My cat has something in his rectum, any idea what it is?

Question
QUESTION: Hi, Was hoping you'd be able to help my cat Cuddles. 'll start with back in December, Cuddles was straining to use his litter box. I wasn't sure if he was having a hard time urinating or passing stool. So we took him to the vet. They said he had a bladder infection and was fixed with antibiotics. A week goes by and he's still straining, so we take him back. They did blood work and x-rays on him and come to find out he had a lot of gas build up and was a little constipated. The dr. tells me to try feeding him pumpkin, which he hates! and to try metamucil or whatever it's called, to soften his stool. That still doesn't work. I called and spoke with the vet many times over another two week period, and all they kept saying was to try enemas and hairball medication, beano for gas, and nothing helped! I was getting irritated because they never asked for me to bring him back in, and when I mentioned it, they said he didn't need to be, that I need to keep trying all this different stuff and it should work. A month goes by and my poor baby hasn't had a normal bowel movement. All he has done was a few small pieces here and there. So we decide to take his to another vet. The dr. at the new vet feels his colon and bladder and claims he wasn't constipated! I told her that he hasn't passed stool in a month! So she had the old vet send them all Cuddles' paper work and x-rays, and decides to do an enema on him. I left him there and had to come back 4 hrs later to pick him up. This btw was 3 days before x-mas eve. I brought him home, he was so sick that he wouldn't eat, drink, or hardly move. I called the vet back the next morning and told what was going on, they claimed if he isn't better tomorrow, bring him back in. And they wanted me to force feed him as well. Which was impossible! The next day came, it was x-mas eve and I called as soon as they opened. They said bring him right in. The dr. gave him fluids, some antibiotics and sent us home with a four day weekend ahead of us. I was so scared that he'd get worse and we'd end up taking him to the ER and would spend a ton of $$ we didn't have. But thank God he got better the next day, x-mas day! I think he caught something there or got an infection somehow and the antibiotics worked. So about 2-3 weeks go by and he's in the litter box straining again! We bring him back to the second vet and she does another enema and notices that about 1 1/2 inches into his rectum, is a round something with a hole in it. I asked her what it was, she didn't know. I said is it cancerous or anything, she said no. I asked could he have swallowed something, she said no, I asked again, what is it, she don't know! She gave me a bottle of Lactulose and said, if he starts to strain again, give him 1CC three times daily. And she added, if this doesn't work, you should consider putting him down!! My heart fell to the floor and all I could do was cry! Put him down for this? Something that she doesn't even know what is going on, and she mentions putting him to sleep???  He's had since been straining every other day to use the box, but we give him the laxative and that helps him go quit a bit and stop the straining, and I have been watering down his food real good, he eats only canned food. I'm trying to keep him hydrated and hoping this will keep his stool loose along with the medicine. If this continues with the laxative not working, I'll give his enemas weekly if I have to, but prefer not to. Now, my reason for writing this book is to find out this.... Do you know what this could possibly be in my baby's rectum causing him to not be able to defacate? The vet said it's like trying to push a sausage through a small hole. But can't tell me what it is. I'm hoping so much that somebody out there knows what this could be. Is it a hemmroid or did something in him get swollen from straining for a month straight? I need to know what it is, if it's something he can live with, and it won't close up completely. I don't want to lose my baby, but I don't want him living in pain either, and I need to know how serious this is if it is, or if it's something that will go away with time, or does it have to be removed surgically? Please help me and my baby Cuddles please! There has to be another cat out there who's had this before. I did forget to mention that he's 17yrs old, but he's very healthy for his age. This is the only thing wrong with him and wish I knew what it was. I've had 5 vets tell me in the past year that he's extremely healthy for a 17yr old cat, and he is still full of so much love and energy. I can't lose his to whatever this is. So please, help us if you can!
Thanks for listening and so sorry I wrote soooooo much! =/ I had to explain everything.
Thanks again!
Fran and Cuddles


ANSWER: Fran, I am so sorry for the two of you!  Sounds just awful.
I am not sure what to tell you.
I am going to put your Question on my special cat group page:
SEE if any of the long time cat breeders can figure out what the 2 vets can't seem to figure ...A puzzle?

I will let you know what they say:

Marie Peppers

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QUESTION: Thanks Marie! I hope one of your long time cat breeders can answer this question for me. I usually have to give him the laxative (Lactulose) twice every other day to keep him regular. I hate giving it to him but it does work. I just hope the medicine doesn't hurt him in the long run. Seems many older cats are put one this stuff to help with stool problems through. I've tried pumkin, veg. oil, I still add quite a bit of water to his canned food, and canned food is all he ever eats. It doesn't seem to be helping him with the bathroom, but it is helping keep him hydrated. I also read that giving a cat garlic powder is good for them, is that true? He's not to old if I were to give him some daily? Anyways, thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly, and I hope to find out still what this is in my baby that seems to be a mystery. Someone out there has to know. Thanks again!
Fran and Cuddles

ANSWER: Hello Fran, Well I asked around and most are answering with the concept of a Fistula....

Here is one breeder/ cat owners comments:

From Jessica :

I haven't had a problem like this and I've had cats all my life, some of them with some strange medical problems. It sounds to me though, that either an ultrasound or colonoscopy might shed more light -- the problem is, though, that most vets hesitate to anesthetize elderly cats because they might not wake up! That may be one of the problems Fran is facing with her vets and treatment! I don't know what kind of money Fran is willing/able to spend, but it sounds like Cuddles needs to see someone who is willing to remove whatever it is that is in his rectum!

One other thing, though, is that he might be suffering from Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disorder -- if he strains to pee or has difficulty peeing, this could also affect his ability to have bowel movements. I have a cat who is prone to FLUTD whenever he picks up MY stress -- his vet prescribed valium (diazepam) for him to ease his stress so he wouldn't strain so much.

Maybe some anti-anxiety medication would help Cuddles relax so he could actually expel whatever is in his rectum.

That's all I can suggest. I hope she doesn't have to have him put to sleep -- I would advise against it unless it appears that Cuddles is no longer enjoying a good quality of life! And it sounds like he still wants affection and has a lot of energy!

Hope this helps! She might also try phoning Angel Animal Hospital in Boston and see if they do any phone consultations! Just a thought!

Jackie Cassada

If more come through, I will send them to you and Cuddles.

Marie Peppers.....


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much Marie for seeking outside advise for me. NO!! I WILL NOT PUT CUDDLES TO SLEEP OVER THIS!!! He's still happy and enjoys life, except when it's time to use the potty. Of course, if I were to see him in pain and suffering then that would have to enter my mind, but until then no way!! I will be bringing him back in for a check up within the month, and will ask the dr's advise at this vet. This vet is his original vet and they have no clue about what's going on with him in this department. I'll have the hospital that gave Cuddles enemas and found this "thing" in his rectum, forward all of Cuddles' medical records to the original vet. Maybe they'll have an idea of what this is. His original vet was the first one to find that Cuddles had a UTI and treated him with two 10 day shots, plus they did an x-ray and saw he was a little constipated and had a little gas. But they wanted me to treat him at home with pumpkin, liquid beano , which I could never find, and that hairball medicine and he wouldn't touch any of this stuff. With them acting like they wanted me to treat him on my own made me seek other vets to find out if they can treat him, which they did with two enemas and laxatives. The laxatives scare me though! It helps him go after two doses a day, a total of 2CC's every other day is what he gets right now, but I fear that the laxative will hurt him if given to often. I'll lay my head of his stomach and can hear all kinds of rumbles and stuff in him, like we'd have if we had to take laxatives often. But like I said, it cleans him out really good, and he's great for a day, then the next day he's straining again. Now as to a bladder or UTI. I do watch him every time he goes in the box, unless I'm asleep, which isn't often. And he does urinate good. It's not to much nor to little. But I have noticed that he'll get in the box, walk around for a second, squat to urinate, get up, repeat the steps again 2 or 3 more times before he finally urinates. Could that be a sign of a bladder problem? I check every time and he goes a normal amount, like my other cats do, and there's no odor or anything. After he urinates, I'll clean the box, and he'll come back a few minutes later sometimes and try to pass stool, and he squats differently than when he has to urinate and pass stool. And he always is in the passing stool position when he's straining. But I will have him re-checked for a bladder problem when I bring him back. Sadly, I'm not rich, am disabled and trying to get disability as we speak, so my funds are low right now. But when I do get some extra cash I'm bringing him back to the vet, even if I have to sell some of my stuff to do so. I will do everything and anything for my baby, but putting him out isn't one of them right yet! I know he's elderly, but he's still so healthy and full of love, and I can't and won't do that to him unless he's suffering and there's nothing no doctor can do to save him. I love him so much and it's going to kill me when it's his time, but that time isn't now, nor anytime soon.... right God? =) I'm having lots of faith and pray so much for my baby Cuddles. He's my life and my best friend!
I do have one more question before I finish... is there something out there that works as well as Lactulose but is safer for me to give Cuddles? The doctor wants me to give him 1cc three times a day and that's to much in my opinion. We'll do 1cc twice every other day and that always works for him, but I still feel it's hurting him on the inside. Am I wrong, is Lactulose safe to give him like I'm doing, or do you recommend something else? I even tried veg. oil once and it's  didn't seem to work, but the fat and chlor. in it are so high, I don't want to give my baby a heart attack! Anyways, your opinion will be greatly appreciated if you can answer it.
Thanks again so much Marie, and please please thank Jackie for me. I loved her advise, especially about not putting my baby out! It's nice to hear an expert say to not do that over this issue, especially since I do have medication to help him. But would prefer a safer, more natural way if there is one. Thanks again so very much!!! I will keep you informed on this, and hopefully in the future if you have another cat owner with the same issue, then you'll know how to respond to it. I can't believe my Cuddles is the first to have this....whatever it is in his rectum! My poor baby! But we're not giving up, not now, not ever!!
Thanks again!!!
Love Cuddles and Fran

Answer
Hi again .... Well, I have had many people write to me and they they just can't figure out what foreign object could be in Cuddles bottom. Most of them think this it is a tissue Fistula.
Now, I sure understand about not have 1000.00ssssss of $$$$ to hand over for testing.

Yes, when you can get his urine checked again, sounds like he may have a UTI again.  The unknown growth could be taking up more room and pushing on his bladder.

You had asked about garlic.  Very small amounts are fine for healthy pets.  I don't advise this for a cat of such ill health.
also, the lactulose is not so bad.  I would stick with that 2-3 cc per day as your Doctor ordered.

Wish I could be of more help!

Will say a prayer for you and Cuddles.  

Marie Peppers LPN MA
mtnmom@gci.net