Constipation in a cat - helping your pet with a delicate problem

If the cat does not go to the toilet regularly, you should pay attention to this and, if the absence of stool lasts for a long time, seek professional help from a veterinary hospital. In accordance with the norm, cats should empty their intestines 1-2 times a day.

If your cat does not go to the toilet for two days, but remains cheerful and feels great, does not scream, does not lose appetite and does not vomit, then it is too early to worry. It is worth giving him Vaseline oil, it should help normalize his stool.

If the cat has not had stool for more than two days, or the absence of stool is accompanied by lethargy, lack of appetite, physical activity, vomiting, or abdominal pain, you should sound the alarm and immediately bring the animal to the veterinarian.

Only in a veterinary hospital will a doctor be able to make an accurate diagnosis and begin to eliminate the problem. Indeed, sometimes the reason for the lack of stool in cats can be serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including intestinal obstruction, which often leads to the death of the animal.

What is constipation in a cat?

Constipation is considered to be difficult, slow and incomplete emptying of an animal's intestines. As part of the normal functioning of the digestive tract, the cat visits the litter box at approximately the same time with a frequency that depends primarily on the feeding style:

• on ready-made food, cats can defecate 1-2 times a day, since the composition almost always contains a lot of fiber and plant components;
• on natural feeding with a large percentage of meat, bowel movements will occur once every 1–2 days, since there is less fiber in such a diet, and other components are almost completely absorbed by the intestines.

With constipation, feces accumulate and harden in the intestines, which makes their passage much more difficult or even impossible. Usually this problem is a symptom of some kind of disease or traumatic event, but difficult bowel movements can also be an expected physiological reaction. For example, when a kitten is transferred to a new type of food, weaned from mother's milk, temporary problems with stool cannot be avoided.

Taking Duphalac during pregnancy and lactation

Pregnant women may experience bloating when using laxatives.

A frequent companion to pregnancy is chronic constipation. Since this condition negatively affects the condition of a pregnant woman, they require a mild laxative that is absolutely safe for the health of the unborn child.

Causes of constipation

Constipation is not a disease, it is a manifestation, a symptom of a disorder or disease that has occurred in the cat’s body. In search of the root cause, you need to check all possible options:

• insufficient amount of fluid entering the body (alimentary type of constipation). In such a situation, the feces simply contain a small amount of water and cannot be soft. The problem often occurs in pets who have been switched to dry food - such a diet requires the cat’s constant access to clean water, and owners sometimes do not pay due attention to this, forgetting to offer the pet water;

  Insufficient fluid intake in your pet is one of the common causes of hardened stool and constipation.

• poor nutrition. Feeding a cat from a common table usually does not end in anything good for the pet’s health; an unbalanced diet leads to digestive problems and negatively affects the well-being of the animal as a whole. If a cat’s food does not contain a sufficient amount of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and hard fibers, then you should not expect normal feces;
• worm infection. Parasites disrupt the normal course of metabolic processes in the intestines, and in advanced cases they can even form lumps and create a mechanical barrier to the movement of feces;
• the presence of hair in the intestines from licking (mechanical constipation). This is a problem primarily for long-haired breeds, especially during periods of molting - wool that clumps together can become a serious obstacle to the functioning of the digestive tract;

  A cat's constant grooming of its fur leads to its accumulation in the intestines, which can create difficulties during bowel movements.

• undergoing a course of treatment with diuretics, calcium, iron-containing drugs and other medications with side effects such as constipation;
• pet's inactive lifestyle (hypodynamic constipation). This is possible under the influence of the character traits of a particular cat, during pregnancy or due to diseases that limit movement;
• stress. Often a similar reaction occurs in kittens when they are separated from their mother and sent to a new owner - the baby may refuse to visit the litter box for about 3-4 days. For an adult animal, a traumatic event can be a change of owner, his long absence, a change of place of residence, the appearance of new residents or pets in the house, etc.;
• damage to nerves due to spinal cord injuries, which leads to disruption of intestinal motility - feces simply cannot move productively towards the exit;
• recovery period after abdominal surgery;
• In kittens, constipation can be caused by a cause specific to a small age - an imperfect digestive system.

Constipation can be one of the symptoms of a pathological process occurring in the animal's body. Difficulty defecating may indicate diabetes mellitus, intestinal polyposis, renal failure, pancreatitis, inflammatory process in the intestines, the formation of malignant tumors in the digestive tract, etc.

Enema appointment

In severe cases, when visiting a veterinary clinic, the doctor recommends the use of an enema. The cleansing process takes place under the supervision of doctors in the clinic in the following sequence:

Healthy cat

• an hour and a half before the procedure, the animal takes 3 ml of vaseline oil;
• Next, prepare an enema solution at room temperature;
• the tip is lubricated with Vaseline oil, the solution is drawn up and inserted into the cat’s anus in a circular motion;
• At the end of the procedure, the pet’s anus is clamped with the tail for 20 minutes and only after that the animal is released to the toilet.

It is necessary to understand that douching is a very painful and unpleasant procedure for the animal. It is prohibited to carry it out if the pet has skin disorders around the anus, as well as bleeding and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, douching is not performed on pregnant cats.

Important! Frequent enemas disrupt the intestinal microflora and injure the pet's anus.

Symptoms of constipation in cats

You should suspect constipation in your pet if feces no longer appear in the litter box with the usual regularity. Careful observation of the cat will be required - perhaps she is simply ignoring her toilet and relieving herself in the wrong place, or perhaps she really has problems with bowel movements. The latter may be indicated by the following signs:

• prolonged stay in the tray, the animal tries to push for a long time. Due to discomfort, the cat may meow pitifully. It is worth understanding that in complete well-being, a cat defecating will not look tense, and will not stay in the tray for a long time;
• after defecation, hard, dry, cracked feces remain in the tray, usually in small quantities. According to the Bristol Stool Scale, constipation is characterized by loose, hard, or lumpy stools. The consistency is considered normal when one or more formed oblong “sausages” remain in the tray and do not stick to the animal’s bottom;

  By the type of feces, you can determine if a cat is constipated - there is a problem if the feces are hard, separated or held together by balls

• after defecation, traces of fresh blood may be found under the animal’s tail and in the stool itself. This is often the result of mechanical trauma to the rectal mucosa due to too hard feces. The injured anus often swells, which is noticeable upon visual examination of the cat;
• the general condition is sluggish, apathetic, most likely the cat will refuse food - this is due to the discomfort in the abdomen;
• the stomach is tense, swollen, the cat is not allowed to feel it, but if it succeeds, the animal reacts sharply due to pain.

There is a more serious problem with similar manifestations - intestinal obstruction. In this case, emptying is impossible due to a mechanical obstruction in the path of feces, which requires emergency veterinary care. Obstruction can be caused by both a neoplasm in the intestine and objects swallowed by the cat (synthetic sausage skin, Christmas tree garland, fur accumulated in a lump, etc.)

Recommendations

How to get a kitten to go to the toilet? After feeding, carefully and at the same time firmly fix the pet so that it cannot slip out. The fingers of the hand should be located simultaneously under the chest and stomach, so that the tail is towards the caregiver. You need to put a damp, warm napkin on your other hand, preferably white, but you can also use light colors, because it’s easier to tell on a light fabric whether the kitten went to the toilet or not.

Next, you need to stimulate the baby to urinate. Do not apply strong pressure and wipe the area from the lower abdomen to the anus. If the kitten went to the toilet (did not defecate - wiping continues), then you need to move to the anal area, doing a specific massage. Usually the effect occurs within a minute. But it happens that animals cannot go even after several feedings. Then you need to show him to a veterinarian.

After the job is done, you must first wipe the contaminated areas of the skin with a clean edge of the napkin (urine and feces are irritating, and dermatitis or a genitourinary tract infection may develop at the site of their appearance, since there is no strong immunity yet formed). It is also necessary to dry wet areas. This procedure is done for each kitten.

If there are several children, separate napkins are allocated for each of them (these can be pieces of bandage, gauze, cotton pads, which are thrown away after use). The whole procedure must take place in a warm room without drafts, otherwise the baby will become hypothermic and die.

Preventive measures

Following these important recommendations will help minimize the risk of constipation in your furry pet:

• the cat must be brushed regularly (for short-haired breeds, 1-2 times a week will be enough, but for long-haired cats it is better to brush daily) - this will minimize the entry of hair into the digestive tract. During periods of shedding, the animal should be offered special pastes for removing swallowed hairs (Gimpet Mal-Soft, Cliny, Gimсat Anti-Hairball Duo Paste, SynergyLabs gel for hair removal, etc.);
• The animal must be provided with adequate and safe nutrition. The diet should contain sufficient fiber;
• ensure constant access to clean water, preferably in unlimited quantities;
• for a domestic cat, you can plant special grass on the windowsill - it will help get rid of swallowed hair and stimulate intestinal function;
• it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive treatment of the animal against worms (once every 3 months for a domestic cat);
• It is important to provide the cat with physical activity - the owner should play with the pet and offer toys for independent play;
• You should not ignore alarming symptoms if you suspect a disease - it is better to immediately go to the veterinarian and not delay.

If a problem appears in a kitten that has just been brought to a new home, you should not immediately sound the alarm. Under the influence of stress in an unfamiliar environment, babies often refuse to go to the litter box because they do not feel protected and comfortable. The problem is usually solved within 2-3 days; the main thing is to prepare suitable conditions for the new pet in advance.

Constipation in a cat is considered to be the absence of bowel movements for more than three days or difficult bowel movements, accompanied by a deterioration in the animal’s well-being. There are many reasons for this condition, from simple stress to dangerous diseases. Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor, but the owner can take measures to alleviate the pet’s condition on his own - change the diet, administer a laxative, offer a decoction of herbs, or give an enema.

Treatment at the Bio-Vet veterinary clinic

What to do with a cat if he doesn't go to the toilet? Only a veterinarian can decide correctly. If your pet does not feel better after taking Vaseline oil, bring him to our Bio-Vet clinic.

Our highly qualified specialists will help your pets at any stage of the disease. The main thing is, do not delay and do not try to treat the poor animal with folk remedies or advice from the Internet - entrust the life and health of the cat to professionals!

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