Cat constipation

[Catman Carruthers]

Hi everyone. Our 20 year old female is doing OK but after a good few weeks of producing hard stools daily, I think she's now constipated. She's on Renal Cat wet food (Purina) recommended by the vet as she has kidney problems. Had a very large bowel movement a couple of days ago and nothing since. She does have periods during the day when she's walks around constantly but then she hops on my knee, purrs her head off and goes to sleep.
I had her to the vet a few weeks back when they thought she might have had a UTI so put her on antibiotics. She was also on medication for high blood pressure but that's run out now. I can't keep going back to the vets because the bills ran up and they kept me going back, tranquilizing her with gabopentin to take her blood pressure, then coming back every couple of weeks to repeat the procedure and it was causing her so much stress. She's blind now (caused by the blood pressure) and deaf so it must be awful for her when she goes to the vet.
Anyway, I just wanted to give everyone the full picture. Can anyone recommend a laxative or constipation treatment that we can try? I don't want to have her back to the vet because the cycle starts all over - consultation/treatment/checkup/treatment/checkup. Obviously if she gets bad and I think she's in pain I won't see her suffer but I'd rather try a home remedy first. She's very old, she's obviously not going to recover her full health but I just want her to see her last days out in peace and comfort.

 

[Catman Carruthers]

I'll add to the above that she's grooming a lot and I read somewhere that the swallowed hair could be causing the constipation?

 

[stephanietx]

If she will eat it, you can add plain canned pumpkin puree to wet food. You also need to keep her on her blood pressure medication.

 

[fionasmom]

Constipation Remedies?
Ckd and constipation

There are suggestions in the above threads. Ask your vet if they are safe for your cat, especially with the blood pressure medication which I agree she does need to take.

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi again, C Catman Carruthers !

I posted to you once before (just before you took her to the Vet for her blindness).

Anything by way of updates to report?

And look, you can't leave this. Without intervention, she could become obstipated and need an enema/other treatment....and that won't go well with her HBP.

There are sooooo many links in the last post there.....I'm worried you'll get lost in there.

I went through them - there's one 'simple' one that stood out to me, right here. Miralax is frequently recommended by Vets for hard stool. Hard stool is constipation, btw. Starting out with 1/4 teaspoonful, twice a day, would be safe place to begin. And then, you'll need to be checking her poop....is it too soft? (cut back on the Miralax to 1/8tsp)....still hard? (add 1/8 tsp). To give the Miralax, I used to put it in a very small amount of a different, irresistible wet food and add a little water to make it 'soupy' - the small amount will guarantee that she consumes the entire thing). I think you could also put 1-2 teaspoonfuls of those squeezable treats on a small plate and mix the Miralax into it. (I'd be adding a little water into her regular food as well....very slowly, so as not to avert her from it.)

[One quarter teaspoonful of Miralax is on the high side for cats. Many older cats do well with 1/8tsp twice a day.]



Back in January when I posted to you, she still had some sight from one eye....is she still (even) partially sighted?

I'd encourage you to speak to the Vet about her HBP meds (you should really check with him over using Miralax, anyway).....there's likely a safe dosage she could take and reduce the time between checkups. Tell him what you told us, that it's really so hard on everyone.....plus, that would be better than not treating her at all. It's super important that you move on this ASAP. She could easily have a stroke or worse if that's left untreated.

Anyway, let us know what's happening and what you've decided to do.

Hey, I don't think you ever posted a picture of her........worse, we don't even know her name! This can't go on!! You really have to pay the 'kitty tax'.....neowwwwww!!! How could this even happen??? She cannot remain anonymous!
.

 

[Catman Carruthers]

.
Hi again, C Catman Carruthers !

I posted to you once before (just before you took her to the Vet for her blindness).

Anything by way of updates to report?

And look, you can't leave this. Without intervention, she could become obstipated and need an enema/other treatment....and that won't go well with her HBP.

There are sooooo many links in the last post there.....I'm worried you'll get lost in there.

I went through them - there's one 'simple' one that stood out to me, right here. Miralax is frequently recommended by Vets for hard stool. Hard stool is constipation, btw. Starting out with 1/4 teaspoonful, twice a day, would be safe place to begin. And then, you'll need to be checking her poop....is it too soft? (cut back on the Miralax to 1/8tsp)....still hard? (add 1/8 tsp). To give the Miralax, I used to put it in a very small amount of a different, irresistible wet food and add a little water to make it 'soupy' - the small amount will guarantee that she consumes the entire thing). I think you could also put 1-2 teaspoonfuls of those squeezable treats on a small plate and mix the Miralax into it. (I'd be adding a little water into her regular food as well....very slowly, so as not to avert her from it.)

[One quarter teaspoonful of Miralax is on the high side for cats. Many older cats do well with 1/8tsp twice a day.]



Back in January when I posted to you, she still had some sight from one eye....is she still (even) partially sighted?

I'd encourage you to speak to the Vet about her HBP meds (you should really check with him over using Miralax, anyway).....there's likely a safe dosage she could take and reduce the time between checkups. Tell him what you told us, that it's really so hard on everyone.....plus, that would be better than not treating her at all. It's super important that you move on this ASAP. She could easily have a stroke or worse if that's left untreated.

Anyway, let us know what's happening and what you've decided to do.

Hey, I don't think you ever posted a picture of her........worse, we don't even know her name! This can't go on!! You really have to pay the 'kitty tax'.....neowwwwww!!! How could this even happen??? She cannot remain anonymous!
.

Hi, White Shadow. Thanks so much for your detailed response. Our cat is Cleo by the way. So just to update, she's had bowel movements since I posted but I went this morning and got some pumpkin food (Allpaws). we'll try her with that. She's very happy at the moment, not showing any signs of discomfort though she isn't eating so much. She is almost totally blind, vet said she retains some sight in one eye. The thing is, she's over 20 years old. She's not getting better so she's going to have multiple issues, all we can do is tackle them as they arise but as I said, she's very happy at the moment, her coat is wonderfully glossy and she just loves sitting on my knee getting stroked (she demands that if you stop!).
Thanks once again to everyone for their kind thoughts. Big love to you all.

 

[white shadow]

.
Well, just know/understand that pumpkin turns some cats off and they won't eat the food. If you're going to use it, start off with the tiny-est of amounts and, after a few days of that, increase to double that amount for a few days, then add three times that amount........and follow on, slowly and gradually getting to the amount that's producing the 'best poop'....just firm enough to keep its shape.

IF that's too much time & trouble, the Miralax would be your simplest/easiest answer.

Now, you also asked about her grooming and whether hair from that could be causing the problem.....yes, possibly. But, if that's going on, I think she'd also be upchucking hairballs. Any vomiting at all?

You said nothing about the blood pressure meds..........so, I guess that's that.



Well, you answered, and now we know her name, but...............how 'bout a picture ?
.

 

[Catman Carruthers]

.
Well, just know/understand that pumpkin turns some cats off and they won't eat the food. If you're going to use it, start off with the tiny-est of amounts and, after a few days of that, increase to double that amount for a few days, then add three times that amount........and follow on, slowly and gradually getting to the amount that's producing the 'best poop'....just firm enough to keep its shape.

IF that's too much time & trouble, the Miralax would be your simplest/easiest answer.

Now, you also asked about her grooming and whether hair from that could be causing the problem.....yes, possibly. But, if that's going on, I think she'd also be upchucking hairballs. Any vomiting at all?

You said nothing about the blood pressure meds..........so, I guess that's that.



Well, you answered, and now we know her name, but...............how 'bout a picture ?
.

Just gave her some and she was crazy for it. Devoured it is seconds! Now snoozing on my knee!

 

[Ghoulgirl 13]

Hi everyone. Our 20 year old female is doing OK but after a good few weeks of producing hard stools daily, I think she's now constipated. She's on Renal Cat wet food (Purina) recommended by the vet as she has kidney problems. Had a very large bowel movement a couple of days ago and nothing since. She does have periods during the day when she's walks around constantly but then she hops on my knee, purrs her head off and goes to sleep.
I had her to the vet a few weeks back when they thought she might have had a UTI so put her on antibiotics. She was also on medication for high blood pressure but that's run out now. I can't keep going back to the vets because the bills ran up and they kept me going back, tranquilizing her with gabopentin to take her blood pressure, then coming back every couple of weeks to repeat the procedure and it was causing her so much stress. She's blind now (caused by the blood pressure) and deaf so it must be awful for her when she goes to the vet.
Anyway, I just wanted to give everyone the full picture. Can anyone recommend a laxative or constipation treatment that we can try? I don't want to have her back to the vet because the cycle starts all over - consultation/treatment/checkup/treatment/checkup. Obviously if she gets bad and I think she's in pain I won't see her suffer but I'd rather try a home remedy first. She's very old, she's obviously not going to recover her full health but I just want her to see her last days out in peace and comfort.

Constipation: Your cat needs fresh grass and filtered water, trust me on this one. If your cat doesn’t like going outside, or is an indoor cat. Bring the grass to them in a bowl.

 

[Ghoulgirl 13]

Constipation: Your cat needs fresh grass and filtered water, trust me on this one. If your cat doesn’t like going outside, or is an indoor cat. Bring the grass to them in a bowl.

I also realised all these expensive cat foods and pills from the vets was keeping my cat sick. If your cat has been prescribed any drugs from the vet, actually google the side affects of each of those drugs, even Lactulose. I honestly hope this helps You or somebody else reading this.

 

[Catman Carruthers]

Just gave her some and she was crazy for it. Devoured it is seconds! Now snoozing on my knee!

Well, she absolutely devoured the cat food with Pumpkin, she loves it. However it doesn't seem to be doing much for her bowel movement-wise. She's going every 2-3 days. That said she's not eating tones of food, probably around 200g daily. Not sure how much she's suppose to eat, she weighs less than 3kg. She does not appear to be uncomfortable with it though, she's happy enough.

 

[Catman Carruthers]

I also realised all these expensive cat foods and pills from the vets was keeping my cat sick. If your cat has been prescribed any drugs from the vet, actually google the side affects of each of those drugs, even Lactulose. I honestly hope this helps You or somebody else reading this.

Hi Ghoulgirl, thank you for the advice! Our cat has access to fresh grass in our back garden but I've not seen her chewing it like she used to. Used to go out every morning and have a nibble. Do you suggest we mix some in her food? Also, filtered water? You mean bottled water? Is there filtered water for cats? We don't have a water filter system at home.