Constipation in cats – Symptoms and home remedies

If you have a cat as a companion at home, surely you have been very well informed about how to take care of it. Maybe you do not have it yet but you are thinking about adopting one. Whatever your case, if you share or share your life with a cat you must be up-to-date on all the information related to them in order to offer the maximum welfare in their day to day. One of the most vital aspects to keep in mind is the physical health of these stealthy and funny companions.

In we want to offer you all the useful information possible so that it is much easier for you to take care of your cat. Therefore, in this new article we are going to talk about a common problem in the digestive system of felines. If you want to know everything about the constipation in cats, their symptoms and home remedies at your fingertips, keep reading.

Constipation in cats

Like many other animals, cats can be obstructed by abnormal stool buildup and have difficulties to evacuate them. The constipation that should concern us is when this problem comes to obstruct the entire colon, since it means that the feline takes too many days without being able to defecate and accumulating waste that the body needs to expel.

It may be that observing the litter box of your cat you realize that one day without defecating. It is also possible that you realize that you have just done it and observe that The stools are hard and dry. This will indicate that he had been trying to defecate for days without success and therefore that our cat suffers from constipation.

Normally cats defecate every day, so it can be considered that a cat suffers from constipation if it is between 2 and 4 days without stool evacuation and it will be considered very serious to be more days. We will have take our faithful friend to the vet when 2 days or more have passed after the last stool evacuation. It is not good that we let a feline spend many days retaining the stool, because it may be an occasional constipation, but it can also be a chronic constipation or it may be a secondary problem to other diseases, so the sooner you identify the cause and treat, the better.

Possible causes of constipation

The Causes of constipation in cats are diverse, then we comment the most important ones:

1. Diet is one of the most common causes by which a cat may suffer abnormal stool accumulation. When the diet that we give to our cat turns out to be low in fiber, it ends up causing constipation.
2. The lack of water can also be an important factor when our cat has difficulty defecating. The hydration of the body is vital for the digestive system to work well and if the cat does not have access to enough water, the process of digestion will not be adequate, causing constipation.
3. Obesity is another factor that can cause a cat can not defecate normally.
4. Pain in the lower back area or a pelvic injury prevent a cat from arching properly to achieve the optimum position for stool evacuation.
5. Sometimes, they may have developed fear of the sandbox and that is why their needs are more endured, so we will see that after a couple of days they end up doing it in another corner of the house.
6. Hairballs are another of the main problems that cause constipation in cats, because if they do not manage to expel them in a normal and frequent way they are created a jam that prevents them from carrying out the whole process of digestion.
7. It is also possible that the cat swallowed a piece of toy, cloth, thread, bones, etc. that is causing the obstruction.
8. The inflammation of the digestive tract also causes problems in the evacuation of feces.
9. Some more serious cases may be due to a neurological problem. That is why it is also very important to take it to the vet immediately after we see symptoms of constipation, because the sooner you detect a much better neurological problem, the easier the problem will be resolved, the fewer complications can occur and before we can help our cat to carry a normal life.

Symptoms of constipation in cats

The symptoms of constipation in a cat are diverse, but sometimes we may not realize it until several days after the animal fails to defecate. Therefore it is recommended that we check the litter box every day, to be sure of the digestive and urinary health of our faithful friend and be able to solve any problem as soon as possible.

These are some of the most usual symptoms in constipation in cats:

• Spend a lot of time in the sandbox
• Attempt to defecate out of the sandbox
• Fear or rejection of the sandbox
• Discomfort and even abdominal pain
• Complaining a lot with persistent meows
• Irritability
• Lethargy
• Neglect of hygiene, does not lick the fur
• Lack or loss of appetite
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
• Small, hard, and dry stools
• Blood or mucus in some stools

Treatment of constipation in cats

The treatment for constipation will completely depend on its cause. It is vital that never give any medicine to our cat on our own. Any medicine, enema or laxative for humans can be fatal to our feline companion, so only medications will be administered under the prescription of our trusted veterinarian.

Some causes do not require pharmacological solutions since only with a nutritional correction or the behavior of the cat can be corrected and make the constipation of the cat easily corrected. These easier cases to solve Are usually:

• An inadequate diet, in which case the veterinarian will recommend a diet higher in fiber and with more water. We will observe that little by little constipation disappears.

• If the cause is obesity the veterinarian will recommend a diet to help lose weight to our partner and will explain how to help you exercise more for cats. As you lose weight you will feel better about everything in general.

• In the event that our cat is obstructed by hairballs we should offer malt for cats.

• The fear or rejection of the sandbox can be solved by changing the type of box or the type of sand and with positive reinforcement so that it recovers the confidence of the sandbox.

On the other hand there more complicated cases, in which constipation is more of a symptom of a larger problem, since it involves causes that require pharmacological or even surgical treatment:

• When our cat swallows a foreign body, whether a piece of toy, bone, cloth, thread or other objects, it can easily cause a blockage in the intestines. If it is something big, we will surely become aware of the problem before a constipation develops. But if it is something small or that is accumulating little by little, we will begin to notice that the feline suffers from constipation and other symptoms of discomfort. The veterinarian must perform ultrasounds or radiographs among other tests. Depending on each situation, it may be that with a specific medication the expulsion is achieved or it may be that surgery must be performed. Obviously in these cases the most serious is not constipation but, after proper treatment, the whole picture including constipation will be solved.

• In other cases, such as when there is an inflammation of the digestive system, a pelvic injury, a lower back pain or even a neurological problem, it is very important to see the first symptoms at the veterinarian and make all of them the necessary tests to the cat until finding the cause. Once the root of the problem is detected, the veterinarian will recommend the best treatment options, which may include medications or surgeries depending on the cause and severity.

Home remedies for constipation in cats

At home we can also do some things to help our cat recover its normal intestinal transit. Next, let’s comment some tips and home remedies so you can help your partner:

• Brushing your cat daily will reduce the hair balls and therefore avoid the obstructions that these can produce.
• Offering malt for cats periodically will also help.
• Facilitate access to fresh water and ensure that there is always enough.
• Try to exercise daily, providing space and / or fun circuits.
• Change the diet for one with more fiber content or for one that also contains wet food.
• Pumpkin and zucchini can be added to your daily meal in the form of puree so that you can eat more natural fiber.
• Vaseline goes well to treat hairballs and constipation, but it should not be used for a prolonged period as it may end up obstructing the absorption of necessary nutrients.
• Olive oil is one of the home remedies that work best against the accumulation of feces. It acts as a lubricant for the intestines, helping food to circulate better and avoiding constipation. It will be necessary to add more or less half a teaspoon of olive oil in our cat’s daily food, be it dry feed or wet food. We should not prolong it for more than a week, because the consumption of olive oil in excess can lead to a deficiency of vitamin A.

Prevent constipation in cats

As a cat gets older, constipation tends to be more frequent. Because of this, we can help you to prevent this problem so uncomfortable in your day to day with some customs that include home remedies. These are some rabbits to avoid constipation in cats:

1. The diet of our cat should be balanced, it has to contain the necessary nutrients at the same time as an adequate amount of fiber and water.
2. It will also be good that this diet contains, in a moderate way, blue fish such as tuna, sardines or mackerel, since its fat is very good for the intestinal tract and helps to avoid the accumulation of feces.
3. The cat always has to have access to fresh and abundant water.
4. Make sure you clean the sandbox frequently.
5. Controlling the weight and physical activity of our cat with the help of a veterinarian will prevent you from suffering from perfectly preventable ailments and diseases such as constipation and obesity.
6. Brush the feline’s coat every day, cut the hair when necessary and make sure it can expel the hair balls and, if not, give it malt for cats.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Constipation in cats – Symptoms and home remedies, we recommend that you enter in our section of intestinal problems.