Constipation problems! any suggestions?

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Caryn and Powder

Caryn and Powder

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I am somewhat new to this forum. I posted some questions back in January 2012 when my cat Powder was diagnosed with diabetes. I got on this site and followed what most everyone had to say about diet and insulin. My Powder went off of his Lantis insulin within one month. He has been in remission since. I changed his food to fancy feast classics from science diet dry and that really heoped to bring his sugar under control. I still test him everyday because I am so afraid that he will go back. I have noticed 2 things since the change to fancy feast canned food. He does not drink any more water and he gets constipated. I have been putting water into his food but he still has a problem at least once a week. I looked at the pet stores for some laxatives but they all seem to have some type of sweetner. How about fish oil or mineral oil or maybe miralax? Does anyone have any suggestions. The vet said that he is basically healthy with the exception of the diabetes that he had back in January. I would truly appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!
 
Pumpkin, I have heard is great for that problem. I believe it is the 100% pumpkin, not the pie filling. More will answer because I know I have seen the question come up often.

BTW; Congrats on your OTJ!

It took me a while not to test Bean. I was sooo scared that it would be short lived. Honestly, I still am, but I have cut back on the testing to once every 3-4 wks! nailbite_smile

So far, she is around 42-47 everytime. We do not eat anything hi carb and try to keep down the stress. It has been almost 1 yr!!
 
Hurray on OTJ!!

If you are sure hes not completely blocked with poo, which would need a vet visit, you can try adding Miralax to soupy food. Its a powder, sold for humans. Its tasteless and you can mix it in water, or food. Start maybe with 1/8th tsp, and wait to see. Might need 1/4 tsp once a day, or 1/8th 2x a day. Too much and you will get the opposite messy diarrhea. It will not work immediately on the poop already in there, but will help the poop forming to be softer.
 
How wonderful that it has been over a year for Bean!!! I pray that my powder has the same luck! I am going to start cutting down on the testing. Maybe to a few times a week and eventually less and less. I did hear about pumpkin but I was not sure if it had any sugars it it naturally. I may try the Miralax that I have also heard about until I know for sure. Thank you!
 
How will I know if he is blocked ? He does still go but he strains and strains and goes in and out of the litterbox 3 or 4 times until he gets it out. I was thinking that maybe I should take him in. I was just hoping to be able to give him something to help.
 
Oh a subject Baxter & I know to well.

If he is straining & straining & nothing is happening I would diffently take him to the vet. He could need a manual clean out or a enima. It could be something more.
If he is severely constipated at this point there isn't much you can do. The blockage could be up there & he needs help getting it out.

Moving forward after the blockage is removed what you can do is....
Start adding water to his food at every meal.
Start adding Miralax with warm water into food. 1/8tsp-1/4tsp. Per Dr.Lisa Pierson.
Miralax does not have any sugar in it so it's safe for FD.

Dr.Pierson responded about constipation in a post over a month ago. Right at that time Baxter was severely constipated & couldn't keep food down. Every since the tramatic vet visit I have been adding Miralax. He is doing much better now. There are other members who use Miralax & it's really help their cats.

Good Luck,
Jenn & Baxter cat_pet_icon
 
My last cat had constipation issues due to a birth defect. I used to give her cooked chicken on occasion, and mineral oil if it got bad. She ate w/d dry for the fiber plus fancy feast. Back then the fiber powder was not tasteless and she wouldn't touch it.

Cedric has had a couple of enemas and I find he's not as regular as Dallas (who poops on que same time every morning!). Pumpkin was recommended, but I don't see much difference with Cedric - I am not sure if he's eating it. Veg. oil was also recomended as it is less harsh than mineral oil.
 
We, too, used pumpkin, but didn't see it made much difference. We also used mineral oil - put it on his nose and around his mouth so he'd lick it off. I'm with Jenn, though, and would seriously consider a vet visit first.

Hope things 'go' smoothly ;-) (Sorry, couldn't resist)

Libby (and Hershey, too!)
 
Jenn & Baxter said:
Moving forward after the blockage is removed what you can do is....
Start adding water to his food at every meal.
Start adding Miralax with warm water into food. 1/8tsp-1/4tsp. Per Dr.Lisa Pierson.
Miralax does not have any sugar in it so it's safe for FD.
Click to expand...

Crash was on Miralax (1/8 tsp 2x/day) and he got about a 1/2 - 1tsp canned pumpkin twice a day. Pumpkin does not affect BG.

After initial constipation from dry/wet transition, this mixture worked for the rest of his days. If I did not see poo every day, I upped the dose of Miralax a smidge for a meal. Make sure you add lots of water to food when he is constipated, and especially if using Miralax. Doesn't have to be soup, but Miralax works by pulling water out of the body, so have to add more back in to kitty to balance things.
 
Thanks everyone, I think I will make an appontment with the vet to be sure he is not blocked then try some of your suggestions.

Thanks

Caryn
 
I found that it was helpful to add 1/4 tsp of restoralax/ miralax to my cat's food with extra water, just to make sure they stayed regular.
It did make a difference.
 
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