Cat Constipation Symptoms and Treatments

One of the most common reasons for feline constipation is simply a refusal to open his bowels. If he normally goes outside and the weather is bad, he may not be keen to brave the cold and rain and what he'll do instead is 'hang on'; if he does this enough times eventually his gut will absorb water from the faeces which will result in a harder, dryer stool which is difficult to pass.

A cat who uses a litter tray regularly may simply refuse to use it if the tray is not cleaned regularly. Cats are normally fastidious and will avoid using a neglected and dirty tray.

Cats swallow hair when grooming and unless this is vomited up it will pass into the gastrointestinal tract and may disrupt normal bowel function. If you feed him plenty of natural animal protein and encourage him to exercise, the natural digestive process will help to carry the hairball through the tract. There are oral treatments such as Lactulose to get him moving, but talk to your veterinary surgeon first so that your cat can have a check up to determine the exact cause of the constipation and the vet can advise the most appropriate treatment.

Constipation appears to become more prevalent in the older cat, simply because many become less active in their mature years, and if he is obese he won't be running around very much at all. Keep an eye on his diet, and feed him wet food as well as kibbled so that he has enough water passing through his system. Keep him as active as possible within his limits.

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Those who choose to prepare the food at home and feed their cats on a raw natural diet report that their cats have no problems whatsoever with constipation or with hairballs, and this is attributed to the composition and digestion of meat and simple fibres that cats have eaten for generations.

The most important complication of constipation is that should he not pass stool for a few days he may develop severe intestinal blockage. Remember that although one of the signs is straining with an inability to pass stool, you should always make sure that he can still pass water because straining may also be a sign of dysuria (inability to pass water) which needs immediate treatment. If he is constipated he will be in discomfort and won't take much interest in anything, and he'll lose interest in grooming himself. His appetite will go and he will be reluctant to drink. Speak to your vet, who will be able to prescribe your cat laxative treatment to help him relieve the constipation.

However if he is left untreated he is likely to develop megacolon and obstipation, conditions in which the colon becomes completely flaccid and its contents become dry and hard because all water is being absorbed back into the gut. The blockage will stop the passage of all faecal matter and the colon can become distended to three times its normal size. Treatment involves surgical intervention to remove the affected piece of bowel, or careful manual removal of the colon's contents under anaesthetic.

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