By Sandra Murphey with intro by Michael.
There is a page on PoC written years ago about home treatments for cat constipation. Sandra has added to the page in a useful comment, which I believe should seen by more visitors than are likely to read her comment. Hence this article. Sandra tackled her cat’s constipation by focusing on thinning out her coat together with some judicious trimming.
Sandra writes:
I have a 5-year-old long haired cat that I took to the vet for constipation. She got an enema, and was put on Royal Canin Hi Response DRY (hi fiber), Hill’s WD and Lactulose. After much research, I discovered that these “prescription” foods are not healthy. She was still only having movements every other day.
I transitioned her completely off DRY food, and started to discover the “difficult” truths of how pet food is made. I began to really read labels! I’ve tried some high quality foods, adding water. Also supplement with raw ground chicken/turkey combined with a “pre-mix” for more nutrients.
Another thing I did was give a “little” goat milk and plain goat yogurt. She loves them, and they are good for the belly. Also, she’s developed a taste for coconut oil, and eats 1-2 teaspoons a day.
I’ve also added these things to food: oat bran, ground chia seeds, and various other hi-fiber. She still only poops every other day. I’ve been using Laxatone, but it’s for hairballs, which she doesn’t have.
The Hair Factor in Constipation
I did something I never read about anyone doing. I broke open her stools, to find “long hair”. This is the “root cause” of her constipation! This led me on a search for a tool to get rid of the excess hair. I tried the Furminator, but it didn’t work for her. So, I got the ShedMonster at Walmart, and that really gets the fur out. It’s about a 4th of the price of Furminator, and works better for her.
This is only the 2nd day of using it. I wipe her down with a damp towel afterwards to get rid of excess. I’m also going to clip some of the long hair on her sides and butt area.
I just wanted to share this because I haven’t seen any posts that mention getting rid of excess fur with a de-shedding tool. I always combed and brushed her daily, but it wasn’t enough.
I hope this information helps other long haired cat guardians.
Associated: recycling cat hair.
Michele, your comment was moderated because it had a couple of links. The software picks this up automatically.
Sandra, I’m so pleased to hear that you’re having some success with finding a solution to help Mitzy. She’s fortunate to have such a dedicated lady caring for her. I hope she continues to thrive on the regime of de-shedding and her new diet.
Although I feed my cats wet food, I did try offering them some Applaws Adult Chicken dry food, so that they would have something to snack on when I’m out. I also wondered if they might enjoy the variety in texture. It’s a good quality food, but they weren’t interested. They were more than happy to eat the Applaws chicken breast wet food though 😉
I recently adopted a young cat Phoebe from a rescue and the foster carer was feeding her Applaws dry. They said she wouldn’t touch wet food. (She was being offered Iams.) I continued giving Phoebe Applaws dry, but I also began offering her wet food. Now she won’t touch the Applaws dry.
Applaws is a British brand although I believe it’s slowly becoming available in the US. I can’t figure out whether it has a slightly different composition in the USA.
UK version;
http://applaws.co.uk/product/dry-cat-adult-chicken/
USA version;
Some common causes of cat constipation:
Dehydration— dehydration causes the colon to absorb more water from the stool and pets that become dehydrated may suffer from mild to severe constipation. Aging pets frequently experience mild dehydration and can benefit from supplemental water (see remedies below).
Excessive ingestion of hair—some animals excessively groom themselves which can clog their digestive system with hair. Keeping hair clipped and routine brushing can help cut down on hair ingestion.
Foreign body ingestion—some pets eat unusual substances such as gravel, stones, dirt and plants. Stools produced can be sharp or painful to pass, resulting in straining and constipation.
Medications—certain prescription medications may cause constipation. If your pet becomes constipated, ask your veterinarian about any medications your pet is taking.
Kidney disease or Diabetes—pets with Kidney disease or Diabetes lose excessive amounts of water in their urine (even though they drink a lot) and live in a perpetual state of mild dehydration and are at risk for chronic constipation. They may also have electrolyte imbalances that lead to poor colon function.
Electrolyte imbalance—there are many electrolytes that are necessary for normal digestive system function. For example, low levels of potassium or magnesium may lead to severe constipation.
Intestinal disease—inflammation may cause the intestine to malfunction and not move food properly. A cancerous mass or polyp may act as an obstruction to the passage of stool.
Orthopedic/neurologic problems—arthritis, incorrectly healed pelvic or back fractures, disc problems or anything that may cause pain will often prevent pets from posturing normally to defecate and result in constipation.
Perianal hernias—this is a rip in the muscle around the anus that may allow the colon and feces to become trapped inside. A hernia may be present if there is a swelling under the tail. Hernias can cause constipation or be a result of long-term straining to defecate.