Blind Mentally ill cat - Please help!

[jamie0408]

There is a small group of stray cats that live in my neighborhood. I didn't want to take them to the pound, so I had them all trapped, nuetered and vaccinated. Well, one of them stopped breathing during surgery and it took 20 minutes to bring him back. I adopted him and named him Bo. Because of the lack of oxygen he is both blind and mentally slow. He is the sweetest cat in the world and he's doing really good except for one thing - the litter box. I've had him for two months now and can't get him to use the litter box for the life of me. He'll walk in it and just walk right back out. I've tried confining him to a small room with it and that doesn't help. The worst part is he will walk in whatever mess he leaves and gets it all over the room. My boyfriend wants him gone now, but I can't except the fact that he won't start using the litter box. It's going to be very difficult for me to find a home for him because of this issue and the fact that he is indeed a very special cat. I asked my Vet about it, and he just said that sometimes these things take awhile especially after all that he went through. If anyone else has been through this or has any advice please let me know. At this point I am desperate and really don't want to give him up.

Thank you!!!

[FYI]

http://user.xmission.com/~emailbox/max.htm

[jamie0408]

Thank you so much for the link!

[CarolC]

It is wonderful that you are caring for him. One of the moderators here, Bendy, had a cat named Mimosa who was also damaged by anesthesia.

http://www.alittletlc.com/Mimosa.html

It includes a timeline of her recovery.

http://www.alittletlc.com/mimosatimeline.html

Mimosa was left deaf and blind and having seizures after the anesthesia, but in time she regained her sight (except close up) and got to where she could hear fine.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... ind#p28646

Mimosa's mom used to "squeeze her" (express her bladder) since she had trouble using the litterbox.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... ind#p13619

There is information on expressing in this article.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... 027#p85204

Mimosa's mom used taps and thumps (vibrations) to communicate while she was still deaf/blind, as well as carpets on the floor to let her know where she was.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... lind#p3632
http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... lind#p2849

She says it can take a month or more to recover the senses.

http://handicappedpet.net/helppets/view ... nth#p17987

A couple of ideas that may help besides expressing are keeping him in a large crate, like a 48" wire dog crate for example, when you are not there to watch him. Also newspapers around the litter box may help. Personally, I wonder if you could help him practice "digging" in the litter with his front feet, possibly something might connect for him after doing this for a few times.

[critters]

Yes, critters can be mentally retarded or learning disabled too. I'd seriously consider Carol's info on expressing, to make life easier. My Baby has severe brain damage, but hers is to her cerebellum, which controls motor functions, among other things; she's like somebody with severe cerebral palsy. Unfortunately, she won't tolerate expressing since she got here as an adult.

[SandyNY]

I have a mentally ill cat - but she has nothing to contribute to this!
I have a cat who went suddenly deaf from the spay surgery. she was feral prior to it. after years she got sudden hearing returned. she had survived the interim - so you never know. it does happen. it is overwhelming to think of what it is like for them.
for the litter, have you tried dirt in the box? some cats like dirt. maybe yours will dig and go in the raw earth?
I also have a prima donna. she was to be the next queen of the ferals but got hit by a car and had a leg amputated and she bacame a 3 leg house cat. Anyways, when the litter boxes ALL are not to her liking, she finds a windowsill, a behind the door spot to deficate on. it IS odd. Did she poop in the hay loft prior to her incarceration? She will use box if it is perfectly clean, ... i think. otherwise, stool samples in the window sills.... maybe try strong scented litters or dirt ,... maybe try to provide understanding to the humans in the room that this poor critter has suffered emensly and is still walking and breathing... cut her some slack and time to learn/ heal... I was very fortunate in all the babes i had in, litterbox came natural. but it does not for all. when she poops outside, put it in the box. find a consistency of litter she likes. give her some time and patience'; she may need to be trained and training is just not so easy when you are mentally challenged.Throw her in the box if you catch her outside performing....
Cat's brains are very odd. she may even do better on the human toilet. just some thoughts... By the way, i do not like finding bm in the window sill or door jam either; but it is still better than peed on chairs or sprayed on computer screens -count your blessings!lol!