Constipation in Cats — What You Need to Know

Constipation is the abnormal accumulation of feces in the colon resulting in difficult bowel movements hence the cat cannot pass out feces easily. This phenomenon happens occasionally even in healthy cats, but it could be a reason to worry when it happens more than once a month. Cats generally pass out feces once or twice a day. If your cat’s litter box is empty for more than one day, it probably has constipation. Discover what you need to know about constipation and what to do about it.

Cat constipation symptoms

Generally, you will know whether your cat is constipated through their behavior in passing out stool, especially the frequency in doing so. Most cats have one or two bowel movements each day with the feces having a consistent composition and a normal appearance. However, a constipated cat will not pass out feces for more than 24 hours. In addition, the stool passed out by a constipated cat is normally hard and dry. This may cause difficulty in passing leading to blood stains. Nevertheless, when you find the litter box empty, you need to check outside since your cat could be going for nature calls elsewhere.

Causes of Constipation in Cats

The causes of cat constipation vary from ingestion of foreign materials or internal issues with the digestive system. Although dehydration is the most common cause of cat constipation, there are many other potential reasons include not enough or too much fiber in their diet, ingestion of hairs leading to difficulty in moving feces within the colon, some medications side effects, pelvic injuries that result in a narrowed pelvic canal and swallowing of foreign materials which leads to the inability to push feces out. We recommend speaking to your vet to establish the specific cause and take action.

Constipation Treatment

The remedy recommended for constipation varies depending on the cause. For instance, in the case of an obstruction due to a colonic tumor or ingestion of large indigestible materials, surgery may be required. When the problem is caused by dehydration, we recommend providing enough water to the cats to soften the feces. In other instances, remedies like high fiber diets, lubricating laxatives, or stool softeners may prevent a recurrence.

Conclusion

Constipation in cats is a serious problem, especially when not addressed immediately. We recommend that you consider the above tips to better navigate this situation next time.

References: VCAhospitals, Purina, Pangopets