Seeking cold places, bathroom floor

[meowsyko]

Our old cat, Max, had several health issues and when he was nearing the end he would lay on the bathroom floor. I assumed this was because it was cold.

I caught Syko doing this today, so I got spooked and I've made an appointment for Tuesday to get her checked out. It's been 6 months since her last bloodwork anyway so she's due. She has also been wanting to go into the unheated sun room and meowing more frequently. She was constipated and straining to poop earlier this week.

We know that she has a lung tumor, and of course it's possible that that is other places as well. Her BG has been fine.
Can anybody give me an idea of what additional issues we might be dealing with? She's 18, my goal is just to keep her happy and comfortable as long as possible.

 

[Annie&Charlie]

Noticed that my own cat, Charlie did that. He would find the coldest places he could and remain there for hours. This is something that my cocker spaniel also used to do, he would lie in the snow. I think it's related to pain relief.

 

[StephG]

Before being diagnosed Chuck would lay right in front of the air conditioner all day. Now when he doesn't feel good (for him usually it's just an upset tummy) he seeks out cooler areas. Every time. Bathroom floor, upstairs by our drafty door. Once he feels better be goes back to his normal sleeping area.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Squallie doesn't like to be too warm and will seek out cooler places to lie on; tile floors, magazines. glass tables, anything that's not fabric and that won't hold a lot of heat. I love winter because when he does get chilly he'll come curl up in my lap, lol!

 

[PurrKat]

It is warm here year round. My cat heads downstairs under the house to bare concrete when he feels lousy, not as bad, goes behind the toilet. Real annoying when I'm not happy letting him out of my sight. And so far, all bright ideas to create a chill spot in my sight are failures.

 

[Mandy & Rex (GA)]

One thought is hyperthyroidism .. body running high meaning possibly higher heart rate, weight loss, muscle loss, kidney issues, etc. Still a very manageable disease.

 

[Shenandoah]

Do rule out other possibilities - but also be aware that as cats (and really all endothermic animals, including humans) get older, it gets more difficult to regulate body temperature. You may just keep your house a bit too warm for Syko. If she seems uncomfortably warm, you might want to try getting her one of those cooling beds they make for dogs.

I keep my house somewhat on the cool side (I prefer cool), and Shenandoah (also 18) goes into the sun to warm up for a little bit, then moves to a cooler spot for a while. She'll be back and forth many times throughout the day, much more moving around than when she was younger. She just can't regulate herself very well anymore, and needs to change her environment to find a comfortable temperature.

 

[Squeaky and KT (GA)]

I agree with checkup anyway just to be sure there's not something else going on...all my cats are moving to cooler areas right now too. This goes on every spring and fall with them tho'...

 

[Noah & me (GA)]

Same here. Noah has a nice fabric basket no where near a hear source or direct sunlight. He opts for the ceramic tile floor. He is a long hair so he's inside wearing a fur coat, kind of makes sense. Unless there are other symptoms I wouldn't get too concerned. And how they love the basement in the summer even with the AC on. Just like my wife and myself, too hot/too cold. I have to sleep under a window, she can't stand it.
Quicky side note. Moving in together is full of complications (the first time you decorated a Christmas tree together, remember that?) I sleep on the left, she sleeps on the right, a match made in Heaven! Then I get 11 pins in my right wrist and we have to switch sides, yikes! It's been that way now for 20 years. It's also common to sleep on the side of your chest away from your heart. Pressure on the heart maybe equals pressure on a tumor. Just a guess but the heart thing is valid. If cats weren't strange we wouldn't have so many in our homes.