Cats are feline animals, which makes them active, sharp, and swift.Most of us love them, especially kittens, full of soft fur with sharp eyes and a strong smell. Constipation among cats is quite common.Cat’s constipation is usually mild and can be treated at times through a high fiber diet and other processes. However, many a time cat’s constipation may indicate serious health issues and can get very serious. Consult a vet if it happens. But how will you know whether your cat’s constipation is a serious issue which needs vet treatment or a home treatment will work? Constipation in cats is defined when cats get infrequent stools. In general, a healthy cat poops every 26-36 hours. If your cat poops less than that and has difficulty in passing stool then your cat might be constipated. Some normal variations are always there. However, if your cat has not passed stool for more than 48-72 hours then you may need to contact a vet.The signs of constipation in cats may include hard dry stool which can be either inside or outside the litter box. Crying in the litter box or refusing it all together, decreased appetite, vomiting, nausea, weight loss, drinking less or more water, muscle loss, frequent pee, walking stiffly, difficulty in jumping, and hiding. If any of these signs or symptoms are visible in your cat, discuss them with a vet. The causes of constipation are many but anything which dehydrates them makes them constipated. Some constipation can be treated at home with a high fiber diet and lifestyle modifications and a few can be serious. Constipation can happen if the intestines small intestine and large intestine are not working properly, keeping the stool soft and moist. This can be caused by underlying issues like stress, straining, anxiety, allergies, nerve issues, sometimes even cancer. There can be a few chronic diseases that result in constipation in cats like kidney disease, ruptured anal sacs, and hyperthyroidism. Ruptured anal sacs may also lead to hard dry poop and further constipation.If a healthy cat is holding her feces longer than usual, constipation may happen because the intestines reabsorb a great amount of water when the feces sits in for too long. The reasons can be obesity, weight gain, stress, anal gland issues, blockage, or cancer. Constipation is common in cats however can turn into a serious disease, therefore it is advisable to discuss the matter with your vet. In the meanwhile, you can train your cat for some workout and run for weight loss, get their physical examination done thoroughly. Give them a high-fiber diet. Pet care is crucial at this time. Take medical advice and follow it after discussing it with the veterinarian. Keep their dietary fiber amount high and at an even level. Do not give them a low fiber diet. Ensure that water intake is ample and the water they drink is fresh water and not stale. Give them laxatives after discussing with the vet if the cat’s constipation is serious. Keep a check on the cat’s bowel movements. Make them eat pumpkin or products made of pumpkin that is high in fiber. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber for a healthy cat’s diet.If you enjoyed this article, you can also visit how to bathe a cat and when do cats lose their baby teeth.How to palpate a cat for constipation?Constipation among cats is common, but at some point, if they experience it from time to time, one must stay cautious. Dehydration and low fiber food can result in constipation. Weight gain, stress, and anxiety can be straining and result in constipation in cats. You can take your cat for a walk and feed her fibrous food and loads of water intake.Fiber and water help to put waste and feces through the digestive tract. Add pumpkin and bran to their diet to ease them out of pain and increase their freshwater intake to relieve them of any dehydration as dehydration is the major cause of constipation. Veterinarians do turn to pumpkin as a cure for the cat in constipation. Fibrous food cleans and clears the digestive tract and acts as a stool softener. You can also give stool softeners to your cat to rescue her from discomfort and in the case of chronic issues of discomfort. You can also treat your pet with lots of water and fibrous food. Most of the time as the stool is dry and hard while trying to poop in the litter box may leave in between and poop outside of the litter box due to discomfort and pain. Treat them with water and pumpkin, brand and other natural fibrous food.How to tell if your cat is constipated?Cat’s constipation can be mild constipation or a serious chronic disease. The problem is many of us can not augur out how to tell whether the cat is constipated or not. Few things you need to observe and learn about your cat’s bowel movement in order to tell whether your cat is in constipation or not. Generally, cats defecate every 36-52 hours but if your cat takes any longer then they may have constipation. However, if they take up to 72 hours without passing stool, then you need to visit a veterinary as these symptoms can be serious and chronic in nature.The other symptoms you can easily figure out from, apart from infrequent bowel movements which you need to keep an eye on, are dehydration, vomiting, being inactive, and problems in jumping. Weight loss, muscle loss, and having dry stools are also prominent signs and you should seek immediate medical attention. Since during constipation the main symptom is dry and hard stools, you will find them outside the litter box. The discomfort of trying to defecate causes cats to leave the litter box before they’re actually finished. Try to treat them with fibrous food and a lot of water.How to manually extract feces from a cat?Manual extraction of stools and feces from your pet cat is called enemas. Cats usually are constipated most of their life, but as much as constipation is normal in cats so is diarrhea. Megacolon is a condition where the colon is extremely dilated and has poor motility, usually combined with accumulation of fecal material and the inability to defecate. Cats with megacolon require frequent monitoring and therapy. You have to carefully monitor your pet cat at home for painful defecation, straining, or blood in the stool and further it with on-time treatment and consulting with a veterinarian to better the quality of your pet life.In order to perform an enema, insert a liquid or gas in the rectum of the lower part of the large intestine. The main motive or goal is to empty the bowels, which is why one must allow an examination or administer medication. Enemas are good at treating certain medical conditions. However, frequent enemas are serious and dangerous for your cat’s life. Enemas should be performed by the veterinarian as side effects of frequent enemas are bad for your pet’s health and life. Massaging constipated cats is a good way to help extract stools through rushing bowel movements. There are many cat constipation olive oil, cat constipation butter, or cat constipation fish oil products available on the market for your pet car during constipation. Treat them with the products and massage them if needed to relieve them from constant pain and discomfort. Also to fatten the process while you massage you can treat them with food full of fiber like bran and pumpkin and make sure that they drink lots of water.What are the causes of constipation in cats?Different causes of constipation among cats include dehydration, a low fiber diet, obesity or weight gain, chronic disease like diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, or a ruptured anal sac may also cause defecation problems and result in constipation. Giving dry foods to cats can predispose them to constipation as well as dehydration.If cats hold their poop longer than usual, there are great chances of constipation occurring. Their intestine, during this time, reabsorbs a good amount of water while the stool sits inside of them for long. There are many reasons for this which include stress, anxiety, pain from arthritis, pain from anal gland issues, weight gain, blockage, or cancer.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to help a constipated cat then why not take a look at how to clean a cat, or ragdoll facts.
Cats are feline animals, which makes them active, sharp, and swift.
