Constipated civvie help

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Cindy & Pets

Cindy & Pets

Member Since 2012
As a bit of a background, Christmas had been going outside of the litterbox since late July. We tried almost everything until we broke down on Sunday and put her box back there after she had gone outside of the box. They were well-formed, showing no signs of constipation until last week.

Last week she started doing #2 every other day, no change in #1. They were still well-formed, but I didn't think much of it since I stopped giving as much seafood since my walmart had more variety of low-carb Special Kitty. She has a VERY sensitive stomach to food changes(even cat milk, designed to be okay for cats, upsets her stomach), so it made sense for that to change. She was still going outside the box.

On Sunday afternoon, she went outside the box for the last time before we gave up and put the box back there. Still well-formed. Since then she hadn't done #2 until this evening, and they were small, and hard. Earlier I also found one around where she was playing with the stem of a strawberry that I missed from cutting them up(it fell on the floor I should say), it was tiny, hard, and full of fur. So between Sunday and now she's became constipated.

But....I'm not sure what to do? Is there anything I can do at home? I have Hill's wet M/D(got 2 free cans as a sample from when Tip was having problems, didn't feed more than half a tablespoon) and was told not to give too much because it might cause diarrhea. Does it really do that? If so, should I try it?

Thanks in advance.
 
I have a chronically constipated cat Baloo, and what has helped him is miralax and fortiflora, a probiotic from Purina-both mixed in his food with a lot of water. He will go outside the box where ever he has the urge to poop. He was also peeing outside the box. Its my believe that he was peeing outside the box because he was attempting to poop and strained so hard he peed instead. Since the poops have been regular he has not been peeing outside the box.

My Merlyn GA was also constipated a lot and would go where ever he was also, and was on miralax.

If you have ruled out behavior reasons and litterbox being dirty, having enough litterboxes, mobility issues (not able to get in box easily), and also just not liking the box, then I would try some miralax.

Rule of thumb is one litterbox per cat plus one extra..not always feasible but if there are issues you might do that if you dont already. I might also suggest as an experiment is adding an extra box with a different litter to see if she likes it. Clumping litter is usually tolerated the best, but if you are using clumping, maybe try a box with regular scoopable.

Sending cyber hugs.
 
Where would I get miralax or fortiflora? And will either bother Tip? They have their own bowls, but switch sides 2-3 times during feedings. Tip is having no problems.

I have 2 litterboxes, wanted 3, but that wasn't possible. She isn't going outside of the litterbox as of tonight it seems. There was bullying and only 1 box, both were fixed, checked on July 30th, nothing health related was wrong then. Also thought it was an issue of litter, so the one we put back where Christmas was going has a mixture of cat attract and arm & hammer odorless. The litterbox we had before has a mixture of cat attract and tidy cats, which is what Tip seems to prefer. And both litterboxes have a low opening so they can easily get in and out. Litterboxes are also both cleaned daily.

Currently I have the food so watered down that it's half-food, half-water. Should I increase the amount of water, or leave it as is? I've also heard canned pumpkin, is that safe to use?

Thanks for the hugs. It sometimes feels as if it isn't one having problems, it's another.
 
You may want to start adding a small amount of miralax in with their foods, but you need to be sure to increase the water in their food as the miralax draws moisture from the body into the stool to soften it for easier passage. If you don't increase their water consumption, the cats will become dehydrated.
There would be no harm in adding 1/4tsp to their meal each day. If the stool becomes too loose, decrease the miralax or if still hard, increase the miralax. Just be sure to add more liquid into their diet.
 
Okay, I can do that. Where do I get miralax? And it won't cause problems for Tip? Since she'll more than likely get it as well, and she's having no litterbox problems.
 
Just go to any pharmacy and look in the laxative area, or just ask the pharmacist where it's located in the store.

No, it won't cause any cat a problem; just watch how their 'output' changes
 
Yes in the laxative area of drug store. Fortiflora you can find online, and also your vet can probably get it.

Tip may have looser stool. Since Tip will eat it I would only start with 1/8th tsp of miralax at first. It sounds like the food is watered down enough.
 
With her food changes, oh so long ago, Sneakers became constipated. I use 1/8 tsp mirilax once a day, mixing it with the water in her food. Much better now- at first she needed it twice a day- morning and night. I keep it up because she still needs it- eating raw and canned each day, raw was fine, canned is what helped her "stop up".

I get mine at Krogers- pharmacy isle. You can get the generic kind- there is a no-sugar added version. I have the little bottle next to her syringes and meter and keep the big bottle in the pantry for refills when the small bottle is low.
 
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