Cat Constipation: When Kitty Can't "Go"

Constipation happens from time to time with humans, some more than others, but as humans, we generally know all the little tricks on how to get our "flow" back. Eat more fiber, drink lots of water, and take a laxative. But what do we do when our beloved cat gets constipated? How do we know that he/she is constipated? I have experienced this problem first hand with my cat, Sam. Recently, Sam has let me know in a variety of ways that he is having a problem with his bowel movements. At first, I was angry with his methods, then concerned by his actions. The following information is a general guideline to determining if your cat is experiencing the common health condition of cat constipation and also what is recommended to treat this condition.

When Sam started having this problem, he stopped doing his "number two" in the litter box. Thank God he still used the litter for number one! However, he began making the attempt to "go" on my guest bed. I thought he was misbehaving for some unknown reason at first but soon realized that Sam was truly a good cat who knew exactly where he was supposed to "go". So why was he testing my patience?

Along with trying to use the guest bed as his bathroom, Sam would emit a "distress meow" every time he was attempting to poo on the guest bed. This always gave me a minute or two to get to him before he actually did the deed. He was not only warning me of his intent but he was also letting me know he was in pain.

His stools became infrequent and also dry and hard. He lost his vitality and behaved as though sick or lethargic. He walked slower, began to ignore invitations for a good kitty scratch and had difficulty sitting all the way down on his behind. Instead, he would sit in a half squat and look at me with miserable eyes. When lying down, he would constantly readjust himself and lift his back leg as if laying it down caused him discomfort. He also made several "noisy" trips back and forth to the litter box where he would try and go but just couldn't manage it. He even ceased grooming himself (something all cats do about one-third of their leisure time each day).

I was worried and it was breaking my heart to see him this way. It had lasted three days this time and now it was time for Veterinary intervention. When this had occurred in the past, Sam had received a kitty enema to clear him out but after this third time, it was time for a truly thorough exam. The Veterinarian examined Sam, who is an overweight kitty, by process of elimination testing. An abdominal exam would determine if there was a blockage in his colon. If a blockage is found, often surgery becomes necessary to remove the blockage. Sam was negative for blockage. Next, a blood sample was taken to test him for diabetes. The Vet informed me that with cats, diabetes is always Type II, meaning insulin dependent. This would also have been bad news and costly. Through a series of questions and also visual examination, the Vet determined that Sam did not have another condition know as Megacolon. Megacolon is a condition wherein the intestines of the cat lose their ability to contract muscularly to push feces through and out of the body. Also, the colon, instead, expands and the feces back up causing blockage. If a cat has this condition, he said, they lose body hair and weight rapidly making them appear sickly to the eye. Sam was fat, hairy and healthy. Good news for me. More good news, his blood sugar level was normal so no diabetes.

Sam was obese and needed to change his diet to not only lose weight but to assist his system in facilitating the waste. In other words, the new diet would help him "go". Now, there are two diets that the Vet says will help kitty lose weight and get his system back on track. You can't tell by looking or exam exactly which one will work. That becomes the trial and error portion of the treatment. My Vet opted for the prescription high fiber diet of RD by Hill Science Diet. This particular pet food has the highest percentage fiber content and is only available by prescription at your veterinary clinic. Sam was placed on this diet first by using a combination of the dry RD and wet/moist RD in a can. The purpose of the moist food was to help make his stool softer and therefore easier to pass.

He will be weighed in after one month on the diet to see if he is losing weight at the recommended 1 lb per month. Sam needs to lose six pounds. (He weighs 18.8 lbs)

If this diet proves to add to his problem rather than help eliminate it during the first month then the Vet recommends the second diet option which is a metabolic diet. This one is more a calorie control diet rather than a high fiber diet. The metabolic diet is like the equivalent of portion control with equal parts protein, lower fiber and fatty content.

With each diet, kitty may still need some help from a laxative such as Laxatone to help his system produce a bowel movement daily. Laxatone is available in any pet store and is not expensive. It looks and smells like pancake syrup and the directions on the back of the tube show proper dosage and how often needed to administer. Most cats actually like the taste but some, like Sam, will try to run from you. Simply apply the recommended amount to the tip of his/her nose and he/she will lick it off. Cats just don't like having anything on their fur, being the fastidious creatures that they are. Laxatone has ingredients such as mineral oil, soybean oil, petroleum, and molasses which all "grease" the intestines.

*Factors that can contribute to cat constipation are:

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Diet
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Environment
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Painful passage of stools
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Pelvic Fractures
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Tumors
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Neurological Disorders such as spinal cord disease, paralysis, or Megacolon
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Low Potassium

*This information was provided by
www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com/print/cat-constipation.html

If your cat displays any of these behaviors, do not hesitate to take him/her to the Veterinarian. Constipation is uncomfortable and often painful in humans. Imagine being a cat in this type of pain. Cats rely on their pet parents for help just like children. When all other possibilities are ruled out through thorough examination, cat constipation can be treated and controlled through proper diet and weight loss/maintenance. Ensure the health of your cat with regular veterinary check ups. We love our cats for all the love and companionship they give us. Let's show them how much we care by being attentive to their needs.