Constipated Cat

[lizz0221]

My cat had a PU surgery about a month ago. He has since recovered but many trips back to the vet have been made due to constipation interfering with his ability to urinate. He will go 3+ days without pooping and when he does his stools are hard and dry.

Do you guys know of any remedies for this? The vet has given him lactulose and suggested 1mL twice a day. I have also just started to introduce him to pumpkin. He is on a wet food diet with added water and has a pet fountain that he uses ocasionally (I still don't think he's getting enough water).

Any suggestions?

 

[stephenq]

My cat had a PU surgery about a month ago. He has since recovered but many trips back to the vet have been made due to constipation interfering with his ability to urinate. He will go 3+ days without pooping and when he does his stools are hard and dry.

Do you guys know of any remedies for this? The vet has given him lactulose and suggested 1mL twice a day. I have also just started to introduce him to pumpkin. He is on a wet food diet with added water and has a pet fountain that he uses ocasionally (I still don't think he's getting enough water).

Any suggestions?

Hi and welcome

What I would be careful about doing is adding too many treatments at once.  If you have just started the lactulose i'd give it a few days to work and then call your vet for a follow up.  You can discuss with your vet adding dissolved unflavored metamucil (fiber) to your cat's daily diet.

So he is peeing fine after the PU surgery except when he becomes constipated?  What is he eating and is it the same as pre-surgery?

 

[lizz0221]

Hi and welcome

What I would be careful about doing is adding too many treatments at once.  If you have just started the lactulose i'd give it a few days to work and then call your vet for a follow up.  You can discuss with your vet adding dissolved unflavored metamucil (fiber) to your cat's daily diet.

So he is peeing fine after the PU surgery except when he becomes constipated?  What is he eating and is it the same as pre-surgery?

Thanks for the reply!

I was feeding him weight management dry food prior to the surgery (my cat is 18 pounds). After the surgery the vet prescribed me the Hills urinary + metabolic food. He has since said that this food might not be best, as it might be too much fiber for Leo. I am now feeding Leo grain free wet food and he is eating a decent amount.

Four days ago he did get an enema at the vet and it cleared out his intestines. He has not pooped since then. My goal is to try to find a solution to his constipation so he does not have to continue to go back to the vet every week.

He has been on lactulose for a few weeks now, not sure if it is really helping. I will try the Metamucil and hope that works!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Metamucil is fiber, so not sure that is the way to go either.  I use Miralax for my constantly constipated cat.  It does not add fiber, it's really more like a stool softener, and works like a charm.  You just have to give it everyday.  It doesn't work instantaneously, that's why you give it dailiy, to maintain some regularity.  I give it in the morning AND in the evening.  1/8th teaspoon dissolved in a tiny bit of water, then just added to her wet food.  It has no taste or odor and doesn't gel up like Metamucil, so she doesn't even know it's there. 

 

[lizz0221]

Metamucil is fiber, so not sure that is the way to go either.  I use Miralax for my constantly constipated cat.  It does not add fiber, it's really more like a stool softener, and works like a charm.  You just have to give it everyday.  It doesn't work instantaneously, that's why you give it dailiy, to maintain some regularity.  I give it in the morning AND in the evening.  1/8th teaspoon dissolved in a tiny bit of water, then just added to her wet food.  It has no taste or odor and doesn't gel up like Metamucil, so she doesn't even know it's there. 

Thanks for the advice! I will try that out and hope that it helps!

 

[stephenq]

Metamucil is fiber, so not sure that is the way to go either.  I use Miralax for my constantly constipated cat.  It does not add fiber, it's really more like a stool softener, and works like a charm.  You just have to give it everyday.  It doesn't work instantaneously, that's why you give it dailiy, to maintain some regularity.  I give it in the morning AND in the evening.  1/8th teaspoon dissolved in a tiny bit of water, then just added to her wet food.  It has no taste or odor and doesn't gel up like Metamucil, so she doesn't even know it's there. 

Fiber can oddly work in either direction, firming up loose stool or helping with constipation. at least that's what my bets have told me.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Fiber can oddly work in either direction, firming up loose stool or helping with constipation.

at least that's what my bets have told me.

Agree, however, in THIS case, the Vet took this cat OFF high fiber food because he felt it was causing an issue.    I wonder if pumpkin might be a good alternative, since it's a different kind of fiber

 

[stephanietx]

Are you feeding him any canned food?  If not, I'd add some at least twice a day.  Grain free, if you can find some.  The original Fancy Feast classics are grain-free.  Add a little bit of water to it to make it the consistency of thick oatmeal.  My thought on this is that his body is not hydrated enough to pass all the dry food he's consumed.  This happened with my RB kitty.  Adding some wet food with a little bit of pumpkin twice a day really helped soften her stools and allowed them to pass more easily.

 

[stephenq]

Agree, however, in THIS case, the Vet took this cat OFF high fiber food because he felt it was causing an issue.    I wonder if pumpkin might be a good alternative, since it's a different kind of fiber :dk:

Ah good point and that is for catching that sometimes I'm too much in a hurry!

 

[lizz0221]

He used to be on an all dry food diet (I know, bad cat mom). I have switched him over to almost all wet food, grain free, with a little added grain free dry food. I've been adding water to the food, as I do not think he is getting enough water. He did have a normal poop yesterday. I will start to add pumpkin to his diet as well as a bit of miralax and hope it helps some!

Thanks for the responses, you all are awesome!

 

[stephenq]

He used to be on an all dry food diet (I know, bad cat mom). I have switched him over to almost all wet food, grain free, with a little added grain free dry food. I've been adding water to the food, as I do not think he is getting enough water. He did have a normal poop yesterday. I will start to add pumpkin to his diet as well as a bit of miralax and hope it helps some!

Thanks for the responses, you all are awesome!

Hmmm....grain free.  I've heard (anecdotally) that some cats may be more prone to constipation on grain free diets.  Is she getting enough fiber?

 

[tinybash]

We tried defurr-um for constipation. It's a hairball remedy but worked a treat. Our vet recommended it.

 

[segelkatt]

MiraLax for my constipated cat who is now on canned food (Nature's Balance). He is a big boy and gets 1/4 of a teaspoon on his food twice a day and water in the same bowl as I have never seen him drink out of anything, not even his fancy ceramic fountain.His first poop after he was put on MiraLax was huge but there have been no more problems. It has been several months.

 

[kitmom]

I've been adding a little homemade chicken stock now to my little cat's canned food, but what made a HUGE difference was adding slippery elm to her food.  I bought organic, powdered inner fiber, the same as what a human would consume, and I mix up maybe a teaspoon of powder with about 3 tablespoons of water (guess I could be using stock instead).  I'm shooting for a consistency that's both fluid and gelatinous, and I keep adding water till it has the right look.  I then add just a half teaspoon of that fluid to her canned food at each meal.  She became regular within two days and has stayed regular.  No diarrhea, and no constipation.  I am ecstatic.  I think others have posted their success with this on the forum, so I thought I'd share mine too.  Hope it's encouraging and useful.

kitmom

 

[4cats1parrot]

Agree on the wet food and avoid grains and also watchout for seafood ones as they contain higher amounts of Iodine and many cats (including my seafood lover cat) end up with hyperthyroid as a senior, its expensive!  My one cat with hyperthyroid is on only wet food now, wellness.  But with the med she was on and may have to go on again causes constipation (the vet wont admit the med is causing this but). Cats on Dry food are mostly all dehydrated-they dont drink extra water to make up for it.  It is a good idea to get a water fountain to encourage cats to drink but also supply water dishes too.   I am hunting for something to soften stool too in case she has to go on meds again.  Honestly I wish I could find an old Cat Health book I bet it would have some cheap and easy suggestions!  Pumpkin is good works either way but my cat wont eat it.  I have heard of Slippery Elm Bark and opening the capsules and adding (according to weight) to the food...but have not tried it yet.  I can't find miralax in Canada and scarred to try the wrong thing.  Does anyone know if Mineral Oil (important! the laxative type of mineral oil should read 'heavy' not light) is safe???  I know the light mineral oil is a huge NO NO or cane molasses??

 

[segelkatt]

It has bee n three months since my constipated cat was put on wet food only plus MiraLax. It has worked well but he has now decided he also wants dry food and runs to the kibble bowl when I let him out of his room in the morning (I keep him in there at night to make sure he eats all his food with the MiraLax and to keep the others from eating it.) So far it has been a success, so he gets the wet food at night with the MiraLAx and after that he can have all the kibble he wants as I keep that out all day. The other cats get wet food at night but without MiraLAx. So this has worked out alright for me and my cats.  

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

 
Agree on the wet food and avoid grains and also watchout for seafood ones as they contain higher amounts of Iodine and many cats (including my seafood lover cat) end up with hyperthyroid as a senior, its expensive!  My one cat with hyperthyroid is on only wet food now, wellness.  But with the med she was on and may have to go on again causes constipation (the vet wont admit the med is causing this but). Cats on Dry food are mostly all dehydrated-they dont drink extra water to make up for it.  It is a good idea to get a water fountain to encourage cats to drink but also supply water dishes too.   I am hunting for something to soften stool too in case she has to go on meds again.  Honestly I wish I could find an old Cat Health book I bet it would have some cheap and easy suggestions!  Pumpkin is good works either way but my cat wont eat it.  I have heard of Slippery Elm Bark and opening the capsules and adding (according to weight) to the food...but have not tried it yet.  I can't find miralax in Canada and scarred to try the wrong thing.  Does anyone know if Mineral Oil (important! the laxative type of mineral oil should read 'heavy' not light) is safe???  I know the light mineral oil is a huge NO NO or cane molasses??

The Canadian version of Miralax is Restoralax.  There are probably generic forms too, which is what I use in the U.S.  Really, you are looking for the main ingredient of polyethylene glycol 3350.  I find Miralax (or the generic, acts like a stool softener, even though it's not advertised as such. 

I've not heard of using Slippery Elm Bark straight, but definitely heard of making it into a syrup and using it that way.  Here's a thread on that you might find useful:   http://www.thecatsite.com/t/314096/some-questions-about-slippery-elm-bark

 

[4cats1parrot]

I am totally confused now, I have 2 senior cats. Both get wellness canned food every day, the only flavor they seem to like is chicken & herring. 1 cat, the non hyperthyroid (pickles) gets some dry like tbsp or so. So why then are my cats getting constipated?? the hyperthyroid cat (nellie) had not pooped in 3 days gave her all sorts of things, slippery elm paste, cat laxative petr. jelly, she drinks lots, gave pumpkin, finally squirted water up the anus she poops now but not much, she was lethargic for a day.
decided to buy miralax (restoralax) and put a little in her soft food to help with cronic constipation. The vet never ever takes a stool sample, where one other vet used to every time. They are going by what i tell them, but I have 4 cats and it is difficult to moniter. I decided to also add some restoralax to pickles food and gave her a little tiny bit of pumpkin in the food ( like 1/4tsp) today she was in excrusiating pain with a poop half out, i could hsrdly touch her. She was moaning, I used a very narrow syringe to squirt a tiny amount of warm water but hardly got any in, this was a fat poop almost 1/2" wide, tried to pull on it but not enough out to pull. She had just eaten! i also put ky jelly around her anus, it came out but this has me freaked out now. Turns out it was a folded poop so it was double wide and it was soft not hard. Totally confused.
Why are these cats often constipated? They eat wet food twice a day, someone suggested too much wet is mot good and they may need fiber. What do I do to help them I need to give something on a continuous basis that is ok to do regularly. zthe vet is the one that suggested restoralax.
Could the chicken & herring food be constipating?
Any suggestions appreciated.
The holistic vet does not have any sense of urgency, a regular vet just wants to give meds, pulling my hair out!
:dk:

 

[LTS3]

decided to buy miralax (restoralax) and put a little in her soft food to help with cronic constipation.

Miralax  works pretty well if given correclty. You don't mix the dry powder direclty into food. You have to disslove the Miralax into some water first (a spoonful or two is plenty) and then mix it into canned food. Miralax works by drawing water into the intestines. If the Miralax isn't dissolved in water first, the dry powder will still draw water into the intestines but much more water and that will result in dehydaration and the constipation may become worse.

Adding extra water to the canned food in general will keep the body well hdyrated and may help keep things moving along in the intestines.

 

[4cats1parrot]

thank you I will try that on Nellie, however Pickles the one with poop stuck halfway out bit yet it was soft, I am unsure if the problem was too much fiber or constipaion, she usually poops regularly but it is typically hard.