Cathealth

Constipated Cat Here’s What To Do

Constipated Cat

Do you have a constipated cat? Who would’ve ever imagined that animals can suffer from the same problems as humans. Did you know that besides constipation, cats can also suffer from diabetes? Before you can know how to treat your kitty’s constipation, you first must know whether or not your little sunshine actually has constipation.

Symptoms Of Cat Constipation

One sign might not be definitely indicative of constipation in your cat, but if they show numerous signs, it might be a sign of constipation. If your cat is showing strain or crying in pain, this is one of the signs that they might be dealing with constipation. Another sign of constipation would be if they are inexplicably losing weight.

Other signs include lethargy, a lack of grooming and frequent unsuccessful trips to the litter box. These are all signs that your cat could be constipated, and if your cat is constipated, the good news is that this problem can be solved by a number of less serious procedures before having to take them to the veterinarian.

The Causes Of Cat Constipation

One of the most frequent causes of constipation in cats is a low fiber diet. Much like with humans, cats need to have fiber in their diet if they will continue to have healthy bowel movements. A lack of water is another cause of constipation in cats. When cats do not drink enough water, they do not have enough liquids in their body which helps soften their stools. As a result of that, your cat can become constipated.

An enlarged prostate is another common cause, which happens most often as a cat gets older. In general, constipation for cats happens mostly as they age. If your cat is overweight, then that can be another cause for constipation because their bowels do no work as well when overweight.

If your cat is taking any types of medication, then sometimes constipation can be one of the side effects of that medication. In a situation like that you simply have to take them off the medication, and if that is the cause, then their constipation should stop relatively quickly. Constipation in cats can also be a sign of a neurological disorder or more serious health issues which need to be addressed.

Treatments For Cat Constipation

Constipated Cat

Before you try to treat your cat’s constipation you should look at what their symptoms are. The proper treatment can be determined by what symptoms the cat has. For example, if your cat is overweight, then solving the problem might begin with proper diet and exercise (Play with them). Laxatives or stool softener is also commonly used to help with cat constipation.

You might also want to increase the cat’s water intake in order to help soften their stools.

In more serious cases you can visit the veterinarian to help you determine the best treatment for your cat. Sometimes medication will be administered, and if that does not work, then an enema will be administered. It is important to note that the enema is best left to the professionals.

In the most dire constipation cases surgery will be administered to help remove the bowel obstruction. Surgery is not usually done unless everything else attempted has failed.

When Should You Worry?

You should worry after you have tried to help your cat using numerous treatments that can be administered without a veterinarian, and the constipation does not seem to be improving.

Should You Do Anything?

In cases where your cat’s constipation does not seem to be improving, you should transport them to the nearest veterinarian. It could be signs of a more serious underlying issue.

What Should You Do?

After you have taken your cat to the veterinarian, you should put into practice immediately the treatment that was given. Stick with it until you see improvement. If there is still no sign of improvement, then you should take your cat back to the veterinarian for further treatment.

Your constipated cat can be helped by persevering through the problem. When one treatment does not seem to be working after a period of time, then it is time time to try a different treatment. Luckily, cat constipation is not the worst health condition that your cat can run into. In most cases, it gets solved relatively quickly.