How to improve GI motility?

Musiaka

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Musiaka has ibd and his main symptom is vomiting but we're managing that quite ok at the moment. However there's poop outside the litterbox almost every morning recently. I saw how that happens - he doesn't specifically try to poop elsewhere, but his poop gets stuck in his bum so he runs out of the litterbox to try and wipe his bum on the carpet to gets it off. Most often it gets stuck on clumps of hair and just doesn't seem to pass through that well.

I used to regularly give him eggyolk, but I think he eventually developed some sensitivity to it and it got his tummy upset. Psyllium is working so-so. It might be that I'm not giving him enough of it, but he refuses his food if there's psyllium in it...that's supposed to be scent and taste free! Any other ideas? Does slippery elm bark help with motility issues? Could egg lecithin be different from egg yolk and cause less tummy upset? Any other ideas?
 

Margot Lane

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I’ve been having some luck with Tiki Cat’s Tummy Topper pumpkin purée recently which comes blended with wheatgrass. Whatever you try, be sure (obviously— not sure why I’m even typing this) not to try alll the new ideas at once, or you’ll never know for sure what works!
 

LTS3

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Sounds like a question for daftcat75 daftcat75

Maybe try prebiotics / probiotics and / or digestive enzymes?
 

Astragal14

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What you're describing makes me think the issue isn't that Musiaka isn't getting enough psyllium, but rather it could be either too much psyllium or not enough liquid accompanying the psyllium - both of these scenarios result in poop that is too bulky to pass easily and/or having it get stuck. Psyllium requires a certain amount of liquid to accompany it in order for things to move smoothly through the intestines, otherwise things become too bulky to move (the required amount depends on the specific product).

Slippery elm can be great for IBD, it provides mucilage and supports the intestinal barrier, but you may want to try marshmallow root instead. Marshmallow root also provides mucilage and supports the intestinal barrier but it's primary benefit is to support hairball motility, whereas the primary benefit of slippery elm is to control stomach acid. Many digestive/motility products actually have both in them. One product I've personally used and recommend is Vet's Best Hairball Relief tablets. It has psyllium, slippery elm and marshmallow root, plus a few other beneficial ingredients.
VET'S BEST Chewable Tablets Hairball Control Supplement for Cats, 60 count - Chewy.com
 
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Musiaka

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Sounds like a question for daftcat75 daftcat75

Maybe try prebiotics / probiotics and / or digestive enzymes?
I'm giving him Fortiflora daily, but I've heard that it's not the best cat probiotic out there, so maybe I'll try another one after we finish it. Have you heard about Enzyme Miracle? It's a digestive enzyme blend that's supposedly really good
 
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Musiaka

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What you're describing makes me think the issue isn't that Musiaka isn't getting enough psyllium, but rather it could be either too much psyllium or not enough liquid accompanying the psyllium - both of these scenarios result in poop that is too bulky to pass easily and/or having it get stuck. Psyllium requires a certain amount of liquid to accompany it in order for things to move smoothly through the intestines, otherwise things become too bulky to move (the required amount depends on the specific product).

Slippery elm can be great for IBD, it provides mucilage and supports the intestinal barrier, but you may want to try marshmallow root instead. Marshmallow root also provides mucilage and supports the intestinal barrier but it's primary benefit is to support hairball motility, whereas the primary benefit of slippery elm is to control stomach acid. Many digestive/motility products actually have both in them. One product I've personally used and recommend is Vet's Best Hairball Relief tablets. It has psyllium, slippery elm and marshmallow root, plus a few other beneficial ingredients.
VET'S BEST Chewable Tablets Hairball Control Supplement for Cats, 60 count - Chewy.com
Will order marshmallow root, is something like this ok or Frontier Co-op, Organic Marshmallow Root, 3.81 oz (108 g) or maybe it's better to buy in capsules and open then up? Oregon's Wild Harvest, Marshmallow, 90 Gelatin Capsules
Musiaka has acid reflux too so we would probably use both marshmallow root and slippery elm bark. The supplement you linked looks great, but they probably don't ship to Europe?
 

Astragal14

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Many members here prepare their own marshmallow root and/or slippery elm (and I don't believe you can give cats marshmallow root in dried form, I think it needs to be made into a liquid?), so I recommend searching for advice relating to these supplements. Making my own makes me too nervous so it's easier for me to buy products specifically made for pets and with dosage instructions for cats.

This is one of many search results about making your own:
Question about marshmallow root

Shipping to Europe is another area outside of my expertise, so hopefully other members can offer better suggestions. All I can recommend is to start looking at UK retailers listed here and check their shipping options, this is a well respected and reliable resource from the US (supplements are referenced near the bottom):
Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Obtaining Supplies Cheaply in the UK
 

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I'm giving him Fortiflora daily, but I've heard that it's not the best cat probiotic out there, so maybe I'll try another one after we finish it. Have you heard about Enzyme Miracle? It's a digestive enzyme blend that's supposedly really good

No, FortiFlora isn't the best plus it can be addicting to cats. It's really only good to get inappetant cats to eat.

Advita is similar but doesn't have the addictive animal digest. Some people like to use Proviable.

Human probiotics can be used instead of pet specific ones. Take a read through these:


I have not heard of Enzyme Miracle. I know that ProZyme is popular. I tried Dr. Goodpet in the past but it never made a difference with my cats. I'm currently trying out Optagest with my cats. I know daftcat75 daftcat75 uses Optagest and it works well for his cat.
 
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Musiaka

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Not everything mentioned is available in my country, I'm in Lithuania and I would prefer to not ship outside of EU (so not even UK) because I had some issues with items from US not passing through Lithuanian customs and being returned without them naming a reason. Iherb works though. I cannot really find anything readily made for pets with marshmallow root or slippery elm bark, except for this paste
https://www.zooplus.com/shop/cats/cat_treats_catnip/pastes/other/680309?origin=hopps&q=gimcat paste&i=8&ro=1 which we used before but he vomited once after receiving it so I stopped giving it to him. It has psyllium and ground elm bark.

Optagest is not available. Animal biome is not shipping to Lithuania, I had contact with them.
It feels a bit scary giving him human grade probiotics,
Many members here prepare their own marshmallow root and/or slippery elm (and I don't believe you can give cats marshmallow root in dried form, I think it needs to be made into a liquid?), so I recommend searching for advice relating to these supplements. Making my own makes me too nervous so it's easier for me to buy products specifically made for pets and with dosage instructions for cats.

This is one of many search results about making your own:
Question about marshmallow root

Shipping to Europe is another area outside of my expertise, so hopefully other members can offer better suggestions. All I can recommend is to start looking at UK retailers listed here and check their shipping options, this is a well respected and reliable resource from the US (supplements are referenced near the bottom):
Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Obtaining Supplies Cheaply in the UK
Oooh, so you're not supposed to just give them the herb itself? Glad I haven't received the items yet cause I thought you can just mix the herb into something. Why does making your own makes you nervous, is there a possibility to make things much worse that way? Cause then I'm nervous too, I'm so bad at diy things :(

Shipping from UK and US is just not a good option, it's so stressful with filling in customs forms, it also takes much longer and sometimes items are returned without an explanation, which happened to me with various human supplements
 
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Musiaka

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I have bought these two products:
VomiSan — Inuvet
This one includes marshmallow, dill extract, chamomille and psyllium.
This one we have already used before, I stopped because he threw up once after taking it, but I'm thinking that it maybe wasn't related:
GimCat Gastro Intestinal Paste | Top deals at zooplus!
It has elm bark, psyllium and grass extract.
Hopefully some of this will help. Musiaka has been vomiting today, probably because it's too hot and he doesn't eat food which gives acid reflux. He's such a difficult cat and I am constanly trying things that could help him
 

Astragal14

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I have bought these two products:
VomiSan — Inuvet
This one includes marshmallow, dill extract, chamomille and psyllium.
This one we have already used before, I stopped because he threw up once after taking it, but I'm thinking that it maybe wasn't related:
GimCat Gastro Intestinal Paste | Top deals at zooplus!
It has elm bark, psyllium and grass extract.
These ingredients sound good and seem like a good place to start. I'm glad you were able to find products that are more convenient to buy.

Why does making your own makes you nervous, is there a possibility to make things much worse that way?
I get nervous not for reasons related to marshmallow root, but because I am terrible at everything relating to cooking/recipes/kitchen stuff. I'm not good at making human food either! I recommend using the search function on this site and looking for how others make their own marshmallow root supplement. Many people do this on their own and I hope you have more success than me!
 
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Musiaka

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These ingredients sound good and seem like a good place to start. I'm glad you were able to find products that are more convenient to buy.



I get nervous not for reasons related to marshmallow root, but because I am terrible at everything relating to cooking/recipes/kitchen stuff. I'm not good at making human food either! I recommend using the search function on this site and looking for how others make their own marshmallow root supplement. Many people do this on their own and I hope you have more success than me!
Ah, I'm the same way. I have adhd among other things and kitchen stuff, recipes, diy things etc are super difficult for me. I do try my best with Musiaka, but sometimes I wonder if I'm too chaotic with the way I try to treat him. I buy a lot of stuff and sometimes I don't go through with them properly.
 
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Musiaka

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I think the supplement with marshamallow root in it is working (or the paste with slippery elm). Much less stray poops nowadays!
 
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