Subtle Signs Your Cat Is Unwell: Marvin’s Emergency Surgery

Earlier that morning, Marvin had been completely himself, happily sitting with his owner while they worked.

A few hours later, Marvin’s day took a sudden turn.

He began dry retching and brought up small amounts of fluid. Marvin also strained in his litter tray but passed very little urine. He stopped eating, refused treats and started hiding under the bed.

His family noticed he was uncomfortable when they gently touched his belly.

For a cat who had been his usual self just that morning, these were subtle but important signs that something was wrong.

When a male cat strains in the litter tray and passes very little urine, it’s understandable to worry about the urinary tract.

When we examined Marvin, his bladder felt small and soft, which made a urinary obstruction less likely at that stage.

Instead, we found a specific area in his abdomen that was painful. His abdominal pain, vomiting and sudden change in behaviour meant we needed to look beyond the litter tray signs and find out what was happening inside.

An initial ultrasound suggested there was a foreign object near the ileocaecal junction, where the small and large intestines meet.

The bowel behind this area was swollen, with inflammation around the affected intestines.

A full abdominal ultrasound confirmed that something was blocking Marvin’s small intestine. We also saw small pockets of free fluid in his abdomen, which suggested the problem could be progressing.

Abdominal ultrasound is a valuable tool when we’re investigating a possible gastrointestinal obstruction, as it can help us identify foreign material and distended intestinal loops.

What we saw next was important.

The foreign body had not moved since Marvin’s earlier scan, and the ultrasound changes were becoming more concerning.

At that point, waiting any longer would have increased the risk for Marvin, so we recommended surgery.

This is one of the things we consider when a cat has a gastrointestinal foreign body. Some objects can pass on their own, but if something remains lodged, causes an obstruction, or is linked with worsening signs, surgery may be needed.

Before surgery, we made sure Marvin was comfortable and stable with intravenous fluids, pain relief and anti-nausea medication.

He then had an exploratory laparotomy, which allowed us to examine his abdomen and intestines directly.

We located and removed the foreign body.

After surgery, Marvin stayed in hospital for close monitoring and supportive care.

He recovered well and returned home after his hospital stay.

Marvin’s case began with signs that could have pointed in several directions. Vomiting, hiding, refusing food and straining in the litter tray do not give us the diagnosis on their own.

The examination helped us narrow down the possibilities. The ultrasound then showed us what was happening inside Marvin’s abdomen.

Cats sometimes swallow all sorts of things around the home, like hair ties, string, toys, plastic or bits of packaging.

If something becomes lodged in the stomach or intestines, it can stop food and fluid from moving normally through the digestive tract.

As an obstruction progresses, the bowel can become swollen and inflamed. In more serious cases, the intestinal tissue can lose its blood supply or develop a hole, which can allow contamination of the abdomen and lead to further complications.