? Excessive Grooming, Constipation, Feliway etc!

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AmandaE

AmandaE

Member Since 2019
SO!

Since Mowgli has been living with us for 1.5 months, I have had a lot of opportunity to observe him more closely - This is what led to my Feline Carpal Hyperextension question earlier this week. In addition to my hypothesis that he has Carpal Hyperextension in his front paws rather than Neuropathy, I have noticed that Mowgli has become constipated since starting Lantus (maybe due to insulin in general). His poops have been dry little nuggets (like - dusty husk dry) for the past 1-2 weeks, but he still has the same appetite, and doesn't seem to be uncomfortable. I didn't want this to become a bigger problem so I gave him 1/8 tsp Miralax (Clearlax actually) last night and this morning, and will continue administering BID until I see some progress.

Background information: Mowgli is, and has always been an excessive groomer. If you're patting him and stop, he will clean where you patted. I have noticed lately a shortened patch of hair on his front paw suggesting maybe he's over doing it lately.

Q1: I have noticed a lot of CGs have issues with Constipation - is this a side effect of insulin? is it associated with diabetes in general? - Is Mowgli's body stealing the water from his poop so he can pee more?

I'm sure excessive grooming isn't helping, but he doesn't have a history of constipation at all. I admit that I am nervous he could have a hairy intestinal blockage or something.

Q2: Does anyone have experience with Excessive grooming? I have read that it can be stress related but Mowgli is seriously so chill all the time and has done this his whole life. I am going to try a Feliway diffuser to see if that mitigates some of his grooming, does anyone have experience with Feliway that can vouch for it's effectiveness?

Q3: For CGs that have more experience with cat constipation: when is it time to go to the vet? excessive dry pooping? lack of BMs? decreased appetite? What is typically the action point for you all?

I'm hoping the ClearLax does it's job and gets his intestines moving, once it does I will halt the ClearLax and start adding plain pumpkin to his daily diet.

Q4: Is it typical for diabetic cats to have constipation for their entire life? Can it be managed with ClearLax? How long is it ok to use ClearLax to help a cats BMs along?

I've come to learn about myself that I'm a lengthy poster... Thanks for sticking through it!
 
I don’t know about insulin, but the wet low carb diet is what caused constipation for my girl. I am sure of this because I changed her diet a good month before starting insulin. Yes there is more water in the low carb wet food, but almost no fiber, which she was getting in the dry food. I have had to give her 1/8 tsp Clearlax 2x a day just to keep her pooping normally. I tried pumpkin, but the Clearlax seems to be much more reliable. A little pumpkin, say a tsp a day in addition to Clearlax might be worth a try. I tried cutting out Clearlax and she did not poop for 3 days, so am keeping her on it indefinitely. My vet was okay with it. Just let your vet know in case there are any other health issues going on.

Also make sure you are adding a little extra water to her pate too. Any way to get extra water in them is good.

Feliway is supposed to be pretty effective if the grooming is stress related. Keep it near an area the cat spends a lot of time.
 
Thanks Julie!

I try to add water to Mowgli’s food daily. I don’t make it soupy but definitely more wet.

Maybe I will try incorporating pumpkin for a few days before I stop the ClearLax to see if a build up of fibre from the pumpkin may happen.

Fingers crossed for the feliway, I just ordered a couple diffusers to put throughout the house. Even if Mowglis grooming isn’t stress related I’m hoping it will give my other kitty Nyx a bit of a chill pill. Although she’s relaxed quite a bit since Mowgli joined us, she still has room for improvement.
 
I think they usually do 1-2 teaspoons pumpkin per day. Don’t want to overdo since that is very high in Vitamin A also, not sure if cats can have too much of that? It’s always something, isn’t it?
 
I've also been having the same constipation issue with Ruki. I've been wondering though, where would cats normally get their fiber from, in their "natural diet", so to speak?
 
Auora said:
I've also been having the same constipation issue with Ruki. I've been wondering though, where would cats normally get their fiber from, in their "natural diet", so to speak?
Click to expand...

Not sure I know the answer to that, but I know my cats that are allowed to go out eat grass. They usually throw it up right after, along with any hair, so that the fur never reaches the intestine to cause a blockage. Maybe some of it gets into the gut as fiber though. Also wild cats move a lot more than our indoor domestics. Exercise helps keep things moving too.
 
Auora said:
I've also been having the same constipation issue with Ruki. I've been wondering though, where would cats normally get their fiber from, in their "natural diet", so to speak?
Click to expand...
Wanted to double check and found:

Natural, whole prey diet of a cat would include things like fur and bones, which are indigestible and act as fiber does in the digestive system

Would think feathers would be in the same category..
 
Auora said:
I've also been having the same constipation issue with Ruki. I've been wondering though, where would cats normally get their fiber from, in their "natural diet", so to speak?
Click to expand...
in addition, whatever their prey might have in stomach -- seeds, grains, vegetable fragments -- mice and rats seem to be omnivorous, voles and moles chew on roots as well as hunting worms ... birds go for seeds and berries and probably ingest grass while they forage
 
CandyH said:
in addition, whatever their prey might have in stomach -- seeds, grains, vegetable fragments -- mice and rats seem to be omnivorous, voles and moles chew on roots as well as hunting worms ... birds go for seeds and berries and probably ingest grass while they forage
Click to expand...
So true..
 
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