Help!! Constipated kitty. Can I give him lactulose?

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kittycat88

Member Since 2013
Hi!
My cat is really struggling to have a bowel movement. He did go a medium amount but he is still trying to go and keeps walking away from the litter box and trying to go other places. I picked him up and moved him back to the box when he was doing that and I think between him struggling to push and me lifting him up it made him throw up. I do have lactulose here for him from before he was diagnosed with Diabetes. He is now in remission but I don't know whether I can give him lactulose without it raising him bloodsugar and possibly sending him out of remission!? Anyone know?
 
Is there anything else I can give to him to help him go? I have him locked in a room because he just keeps walking around trying to find places to poop :S. Vet wont be open until Monday.
 
kittycat88 said:
Is there anything else I can give to him to help him go? I have him locked in a room because he just keeps walking around trying to find places to poop :S. Vet wont be open until Monday.
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You can pick up some miralax powder at any pharmacy, and put maybe 1/4 tsp into each meal at am and pm. Be sure to add lots of water to your cat's food along with the miralax because the miralax pulls moisture from the cat's body and into the stool to soften it for passing.

Sure you can give lactulose, but try with the miralax first if you are worried about the lactulose raising his BG. It may be necessary for the vet to be seen on Monday if he's still not passed much stool and an enema may clear up any mild blockage.

Too often, people add miralax or give lactulose when the cat has a problem but then they stop and end up with the problem again..... you need to think about why it keeps happening, and it could well be not enough moisture in your cat's diet. Be sure that you are adding water and miralax to your cat's wet food am and pm... and just adjust the amount as needed. If you want a maint dose when your cat is regular, just add 1/8 tsp to one meal a day and if you start to notice the stool is getting irregular again or seems too firm or your cat is having issues passing, then up the miralax and give twice a day. The trick is to keep things moving.

Gayle
 
Keep a good eye on him and take him to the ER at any sign of distress.

If he is impacted, giving miralax (or lactulose) now won't help much. It won't soften the stool that is already too hard to pass. And the problem might be an obstruction of some kind. He could be getting dehydrated and subq fluids might be needed. Give him water and unsalted chicken broth made without onions or garlic, or tuna juice preferably unsalted. And maybe some very soupy canned food.

The best, and safest thing is to unblock him with an enema, but since you don't know why he is blocked up, a trip to the vet is in order first.

Cami is actually my cat, not Gayle's and, unfortunately, I have been going through this with her for over a month. She gets lactulose, miralax, subQs, cisapride (a motility med), and I add pumpkin and water to her [canned] food. I think the lactulose is raising her BG. She was OTJ before all this and I am having a real problem getting control of her BG.

Straining to poop triggers a vomiting response, so that is why that is happening. Cami was staining, vomiting, repeat, lying on her side and looked like she was in labor - abdominal contractions and back legs straightening that seemed out of her control. She was severely dehydrated. It was 5am and I didn't wait until 9am when the vet opened, but took her to the ER vet that is there overnight (same building).

If he is passing some stool and it is little pebbles or round hard balls only, that is a good indication that he needs help. Can you be "on the vet's doorstep" when they open in the morning?
 
Ashley&Betsea said:
Pumpkin is great to add to their diet for constipation.
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Pumpkin may be something to add to the cat's food for maintenance, but once you have constipation and maybe blockage, you need something stronger. Lactulose can help; miralax and added water to the food may also help. If it's really bad, you may need to go the enema route.

if your cat starts to vomit as well as remain constipated, get to the vet as you will need help to get your cat to pass whatever is blocking.

Gayle
 
Hi and welcome to FDMB! Pumpkin works with some cats, just make sure it is pure 100% pumpkin and not the one with added sugar. I hope it does the trick (nice to see you made it here from the FD facebook group)!
 
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