A yelp from the litter field is a startling sound but it surely’s extra unnerving when your kitty hides its ache. Whether it’s a weight loss program change, a recent harm, or an underlying well being situation, constipation in cats requires rapid consideration. Learn extra about constipation in cats, together with causes, signs, and coverings!
What Causes Constipation in Cats?
Foreign Body
If your cat has ingested a non-food merchandise, it might trigger some tummy bother. Cats can undergo from a situation referred to as pica, which is when they’re drawn to inedible gadgets. This might be strings, paper, cardboard, and even cat toys. Once the merchandise makes it to the colon, it’s expelled within the feces, however your kitty might expertise constipation till this happens.
Hairballs
Long-haired cats will be fastidious groomers, contemplating they’ve far more to work with than short-haired cats. Although they seem lustrous and pristine, they do must cope with the consequence of hairballs. If a hairball will get to be too huge, your cat might have bother passing it, leading to constipation.
Obesity
A cat that’s no less than 20% above its regular weight is taken into account overweight. Obesity in cats is linked to a variety of points, together with constipation. If your cat is overweight, it experiences intestinal irritation. In flip, the physique’s intestinal processes decelerate significantly, which impacts stool motion.
Lack of Exercise
You will help your cats stay energetic by enjoying with them for 15 to twenty minutes twice per day.
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When your cat is energetic, its physique features optimally, together with its digestive system. Regular exercise helps hold your cat common. However, when a cat leads a principally sedentary life, gradual bowel actions could also be a consequence together with weight acquire, which solely contributes to the issue.
Injuries
If your cat experiences a pelvic harm, the pelvic canal might slim, which may result in constipation. Unfortunately, in some instances of constipation, megacolon might develop. Megacolon happens when the colon is weak, and constipation has turn into extreme.
Medications
Dr. Colleen Wallace, a cat-only vet at Cozy Cat Veterinary Hospital in Raleigh, NC informed A-Z-Animals, “Certain medications for cats, like opioids, list constipation as a side effect. These medications may disrupt a cat’s regular digestive functioning, so owners may notice that bowel movements slow down. In these cases, a laxative like Miralax may help.”
Symptoms of Constipation in Cats
Decreased Appetite
If your cat is unable to clear its colon, chances are you’ll discover that it loses curiosity in meals. If your usually enthusiastic eater is popping its nostril up at its favourite deal with, it might be experiencing constipation.
Abdominal Pain
Like people, cats expertise belly discomfort and ache after they’re unable to excrete waste recurrently. Cats are good at hiding their ache, however watchful house owners know when one thing is up. Your kitty could also be hiding, crouching, or circling the litter field if it’s experiencing ache from constipation.
Swollen Belly
You might discover your cat has a swollen stomach when it’s constipated.
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It’s more durable to inform in case your cat is additional fluffy, however chances are you’ll typically have the ability to see (or really feel) your cat’s swollen stomach when it’s constipated. There’s meals in there that hasn’t made it out so your cat might expertise a swollen or bloated tummy.
Vomiting
If your cat is constipated, it might seem to have a decreased urge for food, however it might additionally expertise vomiting. Vomiting could be a symptom of different situations, nonetheless, so it’s essential to search for different signs and communicate along with your veterinarian should you’re involved about well being modifications.
Stiff Walking
When your cat is backed up, it experiences discomfort. This might turn into apparent by the best way its regular gait turns into extra of a stiff walk.
Straining
One of the obvious indicators of constipation in cats is after they’re of their litter field, straining to go with out success. When they’re straining, they could cry out in ache.
Treatment for Constipation in Cats
IV Fluids/Hydration
If your cat has not had a bowel motion in two to 3 days, it’s time for a vet go to. Your vet might administer IV fluids to assist issues transfer alongside. However, if the feces are impacted, they could strive one thing else.
Enema
In some instances, a cat might require an enema to assist transfer issues alongside.
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If feces are impacted and your kitty received’t have the ability to have a bowel motion by itself, your vet might carry out an enema. Using a syringe and catheter, your vet administers the enema to launch the impacted stool. Typically, stool motion happens quite rapidly following an enema.
Dietary Changes
If constipation doesn’t require an emergency vet go to, you possibly can work along with your vet to find out which meals might assist your cat keep common bowel actions. Fiber-rich meals and people with a excessive moisture content material will help your kitty keep common. Additionally, chances are you’ll wish to introduce a water fountain over nonetheless water to encourage extra ingesting.
Laxatives
Your vet may additionally advocate making an attempt a laxative like Miralax, which you should purchase over-the-counter, to sprinkle into your cat’s meals to deal with constipation and provide your cat some a lot wanted aid.
The photograph featured on the high of this submit is © iStock.com/Axel Bueckert
