Constipation in Cats: Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 26 January 2021
Update Date: 14 November 2024
Anonim
Cat Constipation: Home Remedy, Treatment and Prevention - Cat Health Vet Advice
Video: Cat Constipation: Home Remedy, Treatment and Prevention - Cat Health Vet Advice

Content

If you have a cat as a companion at home, you've probably already learned about the care you should take with it or it may be that you don't have one yet but are thinking about adopting. Whatever your case, if you already share or if you are thinking of sharing your life with a pussy, it is important to be updated on the information to offer your pet the maximum well-being in the day-to-day life of your pet.

In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain everything about forbelly laugh in cats: causes, symptoms and home remedies.

constipation in cats

Like many other animals, cats can be obstructed by abnormal stool accumulation and having difficulties to evacuate. When you have a cat with constipation, you should be concerned when this problem clogs the colon because, this means that the feline has not defecated for many days and is accumulating waste that the body needs to expel.


By looking at your cat's litter box, you can tell how many days your cat hasn't defecated. It may also be that you realize that he has just defecated and observe that they are hard and dry stools. This will indicate that your cat took days trying to evacuate but was unsuccessful and therefore suffers from constipation.

Cats usually evacuate every day, so you might consider a cat to be constipated if it has passed between 2 and 4 days without defecation, being considered very serious that he stay even more days. You should take your pet to the vet as soon as two days or more have passed after the last bowel movement. It's not good for you to let a feline spend many days holding feces as this could be an occasional constipation but it could also be a chronic constipation or an effect related to other illnesses, so it is important to identify the cause as soon as possible and treat as soon as possible.


Constipation in cats: possible causes

the causes of constipated cat are diverse, but the main ones are:

  1. Diet is one of the most common causes for a cat to suffer from an abnormal accumulation of feces. When the diet you offer him is low in fiber, it causes constipation.
  2. THE lack of water it can also be an important factor when your cat has difficulty defecating. Hydration of the body is vital for the digestive system to work well and, if the cat does not have access to enough water, the digestion process will not be adequate causing constipation.
  3. Obesity is another factor that can cause a cat not to evacuate normally.
  4. Pain in the lower back or a pelvic injury prevents a cat from arching well to get proper posture for defecating.
  5. Sometimes, it may be that he has developed a fear of the litter box and, therefore, can wait longer to clean up, so it is possible that after a few days he will defecate elsewhere in the house.
  6. At fur balls is one of the main problems that cause constipation in cats because they may not be able to expel them in a normal and frequent way, creating a blockage that prevents the complete process of digestion from being carried out.
  7. It is also possible that the feline has eaten a piece of toy, a cloth, bones, wires, among others. And because of that, it's causing the obstruction.
  8. THE digestive tract inflammation causes problems in the evacuation of feces.
  9. Some more serious cases may be the result of a neurological problem. Therefore, it is also very important to take your pet to the veterinarian to find out about the symptoms of constipation since the sooner the neurological problem is detected, the better and the easier it will be to solve the problem, the less complications can occur and the your cat can lead a normal life.

Constipation in cats: symptoms

A cat who is constipated has a variety of symptoms, but sometimes you may not notice until he has gone several days without defecating. For this, it is recommended to review the litter box every day, to be sure which picture of the digestive and urinary health of your faithful friend and to be able to solve the problem as soon as possible.


these are the most common symptoms of constipated cat:

  • Stays a long time in the sandbox;
  • Try to defecate outside the sandbox;
  • Fear or rejection of the sandbox;
  • Abdominal discomfort or pain;
  • Meow constantly;
  • Irritability;
  • Lethargy;
  • Carelessness with hygiene, do not lick the coat;
  • Lack or loss of appetite;
  • Vomiting;
  • Weight loss;
  • Small, hard and dry stools;
  • Blood or mucus in the stool.

Constipation in Cats: Treatment

Treatment for constipation in cats will depend on the cause. It is vital that you never medicate your pet without veterinary advice as any medication, enema or laxative for humans can be fatal to your feline companion. Therefore, medication administration must be under veterinary prescription.

Some causes do not need pharmacological solutions since, only with a food or behavior correction of the cat, the situation of a cat with constipation can be changed. These easier-to-solve cases are typically:

  • Inappropriate diet: in this case, the veterinarian will recommend a diet with higher fiber content and more water. You will notice that, little by little, the constipation will disappear.
  • Obesity: the veterinarian will recommend a diet to help lower the feline's weight and explain how to help you get more cat exercise. As the cat weighs you down, you will notice that it will feel better overall.
  • If your cat has an obstruction caused by fur balls, you must offer him malt for cats.
  • O fear or rejection of the sandbox they can be solved by changing the type of litter box or the type of litter and, with positive reinforcement, you will get your cat to regain confidence and go back to using the litter box.

On the other hand, there are more complicated cases where constipation in cats is a symptom of a bigger problem, these are causes that require pharmacological or surgical treatment:

  • When your cat swallows some foreign body, whether it is a piece of toy, a bone, a cloth, threads or other objects, can easily cause an obstruction in the bowel. If it's something big, you'll probably notice it before constipation develops. But if it's something small or has built up little by little, you'll start to notice that the feline suffers from constipation and other symptoms of malaise. The veterinarian must perform ultrasounds or x-rays, among other tests. According to each situation, it may be that with some specific medication it is possible to expel or surgical intervention may be necessary.
  • In other cases, when there is an inflammation in the digestive tract, a pelvis injury, a pain in the lower back or a neurological problem, it is very important to seek help from a trusted veterinarian at the first symptoms. The veterinarian will carry out tests until the cause is found and, once the root of the problem is detected, will recommend the best treatment options, which may include medication or surgery, depending on the cause and severity.

Constipation in Cats: How to Prevent and Home Remedies

You can do a few things to help your cat regain bowel movement. Here are some tips and home remedies to help your partner:

  • brush the fur of your cat daily and offering cat malt periodically will help reduce hairballs and, consequently, potential clogs.
  • make available fresh water, replacing whenever necessary.
  • Daily exercise and a good environmental enrichment for cats are fundamental practices to maintain the feline's health.
  • Change the diet to a diet that contains higher fiber content and vary with moist foods.
  • You can add pumpkin or zucchini, as a puree, in your feline's daily food so that it ingests more natural fiber.
  • Moderately, consumption of oily fish as tuna, sardines or mackerel, are beneficial and help prevent the accumulation of stool as they contain fat that is good for the intestinal tract.
  • Vaseline helps treat hairballs and constipation in cats, but should not be used for an extended period as it can impair the absorption of necessary nutrients.
  • Olive oil is one of the home remedies that works best against stool buildup. It acts as a lubricant for the intestines helping food to circulate better, thus preventing constipation in cats. To use it, you must add a spoonful of olive oil in your cat's daily food, whether dry feed or wet food. You should not prolong use for more than a week as the consumption of olive oil in excess can cause vitamin A deficiency.
  • Keep in mind that as the cat gets older, constipation tends to be more frequent. Therefore, it is important that you stay alert and practice good habits in order to avoid this problem.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.