Add More Litter Boxes
Cats can be quite particular about their litter boxes. If they dont like the location of a litter box or even the type of box or litter, they may not use it as much, which can lead to constipation. You should have at least one more litter box than you have cats, and there should be at least one litter box on every floor of your home. You may need to experiment with different types of boxes and litter to find what your cat likes.
Signs Your Cat Needs Medical Attention
Cats are individuals, each with a unique set of traits that shape their personalities. Because of this, it may be easy for you to tell when theyre just not themselves. Sometimes it means your cat is just having an off day, but there are signs to look out for that could mean your cat needs medical attention.
Increase Exercise And Enrichment
Exercise can help promote normal movement of the intestines, which helps treat and prevent constipation. Encourage your cat to be more active with things like cat toys, cat trees, window seats, and more playtime with you. Exercise will also help provide enrichment and reduce your cats anxiety, and it will help with weight loss.
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Kitten Constipation: Causes Symptoms And Treatment
The Spruce / Adriana Sanchez
If your kitten is litter trained, you may not even notice that it’s constipated until you realize you haven’t seen any feces for a few days. Kittens who cannot defecate are not only uncomfortable but are also at risk for serious problems if left untreated.
Home Remedies For Constipation In Cats
If your cat hasnt pooped in 24 hours and youre starting to worry, dont! There are several things you can try at home to help encourage healthy bowel movements before speaking with a vet. These tips can be used immediately if you notice your cat isnt pooping, but can also be implemented long-term to act as preventative methods.
Here is a look at all of the things you can be doing. Remember, if these do not help or if your cat hasnt pooped in 3 days or more, take your cat to the vet. Likewise, if there are any other symptoms alongside constipation, seek medical advice sooner rather than later.
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Problems That Your Kitten Can Have If He/she Doesnt Poop Regularly
Poop is unpleasant, but it is important to poop regularly to keep our bodies healthy. The same can be said for your kitten.
Pooping is a natural process that our bodies go through to flush toxins away.
If waste gets backed up, it can cause problems like lethargy, pain, and even death. If your kitten isnt pooping, you have to get to the root cause fast.
In many cases, your kitten will just need stimulation. If the stimulation doesnt work, then its a medical condition that needs attention.
So What Are You Supposed To Watch Out For
The telltale sign is going to be a litter box that lacks poop scoop!
But what if you are not that observant?
Well, unfortunately this might make things worse because now you will start noticing your cat is straining in the litter box, they may not want to eat, they may start vomiting, or they might seem a little off and a little quieter than normal.
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How To Make A Cat Poop When Constipated
First, understand you could be getting into dangerous territory attempting to treat a bad case of constipation at home. I strongly urge you to get help from your veterinarian if your pet hasnt passed stool in 36 or more hours.
For those who are still eating and acting normal but havent pooped in 12-24 hours, you can try some simple home remedies safely.
Treatment Of Constipation In Cats
Treatment of constipation in cats will depend on the underlying cause of why they are not pooping. Since the causes are varied, we need to take them to a veterinarian who will determine the correct course of treatment. There are some cases where a home remedy might encourage their gastrointestinal flow, but we might miss an important diagnosis if we do this, so it is advisable to take them to a vet.
Changes in the cat’s diet are common. Since wet food has more water, it is better at keeping the cat hydrated. Cats with chronic constipation may require a permanent change to wet food.
Some cats may be given a laxative for acute constipation. Laxatives for cats will allow their gastrointestinal tract to move again and this may be enough to rectify the problem. Similarly, enemas may be administered if the blockage is significant and the cat laxatives do not work.
However, chronic illnesses or physical trauma will need to be treated. If they are obese, then some lifestyle changes will need to be made, especially in terms of diet. The same will happen with senior cats.
In rare cases, surgery may be required. This is usually due an intestinal blockage since there is no other way to pass the stool. Your veterinarian will determine whether this is the case.
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What Are The Signs Of Constipation In A Cat
Constipated cats may exhibit the following:
- Vocalization with straining
In more severe cases of constipation requiring veterinary care, your cat may exhibit:
Feline constipation may be confusing at times. Your cat may be straining one instant and have diarrhea the next. Liquid stool is all that can pass the mass of dry impacted feces this diarrhea may be mixed with blood or mucous. Keep in mind, even if what you see in the litter box looks like diarrhea, it may be secondary to an impaction.
The 1 Big Reason Your Cat Hasnt Pooped In 5 Days
Editors Note: NaturalPetsHQ.com is supported by readers and may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Recommendations are based on personal experience and the criteria outlined in the article.
Cats have an amazing system for conserving water. Their kidneys are able to keep the moisture needed by the body even when drinking water is scarce. Thats why cats have a low thirst level compared with some other animals.
Constipation in cats is caused directly or indirectly by dehydration. The first order of business to get things moving is to rehydrate your cat. In mild cases, feeding her canned cat food with a side of chicken broth may be enough to resolve the problem.
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Why Is My Cat Pooping Outside Of The Box
Pooping outside of the box can be your cats way of telling you something like I dont like it when you leave me home alone all day, or Im upset that theres a new pet in the house. Your cat could also be making a statement about the litter box itself, such as:
Going outside of the box can also point to a health issue, so be sure to talk to your vet if the situation continues.
Ways To Help Your Constipated Cat
Reviewed and updated for accuracy on March 10, 2020, by Dr. Aja Senestraro, DVM
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Constipation is common in cats. Usually, its mild, and you can help your cat with simple home treatments.
But sometimes, constipation in cats can indicate more serious health issues, and it can become very severe and uncomfortable. So how do you know when its a serious problem that needs vet attention?
Heres what you need to know about cat constipation symptoms and causes, what you can do to help your cat, and when to be concerned.
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How Does My Cat Get Diagnosed
Your veterinarian will diagnose your cat with constipation based on several things, including a thorough history , physical examination findings , and a medical work up. A medical work up is important to find the possible cause of constipation in your cat and will consist of the following:
- A minimum of blood work to check the kidney and liver function, salt balance, protein level, and blood sugar
- A complete blood count to look at the white and red blood cell count
- A thyroid value
- A urine test is important to look at how well the kidneys are working
- X-rays will help look at the size of the pelvis opening, and look for any obvious cancer or physical causes for not being able to defecate
- An abdominal ultrasound in reoccurring cases of constipation to help rule out cancer.
Once this veterinary diagnostic work up is done, the most important part of making your cat comfortable and treating their constipation is getting that backed up feces out of there! Please know that some cats may need long-term medication or dietary changes to prevent chronic constipation from happening again. This is important because we want to prevent megacolon, which is when the colon becomes chronically dilated and is difficult to treat long-term.
Healthy Elimination By Your Kitten
In order to understand when your kitten isnt pooping enough or if something is wrong with the poop, you need to know what healthy pooping practices are for your kitten.
According to PetMD, your kitten should poop at least once per day at a minimum no matter what his/her age is.
The poop should be a dark brown color. It should of medium consistency and it shouldnt smell any worse than typical poop should smell.
If your kittens poop is different from this, or if your kitten isnt pooping at all then its time to pursue reasons why your kitten is having elimination problems.
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Add The Necessary Substances
The reason is also that cats are deficient in calcium for a long time, so, you had better combine the treatment of calcium and mineral supplementation together with the mobilization of pet cats to sunbathing in the early morning sun.
If you prolong this condition for a long time, your cat may become paralyzed and the disability will be difficult to recover.
What If Your Cat Is Not Pooping But Is Acting Normal
If your kitty hasnt pooped in 24 hours but is acting normal otherwise, i.e. still eating and drinking and moving around normally, you can try some home remedies.
The first thing to try is feeding wet food if you usually feed mostly or all dry food. You can add some broth, tuna water or pumpkin if she will take it.
Miralax® is pretty safe to try at home. I advise my clients to give -¼ teaspoon of the powder mixed with moist food or broth two to three times a day until a bowel movement occurs.
Its very important to consider what you can do to prevent the problem from happening again. Read the article and implement some of my suggestions.
If your cat still hasnt pooped after 48 hours, you need to get her to the animal clinic!
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Reasons You Cat Hasn’t Pooped In Days
If you know for sure that your cat hasn’t defecated, then the problem is almost certainly due to constipation. Constipation is a gastrointestinal disorder when the cat’s feces is unable to travel all the way to the end of their digestive system.
The feces will accumulate in their colon and it can cause serious problems for the cat. Even the straining of trying to poop when constipated can be very painful and if the cat keeps eating as normal, the problem will get worse.
In general, the main causes of constipation in cats are:
Veterinary Treatment For Cat Constipation
Once you get to the vets practice, a physical examination will be performed to determine the severity of your cats constipation. The vet will then decide what the best course of action is. For mild cases a dietary adjustment might be all that is needed for the cat to get back to their regular toilet habits. In other cases, an enema can be recommended or medications such as laxatives, stool softeners or probiotics may be prescribed.
You may be tempted to intervene yourself and try to offer some relief before the vet appointment. But its important to avoid administering any human medications or laxatives to your cat. Be mindful that the risk of injury and even toxicity is real and it can make a condition thats easily treated into a much bigger problem. You should always talk to your vet before administering any remedy to your cat.
Cat constipation can be managed by appropriate treatment in most cases. Keeping an eye on your cats daily water consumption, keeping bowls and litter trays clean, with fresh water given every day should form the basis of your care. Introducing more exercise and aiming for a balanced diet will also help encourage regular bowel movements.
Explore special cat diets if your cat has different needs from the rest of the cat out there and discover how to feed your cat a balanced diet for a long, healthy, happy and active life.
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Best Food For Constipated Cats
I wrote about the best food for your cats constipation in another article since its such a broad topic. In general, a high moisture diet, i.e. canned or wet food is recommended for all cats.
Depending on the details of your pets situation, high fiber or low fiber food may work better. There is really no way of knowing except by trying various foods for at least a couple of months.
Minimize Stress And Anxiety
Cats can easily become stressed when their routines are disrupted. There could be a more obvious cause, like having a new pet in the house or moving, or it could be less obvious, like a change in your schedule, construction noise nearby, or a new dog barking in the neighborhood.
Sometimes it just takes time for a cat to adjust to changes. But you can help reduce stress and anxiety by using things like calming pheromones , supplements , herbs, and/or medications.
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What Are The Signs Of Constipation In Cats
The primary symptom of constipation is that your cat will go several days without passing feces. However, as every cat does have slightly different bowel movements, it is good to know what other signs to look out for. These include the following:
- Your cat poops outside the litter box or avoids it altogether
- Your cat licking its genital area and tail more frequently
- Your cats stools are overly hard and dry
- You notice blood in your cats stools that it does pass
In many cases, your cat will not poop but act normal aside from the above symptoms. This is usually because they dont like their litter box or they are not getting intaking enough water, either through drinking or because they are on a predominantly dry cat food diet.
In other cases, symptoms of any underlying condition could also present. For example, you might notice changes in appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, and behavioral changes.
What If There Is Blood In Cat Poop
Dont panic if you notice blood in your cats stool. It might just be that your cat had a bit of constipation and strained too hard while trying to go. If the problem continues and theres a lot of blood, the blood is bright red, or other concerning symptoms come up, take your cat to the veterinarian. Your cat may have an issue that requires medical treatment, like infection, parasites, food allergy, polyps, cancer, or bowel obstruction.
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What Causes Constipation Why Is My Cat Not Pooping
Figuring out why your cat is constipated is essential. This is because you can prevent it from occurring again. According to Dr. Garside, one of the most common reasons your cat could be constipated or having difficulty making regular bowel movements could be due to scavenging.
âBones and hair from wildlife, in particular, are difficult to digest, these form clumps of hard feces in the intestinal tract,â says Dr. Garside. Of course, if you have an indoor cat, this will not be the cause. However, there are several other causes of constipation that affect indoor cats primarily.
If you have an indoor cat, they could become constipated simply from ingesting large quantities of their own hair, as seen with hairballs. This is more likely for some cat breeds than others.
For instance, if you have a cat with long, silky hair, theyâre at higher risk for experiencing this than a Sphinx. âLong-haired cats can also become constipated due to normal grooming as they ingest their own hairs,â explains Dr. Garside. âThere are rarer causes such as the condition ‘Megacolon’ but these require diagnosis by a vet.â
Thatâs just one reason why paying your vet a visit if your cat is experiencing constipation can prove helpful. Itâs better to get a vetâs opinion on what is going on sooner than later, so they can intervene if necessary.
There are also some other reasons why your cat might be experiencing constipation. These can include:
-
Hyperthyroidism
What Should Healthy Cat Poop Look Like
Healthy poop will typically be dark brown in color and not too soft or too hard. If its mushy or rock-solid, your cat might be having a health issue. If its watery, your cat is likely having a bout of diarrhea, which can be caused by:
- Eating toxic substances, such as harmful foods or plants
- Food allergies or a dietary intolerance, which can happen at any time in a cats life
- Cat illnesses, like hyperthyroidism, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer
- Parasites, such as roundworms, which are a common issue for cats
Dairy products can also be bad for a cats tummy, so no saucers of milk for your feline friend.
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