Feline Constipation

Significance

• Cats who suffer from constipation often suffer from dehydration. They may strain and produce nothing. A cat who cannot defecate may become very ill. If the cat cannot defecate, the stool may collect and block the intestine, causing an obstruction. The stool backs up in the colon and causes the colon to swell with the stool.

Identification

• Cats who are constipated often strain at the litter box and produce nothing. If your cat does not produce two bowel movements a day, it may be constipated. Cats who are constipated may not eat as much as normal. They may vomit their food. Their stool may be hard and dry or they may have diarrhea from trying to force the stool past the obstruction.

Causes

• Constipation may be caused by an insufficient diet or by hairballs. It may be caused by eating something that blocks the intestine such as a prey animal or bones. It may also be caused by illness or dehydration. Lastly, certain degenerative diseases can lead to constipation and megacolon.

Treatment

• If your cat is constipated, you should feed it soft food. You may need to encourage your cat to drink more water either by offering it chicken broth or tuna juice with your cat's water. If hairballs are an issue, consider giving your cat hairball laxatives.

  Extreme forms of constipation may require prescription laxatives such as lactulose. Your veterinarian may prescribe a medication that helps the cat defecate. Lastly, some cats may need enemas to clear their bowels. These enemas are specially formulated for animals; over-the-counter enemas may be toxic to cats. In some extreme cases such as megacolon or obstructed colon, surgery may be required.

Prevention/Solution

• Feeding a cat a diet that is high in fiber (there are hairball formulas available) or adding fiber such as oat bran, psyllium or pumpkin to the cat's wet food may help keep the cat from becoming constipated.