Constipation in Cats: Home Remedies for Cat Constipation

by Abbas Jahangir · February 9, 2022

Constipation in Cats. Normally, a cat will have a bowel movement approximately every 24-36 hours. If you’re pooping less frequently between times, straining too much, or not producing anything in the litter box, your cat may be constipated.

In cases of mild constipation in cats, it can generally be treated independently at home. However, no matter how mild the constipation is, it must be treated immediately to reduce the risk of permanent damage from prolonged distension of the colon. Reporting from Petmd, here are things you can do at home to help relieve pet cat constipation.

Constipation in Cats: 6 Home Remedies for Cat Constipation

Increase Water Consumption

Dehydration is a major cause of constipation in cats. Therefore, increasing water consumption can help with this. If your cat is difficult to get to drink water, you can give them wet food. This will automatically increase their water intake and can significantly reduce the risk of constipation.

Trying a New Diet

Food allergies in cats can cause colitis, diarrhea, and possibly constipation. Changing the protein in your cat’s diet (chicken, lamb, etc.) can reduce inflammation and allow the intestines to move more normally, which can reduce constipation. You can also change to a high-fiber diet in cans (which provide more water) or add fiber to your cat’s diet with canned pumpkin or bran cereal.

Helping Cats Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity or overweight can cause intestinal inflammation which makes the digestive process slow down in the intestines. Too much water is absorbed from the stool, causing constipation. In other cases, too much fat in the abdomen can physically impede the movement of stool. Thus, it is very important to keep the cat at a healthy weight. You can help him by increasing exercise activities, such as playing, taking walks, and providing a healthy diet low in fat. That way, constipation can be overcome.

Minimize Stress and Anxiety in Cats

Cats can also experience stress. Stress in cats can occur due to various things, such as a new environment, noise, pressure from other animals, and so on. Stress can cause cat health problems, one of which is constipation. Ways to relieve cat stress can use things like a pheromone diffuser, supplements, and medications. Consult this with your veterinarian.

Try Fiber or Probiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria that help nourish the gut. A healthy intestine will move stool normally and keep the stool soft, which can prevent constipation. In addition, you also need to increase your fiber intake. Fiber feeds good bacteria and helps promote normal bowel movements. It can also help keep more water in the intestines which can treat constipation.

Adding a Litter Box

Cats can sometimes get very picky about their litter box. They may not like the location of the litter box or even the type of box or litter. You might also want to add another litter box as cats don’t like litter boxes that have been used when you haven’t had time to clean them. Especially if you have several cats at home, you will definitely need more than two litter boxes.

When to Call the Vet?

If you have treated your cat’s constipation problem and it’s not getting better, or if your cat’s constipation has been going on for more than 48-72 hours since your cat had a bowel movement, you need to contact your veterinarian immediately for help. Your veterinarian may be able to diagnose the cause of your cat’s constipation by performing various tests, such as a physical exam, asking for a medical history and eating habits. According to Pawlicy, the vet may also need to run some diagnostic tests, such as:

Blood tests: to check blood sugar, protein levels, liver and kidney function, salt balance, and complete blood count to check the number of red and white blood cells.
Urine test: to see how well the kidneys are working.
Abdominal ultrasound or X-ray: to check for cancer.
Thyroid values: for constipation in senior cats over 8 years of age.
Endoscopy: to view the inside of the cat’s large intestine and/or colonoscopy to take a biopsy.