Cats are animals prone to constipation. This is because cats tend not to drink a lot of water in the first place, which leads to hard stools. If you become constipated, not only will you not have a bowel movement and you will be stressed, but in the worst case, you may end up with surgery. In this article, we will tell you about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of constipation in cats. If you think, "Recently, my cat is often strung on the toilet..." or "I hear it meowing loudly when going to the toilet...", please check it out.
What is cat constipation? What is the cause?
Constipation is a condition in which a sufficient amount of feces that should be excreted outside the body cannot be discharged comfortably (Chronic Constipation Treatment Guidelines 2017). Constipation may be related to diet and water intake, but- pelvic stenosis
- tumor
- Megacolon (a disease in which a large amount of stool accumulates in the intestine, causing the intestine to become stretched and unable to move properly)
- improper diet
- My body hurts and I can't hold on
How many days do you have to go out for constipation?
There is no definition of how many days a cat must go without bowel movements to be constipated. However, if the stool passed for more than a day has a strange or foul odor and is hard, it may indicate constipation.Symptoms of constipation in cats
When your cat is constipated- I go to the toilet many times but it won't come out
- Increased time spent on the toilet
- Loud crying during defecation
- Passing stools that are harder than usual
- lose appetite
- vomit
- It hurts when I touch it, I hate it
- Difficult bowel movements with tenesmus (only foam or liquid)
symptoms are often seen. When the situation worsens, thinning and dehydration are observed, causing deterioration of the general condition. If your dog makes frequent trips to the bathroom or cries loudly during excretion, it may be that he is actually not producing stool but urine. This is called urethral obstruction, and is a common condition in male cats where the urethra is blocked by stones or inflammatory products. In this case, there is an emergency, so it is necessary to have the animal treated at the veterinary hospital immediately. Let's check "Are there no stools?" and "Are there no urines?"
How to Diagnose Cat Constipation
Constipation in cats is often diagnosed by complaints from the owner, such as having difficulty passing stools or vomiting. Along with the petition- Abdominal palpation (except obese cats)
- radiography
- Blood test
What to do if your cat is constipated
If you suspect that your cat is constipated, the first thing to do is to have your cat checked at a veterinary hospital. Because doing it wrong can make things worse. If there is clearly hard stool, the stool is removed by disimpaction or enema. A warm diet (warm saline solution) may be injected to soften the stool before an attempt is made to pass it. If necessary, we may administer a drip to improve dehydration. Once the initial treatment at the veterinary hospital is over and a constipation remedy is prescribed, it will be taken over the long term. In addition, by doing the following, we will strive to prevent the recurrence and improvement of constipation.get hydrated
As a countermeasure for constipation, people should drink a lot of water. This is the same with cats. To get your cat to drink more water,- make wet food
- give a meal
- make lukewarm
- Place them in various places such as feeding areas, corridors, and bedrooms.
- Try changing the material of the container (change to ceramic, glass, plastic, etc.)
- Try changing the size of the container (cats tend to dislike having their whiskers hit the container)
- Try changing the height of the container (if you have neck or back pain, a higher container is better)
- Introduction of water fountain
- directly from the tap
- give boiled water
- Add fish or meat broth
There are many ways to do this, so let's practice them one by one. Also, cats like fresh water, so it's important to change it frequently. They don't like cold water, so use room temperature or lukewarm water. Each cat has a different favorite way of drinking water, so try to find a watering method that suits your cat.
Let's keep the toilet you use every day clean!
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Change to foods that soften stools
Soluble fiber is often used for constipation in cats. It is sold as a therapeutic diet by major manufacturers such as Royal Canin and Hills Prescription Diet. If you do not eat a therapeutic diet, psyllium (edauci plantain) may be added to your diet. Adding olive oil to your diet can also soften stools. However, if you give too much, you may get diarrhea or get fat, so be careful.
diet if you are fat
Obese cats are prone to constipation, and it tends to be difficult to improve. So start dieting. Cats cannot diet by exercising, so be sure to reduce the amount of food they eat or change to a diet food. A sudden reduction in the amount of food puts a burden on the liver, so it is necessary to reduce the amount of food gradually.[Summary] What is constipation in cats? I will tell you about the symptoms and how to deal with it
Cats are animals that don't drink much water, so they tend to be constipated. By looking at the situation with an easy feeling that "it's just constipation", it is often found in a deteriorated state. If constipation is left untreated, it becomes a vicious cycle in which the stool becomes hard and the stool becomes difficult to pass, and in the worst case, surgery is required. If you feel that your cat is not urinating smoothly, make sure to see a veterinarian as soon as possible! Reference material- Hajime Tsujimoto, Shuichi Koyama, Kiyoshi Okusa, Atsushi Nakamura, Cat Treatment Guide 2020, EDUWARD Press, p328-p331