymore. Also, we know that our dog would invade the litter box and... Eat... Things. [/Gross]

Our kitchen door doesn't close, so I'm thinking that maybe a lock will help and controlling our dog's use of the kitchen. (Only having him in there for meal times and to let him out and whatnot.)

I also worry that our cat Honey will use the litter tray and then Spike won't use it because of the smell? (We may also keep Honey in, as it'll be easier (and Spike loves the company, plus Honey is a lazy ******.))

But any other ideas and advice to help Spike adjust and to avoid dog troubles would be absolutely brilliant.

[Elaine]

Would a baby gate or dog gate help? You could put this in the kitchen doorway.
Has Spike been looked over by a vet? He may have had some kind of seizure.

[Moli]

Can you give him a litter tray just for himself??
I agree with Elaine, better to get the vet to look him over ..

[Darky]

Moli, I can't control which cat uses a litter tray. XD With two, I worry that Honey will use both because he's mad.

I've come up with a possible idea - to fence off part of the kitchen, just a little bit, underneath a big shelf we have. That way we could have a cat-sized hole for them to get in and out to the litter trays, and the dog wouldn't be able to get to it.

About the vet - unfortunately we are all entirely broke right now, however if anything else happens he will be going straight there. He didn't seem as though he had a seizure when I saw him last night - he was still fine and conscious, just.. Seemed so insanely tired.

[angieh]

From your description Darky I would suggest that perhaps Spike has had a little stroke. It sounds just like what happened to Merlin quite a while ago. He recovered completely and now that the episode has passed he should gradually regain his strength. I agree that keeping him in seems sensible and it really is just a matter of organisation within your household to find an area just for Spike and his food and litter tray etc. Good luck with finding a solution that suits you all.

[Darky]

We're getting there, slowly but surely.

Got a temporary litter tray set up. Spike is moody and wants to go out (just had to give his eyes and bottom a clean, so now he's extra moody) but he seems a lot brighter and healthier.

We're keeping Honey in as well to be fair, and also to prepare Honey for when I move out next year (he'll be going with me, to a place which has rather un-cat-friendly streets so he'll have to stay indoors).