Cat developed constipation issues, stressing over diet--please advise

[P-Bo]

So my 6 year-old boy developed constipation issues, I'm guessing because he refuses to drink water. Fortunately he hasn't developed mega colon, and the miralax + lactulose seems to be helping him, but I need advice on what to feed him. I will be keeping him on canned/wet food, but the problem is that there seems to be something bad with every brand out there. Eventually I did settle on Halo, until I discovered it has carageean, and I'm trying to avoid that.

Please help, I feel like I'm just making wrong decision after wrong decision for my cat.

 

[lisahe]

Hi, P P-Bo ! And welcome to The Cat Site! I'm sorry it's your cat's constipation, plus diet, that brought you here -- it can be a difficult one to crack. Not drinking water can certainly be a contributing factor for constipation. So can for the relatively high bone content in some foods. It sounds like you're doing okay with that, though?

For starters on diet, if you could list what you've been feeding your cat -- what's his name, by the way? -- that might help us to figure out what to suggest. Also, what ingredients do you avoid? We all have our own lists! I avoid all gums but guar (which I do prefer to limit), carragenan, agar-agar, and potato, among others.

With so many things to avoid, I started making cat food five or so (?) years ago. That works really well for our cats. One cat eats Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken dry food. Recent recipe changes have meant that some cats won't or can't eat it but it's still very, very low in carbs, which (after the no-no list) is probably the most important factor for us in selecting food.

 

[P-Bo]

Hi, P P-Bo ! And welcome to The Cat Site! I'm sorry it's your cat's constipation, plus diet, that brought you here -- it can be a difficult one to crack. Not drinking water can certainly be a contributing factor for constipation. So can for the relatively high bone content in some foods. It sounds like you're doing okay with that, though?

For starters on diet, if you could list what you've been feeding your cat -- what's his name, by the way? -- that might help us to figure out what to suggest. Also, what ingredients do you avoid? We all have our own lists! I avoid all gums but guar (which I do prefer to limit), carragenan, agar-agar, and potato, among others.

With so many things to avoid, I started making cat food five or so (?) years ago. That works really well for our cats. One cat eats Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken dry food. Recent recipe changes have meant that some cats won't or can't eat it but it's still very, very low in carbs, which (after the no-no list) is probably the most important factor for us in selecting food.

Thank you lisahe , and yeah I think he's been doing okay with the bone content. His name is Onyx, and he is on two canned meals a day (2.8 oz), before all this started, I would give him a liiiiitle bit of kibble for lunch. The brands I would give him would vary (Wellness Core, Hills, Walk About, Evangers, and now Blue Buffalo), but it's been chicken for the most part, and grain-free.

Last year, I did try to prepare meals for him and his sister (Pearl), but I ended up abandoning that, since the amount of conflicting information became too overwhelming. What resource do you use to prepare your cats' meals? If it comes down to it, I can certainly try again.

As for ingredients to avoid, at the moment anything rich in carbs, excess fiber, and the aforementioned carageean.

 

[lisahe]

I use the Alnutrin supplement (the one with egg shell calcium, not bone!) to make cat food with cooked meat.

Our cats recommend Nulo's chicken/duck "silky mousse" food. It's not cheap but they both eat it -- that's a rarity that makes it worth buying. It does have guar gum.

 

[P-Bo]

Thanks you so much--I'll definitely look into these!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

You might also try adding a little bit of water right into their wet food since he isn't drinking on his own. Hydration is an important part of helping with constipation. Additionally, perhaps he needs a little more fiber rather than trying to keep it on the low side. Fiber is great for constipation.

I have a cat with chronic constipation (probably because I do feed him commercial raw which is notoriously high in bone). Our Vet suggested I give him Miralax daily, which I do. I don't give him anything prescription, like Lactulose. Only Miralax, and on occasion, that hairball gel, since it helps "grease the wheel", so to speak. That was our Vet's recommendation also.

If he likes pumpkin, you could try adding a little bit of that to his food for fiber, or even buy cat food with pumpkin in it.

 

[P-Bo]

You might also try adding a little bit of water right into their wet food since he isn't drinking on his own. Hydration is an important part of helping with constipation. Additionally, perhaps he needs a little more fiber rather than trying to keep it on the low side. Fiber is great for constipation.

I have a cat with chronic constipation (probably because I do feed him commercial raw which is notoriously high in bone). Our Vet suggested I give him Miralax daily, which I do. I don't give him anything prescription, like Lactulose. Only Miralax, and on occasion, that hairball gel, since it helps "grease the wheel", so to speak. That was our Vet's recommendation also.

If he likes pumpkin, you could try adding a little bit of that to his food for fiber, or even buy cat food with pumpkin in it.

Thank you for the advice mrsgreenjeens ! It took several attempts, but I was eventually able to trick him into drinking water by mixing with his food--the measurement has to be exact otherwise he wouldn't touch it haha. As for the fiber, yeah I did initially add sweet potato/pumpkin to his food, but then his constipation did not improve--I think I read somewhere that too much fiber + miralax could cause the two effects to cancel each other out, making it ineffective. Not sure how valid that was, but fortunately he seems to be doing ok at the moment.

 

[lollie]

I always added a bit of water to my cats food. However, after a couple of UTI’s I now add much more. I’m so concerned about her getting enough that I have even given her water by syringe before when she has been sick a couple of times and barely eating. For constipation, pumpkin is good. Most cats will eat it. You can even offer a bit on a spoon to a sick cat. I wouldn’t become too stressed over which brand. After avoiding all the obvious bad ones that are known, you just want to get something he likes.

 

[lisahe]

Thank you for the advice mrsgreenjeens ! It took several attempts, but I was eventually able to trick him into drinking water by mixing with his food--the measurement has to be exact otherwise he wouldn't touch it haha. As for the fiber, yeah I did initially add sweet potato/pumpkin to his food, but then his constipation did not improve--I think I read somewhere that too much fiber + miralax could cause the two effects to cancel each other out, making it ineffective. Not sure how valid that was, but fortunately he seems to be doing ok at the moment.

Yes, too much pumpkin can apparently cause the wrong effect. Or so they say... I've only ever used it in small amounts. Our last vet wasn't thrilled with pumpkin because of the carbs; I cut it anyway when the Vet's Best was working.

And I know all too well what you mean about the exact right amount of water. It's the same with our cats.

I'm glad Onyx is doing well for now. Fingers crossed that he continues to!

 

[P-Bo]

I always added a bit of water to my cats food. However, after a couple of UTI’s I now add much more. I’m so concerned about her getting enough that I have even given her water by syringe before when she has been sick a couple of times and barely eating. For constipation, pumpkin is good. Most cats will eat it. You can even offer a bit on a spoon to a sick cat. I wouldn’t become too stressed over which brand. After avoiding all the obvious bad ones that are known, you just want to get something he likes.

That makes sense--thank you, I guess I have been overthinking it a tad haha.

 

[Alldara]

Most regular brands are just fine for most cats. People's ideas of what's healthy (for cats) is going to vary just as much as it varies on what they think is healthy for themselves.

What's in My Cat's Food?: Designer Diets, Grain Free Diets | VCA | VCA Canada Animal Hospitals

If you find something he likes and it works, don't worry about it too much unless your vet suggests something else.

 

[P-Bo]

Most regular brands are just fine for most cats. People's ideas of what's healthy (for cats) is going to vary just as much as it varies on what they think is healthy for themselves.

What's in My Cat's Food?: Designer Diets, Grain Free Diets | VCA | VCA Canada Animal Hospitals

If you find something he likes and it works, don't worry about it too much unless your vet suggests something else.

I'll definitely do that--thank you for the link!