We were given lactulose to put on his food. He's already on urinary diet food but the pellets rather than the wet stuff as he didn't eat the wet stuff! But have bought a few pouches of normal cat food to stick the lactulose on. He's still on the Metacam.

Unfortunately though things seem to have relapsed. He had a problem passing a stool today, couldn't push it out and it got stuck. It eventually dropped off whilst he was running in from the garden (and I had to go with him into the garden as his confidence has been dented with this illness) - it was bloody. He was very distressed again, in pain and growling. Couldn't sit down, spent a lot of time hunched over. There is a bulge back where the hernia was (left side) and I think the op hasn't worked, we were told it was 50/50 as to whether it would and he has a weakness on the right side of his anus too so could get a hernia there in the future.

We will take each day as it comes, and he has a check up on Thursday. But if he's had a relapse and the hernia is back, we will not put him through it all again. We will let him go. It's just not fair to put him through further surgery (and pain) which may not work again.

I'll update again when there is anything new.

That's sad and you have a hard decision to make.

It's difficult but you know what you have to do. Your poor cat is sufferning and the chances of recovery are slim.

Frisky python, poor Charlie, things must be very tough for you all at the moment, I know you'll do what is best for him.

Agreed. Poor Charlie.
So sorry.

Any news? I understand that if it was bad news reporting back to us would be the last thing on your mind

Thanks for asking iHelix. Charlie had a check up with the vet yesterday who said the bulge is scar tissue. He gave him a very thorough examination, told me to up the lactulose to see if that would help as the faeces he could feel in his colon were hard and would cause pain when he came to pass them.

He has asked to see him again next week. He explained more about the op in saying that he tightened the whole area up as he could feel the muscle was loose on the other side too.

Charlie is mostly OK in himself. He hates going out though and has taken to weeing indoors which isn't pleasant! So at the mo I'm trying to build his confidence in being out in the garden by taking him out in to it for little trips LOL! Vet agreed it was a psychological thing (as the vet said, he's been thru a lot) that hopefully will correct in time. With the warmer weather coming up he'll hopefully want to venture out a bit more. He always used to love the outdoors just sitting sunning himself in the garden!

Poor Charlie, I really hope he improves with time.

Thanks for the update

I hope he gets better. I know, from experience, that we will do anything to help our pets and seeing them in discomfort is really upsetting so I know how you feel. My best wishes