Symptoms of constipation in cats: Let us know about the Symptoms of constipation in cats. In the event that you have one of these little cats at home, chances are you are very well informed on how to take care of it. However, many people may have many questions about the most common diseases or conditions in cats, especially when they are constipated. If you want to learn how to tell if a cat is constipated, don’t leave without reading this article first.
Symptoms of constipation in cats
constipated cat
Regardless of whether you already have a cat or are seriously thinking about adopting one of these cats, it will always be important to educate yourself well about all the care they need to live a healthy life. Inform, and also about the most common diseases or conditions they have in common. Constipation is one of the most common digestive system problems for them, so in this excellent article, you will get to know completely about this condition, its symptoms and what to do to cure it.
constipation in cats
Cats, like many other animals, can suffer from blockages due to abnormal accumulation of their feces, and therefore, have great difficulty in passing them. Now, the type of constipation you should worry about is when this problem completely obstructs the entire colon, and this is due to the fact that the cat in question has not been able to pass its stool for several days And in return, a lot of the waste that accumulates in your body must come out.
A great way to tell if your cat is suffering from this is to look at her litter box, where you can see how many times she has pooped. You can also notice this if you notice that your cat is defecating and its stool is very hard and completely dry. All these signs mean that the cat has not been able to defecate successfully for several days, so it is constipated.
It is normal for cats to defecate every day, so we can assume that a cat is constipated when it has not relieved itself for two or four days in a row, and it will be even more serious if it is more days. Once you notice this, you should take your small pet to a trusted vet as soon as possible; Don’t let your kitten spend more than three days with constipation, as it could be simple occasional constipation, a chronic constipation, or it could be one of the secondary problems of other more serious illnesses for her ; The sooner it is recognized and treated, the better it is for your own health.
possible causes of constipation
All the possible causes that can cause constipation in cats are quite varied, some of which are the following:
- One of the most common reasons for which there may be an accumulation of feces in a cat, and therefore, constipation, is poor nutrition. If you choose to feed your cat a diet that is too low in fiber, it may sooner or later lead to constipation.
- Another considerable determining factor for our pets to suffer from constipation or any difficulty when it comes to relieving themselves is the lack of water. Maintaining good hydration is essential for any cat’s body, that way, her entire digestive system will be in optimal health and functioning perfectly, if your cat doesn’t have enough water, her entire digestion process will be much more difficult. Will be More complicated, which will eventually lead to constipation.
- Obesity is one of the many reasons that can cause your cat to have serious problems with her digestive system. Remember to feed your cat a good, balanced diet.
- Pelvic injury or any lower back pain may cause your little kitten to not be able to arch very well, therefore, it will not achieve the most optimal position when passing stools. .
- In quite specific cases, it may happen that your cat has, over time, developed a certain fear of their own litter box and, for this reason, they spend more time when it comes to relieving themselves. last up to; If this is the case for you, at some point you will be able to observe how your cat defecates anywhere in your home.
- It is also possible that your cat has choked on a small toy, string, bone, cloth, among other things, and this is causing a severe blockage in her digestive tract.
- Another very common cause of constipation can be inflammation of the entire intestinal tract, which reduces its size and makes obstruction much easier.
Now, in the most severe cases, this can be a neurological problem, so it is extremely important that you take it to a vet quickly as soon as you start seeing the first signs of constipation; Well, if it is a neurological problem, the sooner it is detected, the easier it will be to resolve and will mean less suffering for your pet, giving your kitten the best quality of life possible. is about to.
Symptoms of constipation in cats
The symptoms that cats can present when they are constipation vary greatly, but in most cases, you will never realize it until you begin to notice that your cat has not pooped in a few days . Therefore, it would always be highly advisable to check her litter box every day at the end of each day, this way you will be sure that your little kitten is in fairly optimal digestive and urinary health, not to mention that no Also in case of problem, you can solve it very easy and fast. Here is a list of the most common symptoms when it comes to constipation:
- blood or mucus in your stool
- Lots of complaints from constant meowing
- discomfort or any pain in the abdominal area
- He spends more time than usual in his litter box.
- lethargy
- small, hard, dry stools
- Vomit
- loss or loss of appetite
- litter box fear or rejection
- irritability
- fur is not licked, lack of hygiene
- weight loss
- He tries to rid himself of his litter box.
treatment of constipation in cats
The treatment your vet recommends depends entirely on your cat’s specific condition. It is extremely important that you never medicate your cat without a prior medical prescription, as you are subjecting yourself to many risks that can even lead to death. Any laxative, enema or medicine for humans in general can cause various fatal conditions in the cat’s body, remember to maintain fluid communication with your vet and don’t do anything that he hasn’t prescribed .
Despite the above, many causes do not require a medicinal solution, as, perhaps with a simple improvement in all of their food or in your cat’s general behavior, this may be more than sufficient and your cat’s constipation may end. Can disappear quite easily and above all quite easily. The easiest cases to find a solution are the following:
- A very poor diet, the most common in these cases is what our veterinarians indicate, a diet very high in fiber and very watery. Gradually you will be able to see how the constipation is disappearing.
- In the event that the cause is obesity, your veterinarian will also prescribe a diet that will help your little cat lose weight, in turn, he will probably also explain the different exercises suitable for him; As your cat begins to lose weight, its overall lifespan will improve significantly.
- If your cat is presenting with an intestinal obstruction due to hairballs, you should give her a malt for cats.
- Rejection or fear of your own litter box can be easily resolved by changing the box or the type of litter inside it. Another very good option can be to apply positive reinforcement to gradually re-accustom your cat to its sandbox.
On the other hand, we can find cases of constipation that involve much more complicated solutions, in fact, in most of these cases, constipation is just one of several symptoms of a bigger problem that can lead to serious consequences for your cat; All of these causes require some medicinal treatment prescribed by a vet, or even a surgical procedure. The most complicated cases of constipation are the following:
Objects stuck in your digestive tract :
In cases where our cat has swallowed a foreign body, such as a piece of a toy, a small toy, threads, clothing, bones, or other objects of various sizes, these can cause a blockage in its digestive tract without complications. can do. If it is a very large object, you are likely to realize the condition long before you are constipated; On the other hand, if it is something very small or something that tends to accumulate, then over time you will notice how your little kitten begins to show constipation and various other signs of discomfort.
In these cases, whichever veterinarian you take him to should do various tests like X-rays, ultrasound etc. Depending on your cat’s specific condition, this can be resolved with some special treatment or medication, and it triggers expulsion on its own, however, surgical intervention may be required. Obviously, in these cases, constipation is one of the minor symptoms, but once all the treatments have taken effect, the whole picture will completely disappear, including, of course, constipation.
swelling or bruising
Other possible scenarios include inflammation of your entire digestive tract, some persistent pain or discomfort in your lower back, injury to the pelvic region, or it could be due to some sort of neurological problem. As soon as you start noticing any symptoms, it is extremely important that you visit the vet as soon as possible and then they will start carrying out the various tests required to identify the exact cause that is causing all these problems. Do it
Finally, when the vet has precisely identified the cause of the constipation, he will begin to recommend all possible options you have for effective treatment in your cat; Depending on the cause of the constipation and how severe it is, these treatments may include some very strong medications, or even surgery.
home remedies for Symptoms of constipation in cats
In the specific case of your cat being a simple minor problem, you can implement a variety of options so that your little cat can fully recover his over all intestinal health. After this, you will be able to follow some home remedies or different tips that you can use to help your pet:
- If you brush your cat every day, you will significantly reduce hairballs and, therefore, you will avoid all the possible obstacles that they can cause.
- Offering malt to cats from time to time will always be something healthy that will help maintain optimal digestive transit.
home remedies for constipation
In the specific case of your cat being a simple minor problem, you can implement a variety of options so that your little cat can fully recover his over all intestinal health. After this, you will be able to follow some home remedies or different tips that you can use to help your pet:
- If you brush your cat every day, you will significantly reduce hairballs and, therefore, you will avoid all the possible obstacles that they can cause.
- Offering malt to cats from time to time will always be something healthy that will help maintain optimal digestive transit.
- Make sure he has plenty of fresh water whenever and wherever he wants it.
- You should keep him physically active, you can offer him different short and fun circuits, or a fixed place to exercise.
- Slowly, start adding a lot of fiber to his diet or you can even choose to give him more wet foods.
- Zucchini or pumpkin can be a great food for them, this way you ensure that your cat is consuming fiber in as natural a way as possible.
- In the event that your cat has hair, Vaseline is a fairly effective home remedy for treating them and treating constipation in general. However, completely avoid using it for too long, it will only hinder the absorption of the nutrients they need.
- One of the most effective and popular worldwide home remedies against intestinal obstruction is olive oil. This oil can act as a lubricant for the entire intestinal tract, in this way, the food that is stuck will circulate much better and constipation will go away. To apply this remedy, you will need to add about half a teaspoon of olive oil to all of our cat’s food, whether it is dry food or wet food. However, do not increase it for more than a week, it can lead to severe vitamin A deficiency.
How to Prevent Constipation in Felines
As cats get older, they are more prone to constipation. Therefore, there are various home remedies, methods or easy habits that we can apply every day to help your cat prevent this unwanted condition. Some of these tips and tricks we find are as follows:
- Our cat’s diet should be fairly balanced, the diet in question should contain every nutrient that cats need, and also have the right amount of fiber and water.
- In turn, it is always great to include oily fish such as sardines, tuna or mackerel in moderation in a cat’s diet. This is because the fat from these meats is great for the entire digestive system and will help prevent stool accumulation as much as possible.
- You must provide your cat with an abundant and always fresh source of water.
- Make sure their litter box is completely clean most of the time
- You can start controlling your cat’s weight and all the physical activity it does with the proper help of a veterinarian, all this will prevent your cat from suffering from various diseases or ailments that can be completely prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. are avoidable, such as obesity, or in this case, constipation.
- Give him a haircut whenever necessary and be sure to brush all of his fur regularly, it’s also important to get all hairballs out; In any case, you can choose to give the cat malt which will make everything convenient.
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