Animals, like humans, are susceptible to various diseases. One of the most common problems is considered constipation in a cat. How to treat this pathology, not every owner knows. If a pet is not provided in a timely manner, then this disease can lead to dangerous consequences for the animal's body. That is why you need to start treating your pet on time. It is best to know in advance how to help him with problems with a chair. In this article, we’ll talk more about cat constipation, symptoms and treatment at home.
What it is
This disease refers to difficulties with bowel movements or rare stool in an animal. Constipation is considered one of the most common health problems associated with the digestive system of pets. The norm is defecation at least 1 time in 2 days. If the cat is very tense when trying to go to the toilet, the attempts themselves are unsuccessful, and the stool is dry and hard, which means that she has constipation and the owner should consult a veterinarian, as these symptoms may indicate existing health problems.
Causes of constipation
The disease itself is not independent, most often it is a sign of any pathology or getting into the digestive system of the pet's hair, foreign objects. Chronic constipation in a cat can be eliminated if its nutrition is corrected or the underlying disease is cured. The most common causes of bowel obstruction are:
- Improper nutrition. If the animal’s food consists only of dry food or is monotonous, this leads to digestion. Also, the problem may be the result of feeding the cat human food, for example, pasta or rice.
- Licking wool. Owners of long-haired and fluffy cats often face this situation. The wool that the animals lick into the stomach. There, it forms lumps that interfere with the promotion of feces. If a cat has a large amount of hair and often licks, it can cause constipation.
- Slight motor activity. If the cat is obese or lazy, he begins to move a little. It can also cause constipation in the animal. It is impossible for a pet to just sleep and eat. It is necessary to periodically play active games with the cat.
- Foreign object. An animal can eat something inedible and small. This item is stuck in the intestines and interferes with the release of feces. If the stool is absent for several days, measures should be taken to avoid dangerous consequences for the cat's health.
Other reasons
In addition to the above, the causes of constipation can be:
- Inadequate water intake.
- A small amount of dietary fiber in the diet.
- Crotch hernia.
- Narrowing or trauma to the pelvis.
- Intestinal dysbiosis.
- Parasitic diseases, helminthiases are especially dangerous for kittens.
- Tumors in the anus or rectum.
- Diseases of the prostate gland in cats.
- Orthopedic disease that interferes with the natural posture during bowel movements.
- The narrowing of the rectum.
- Violation of bowel tone, which may occur due to stress.
- Chronic enterocolitis or colitis.
- Abscesses of the anal glands, anal fistulas.
- Transition from one feed to another.
- Gastritis.
- Malformations of the colon.
- Disorder of the autonomic nervous system.
For adult cats, going to the toilet once every 1-2 days is considered the norm. If the stool of a pet is less frequent, then you should carefully monitor the well-being and behavior of the pet.
Constipation after sterilization
During surgery, anesthesia is administered. It provokes intestinal dysfunction. Peristalsis slows down, and therefore constipation occurs. The phenomenon is frequent, but extremely undesirable. If the situation is not resolved within one week after surgery, you should contact your veterinarian who will examine the animal and prescribe the correct treatment.
Sometimes constipation in a cat after surgery or sterilization can be caused by the formation of adhesions. This happens quite rarely, and only if the veterinarian accidentally damaged the intestinal wall during surgery. When the wound begins to heal, then one damaged loop grows to another. In this case, self-treatment is prohibited. If you use petroleum jelly or other laxatives that increase peristalsis, your intestines may tear at the site of adhesion. This will lead to peritonitis or death of the animal.
In the veterinary clinic, the doctor will check for ultrasound adhesions. And only after that he will prescribe the correct treatment.
Symptoms
The symptoms of constipation in a cat include:
- Lack of stool for more than 2 days.
- It may be rare and very hard, or it may not be at all.
- The pet sits in the tray for a long time and to no avail.
- The cat can push for a long time, in some cases meow strongly.
- A pet often squats in different angles, raises its tail and pushes, but it does not work out.
In addition to these symptoms of constipation in a cat, there may appear: fever, vomiting, bloating, pain. In this case, the animal must be urgently shown to the veterinarian.
First aid for constipation
Knowing the treatment methods and symptoms of constipation in a cat, you can quickly deal with this problem. An enema and laxative suppositories can best help. The same suppositories are used as for problems with stool in people: on the basis of glycerin ("Glycelax", "Glycerin suppositories") or "Biseptol".
For pets, 1/4 candle once or twice a day is enough. After installation, it is recommended that the animal massage the abdomen to improve intestinal motility. If after that the pet did not go to the toilet, it is necessary to use a cleansing enema. This procedure should be carried out with caution, if there is no necessary skill, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
How to make an enema
One and a half hours before the procedure, the pet is given 1.5-2 teaspoons of liquid paraffin. As an enema solution, slightly salted water is used (one teaspoon of salt is dissolved in one glass of water) or chilled chamomile broth. The temperature of the liquid before the procedure should be 25-30 degrees.
Before administration, the tip of the syringe is lubricated with petroleum jelly, a ready-made solution is drawn into it and gradually, using circular motions, the syringe is introduced into the anus of the animal to a depth of no more than two centimeters. Then squeeze the liquid. Its volume for an adult animal is 150-300 ml. At the end of the procedure, the tail of the cat should be pressed to the anus and held for 15-20 minutes.
The advantage of an enema and suppository is considered to be a quick effect. The cat's bowel movement occurs a few minutes after their introduction. You should know that an enema is a painful procedure and has contraindications for use:
- Hemorrhoids, fissures in the rectum.
- Bleeding from the anus.
- Helminthiasis.
- Heart disease.
- Pregnancy.
Some experts do not recommend enemas to cats, since the solution is absorbed by the large intestine and provokes severe flatulence, which can worsen the condition of the animal. A more gentle treatment is considered to be the use of funds administered by mouth.
Treating cat constipation at home
In the initial stages of the disease, the cat can be helped at home. To stop constipation, you should use the following methods:
- You can start feeding your pet liquid food in small portions. Add a little vegetable oil to the feed. But the main thing is not to overdo it. Too fatty foods can harm the cat's liver.
- One of the popular ways to treat constipation is raw carrots and beets. These vegetables are added to the animal’s food. If the pet refuses to eat them, it is necessary to squeeze the juice from fresh carrots and beets and pour it into the pet’s mouth with a syringe.
- Kefir, saltwater fish, cauliflower or raw liver can also help. These products will help improve cat stool.
- Another way is condensed milk diluted with water. With this solution you need to water the animal. You should not resort to this method very often. This can cause diarrhea.
With symptoms of constipation in the cat, massage of the abdomen helps. It should be ironed with a slight pressure clockwise. The procedure is done several times a day.
Means for internal use
Many pet owners are interested in the question, what to give the cat from constipation? A safe and effective tool in the treatment of this pathology in humans is Lactulose. It can also be used for cats. The dosage of the substance is 0.5 ml per kilogram of the animal’s weight, twice a day. The dosage is prescribed individually, depending on the consistency of the feces of the cat. The chair does not appear immediately after use, but after a few hours. In pharmacies, you can buy laxatives based on lactulose: Portalac, Dufalac, Goodluck, Normase, Romphalac, Lactulose Poslabin.
Vaseline oil
Another answer to the question of what to do urgently for constipation in a cat is the use of liquid paraffin. It must be given three times a day, two and a half milliliters. It lubricates the intestines from the inside, softens feces and promotes the promotion of waste through the digestive organs. Vegetable oil, unlike petroleum jelly, is ineffective, as it is absorbed by the intestines and harms the animal’s liver. Stool appears 4-6 hours after the use of petroleum jelly. At the same time, the cat goes to the toilet several times with semi-formed feces.
Other means
If a cat has constipation, what to do at home? It is known that “Ramnil”, a remedy based on buckthorn bark, helps a cat from constipation. It is used in a dosage of half a tablet per day. Karlovy Vary artificial salt is also effective in the treatment of this disease. It has a good effect on the functioning of the digestive organs. Cats are given a solution of this powder in the ratio of one tablespoon to half a glass of water.
In veterinary clinics, Isafenin is often used in the treatment of intestinal atony and chronic constipation. When it enters the intestines, the substance breaks down into dioxiphenylsatin, which irritates the receptors and causes emptying. The release form of this medicine is powder. Dosage for adult cats is 1-5 mg a couple of times a day. It is worth knowing that this drug has a small toxic effect. Therefore, it is better to use other safer means.
Various human medications can cause upset stomach or allergies in cats. And if you do not know the correct dosage, you can significantly harm the pet. That is why self-treatment with human means is not recommended. Only an experienced veterinarian can prescribe the necessary drug and choose the right dosage.
Dufalac
Many pet owners trust Dufalac. Cat from constipation is given 0.5 ml per kilogram of weight. It is recommended that the kitten be given no more than 0.5 ml of the drug in one go. It is better to start treatment with a small dosage.
If after the first dose the cat does not exhibit any allergic reactions or side effects, the drug is used two to three times a day. In this case, it is necessary to constantly monitor the well-being of the animal. Most often, Dufalac gently and quickly relieves a cat of constipation. But you should be careful in dosages, since an excessive amount of this substance can provoke diarrhea, and, as a result, dehydration of the animal's body.
Cat Nutrition for Constipation
To prevent problems with stools in cats, it is necessary to monitor the nutrition of the animal. The most important components for normal bowel function are fiber, minerals, fats, and indigestible sugars. Insoluble dietary fiber retains moisture, increases fecal volume in the intestines and stimulates peristalsis. Therefore, microcrystalline cellulose, wheat and oat bran, pumpkin and beet pulp or plantain should be added to animal feed. They can be mixed in meat or any other food.
Plantain fibers are very useful, they bind water and do not undergo fermentation in the intestines. For cats with frequent constipation, you should choose food with the presence of dietary fiber in its composition, approximately 10-15%. A higher fiber percentage may, on the contrary, cause constipation due to excessive increase in feces.
Dietary fiber is contraindicated in cats that have nervous disorders or intestinal obstruction. Foods that are high in calcium or other minerals are not recommended; they contribute to the formation of denser stools. Fatty foods slow down peristalsis and reduce fecal volume. For cats with constipation, the inclusion of fermented milk products in the diet is recommended.
Prevention
In order not to wonder when the cat has constipation, how can I help, preventive measures should be taken in time. In order to prevent the formation of wool lumps in the stomach and to remove them, special preparations or pastes are used, which can be found in any veterinary store.
In addition, you can use petroleum jelly on half a teaspoon per 1 kg of animal weight daily. There are special feeds that fight constipation and the formation of wool lumps in the intestines.
Also, the owners of cats must make sure that the animal consumed a sufficient amount of water and always had access to it.
Do not allow your pet to play with dangerous objects that can lead to intestinal obstruction: plastic bags, rags, balls of thread, paper, wool.
Conclusion
Knowing the symptoms of constipation in a cat, and what to do in such a situation, it is possible to quickly identify and cure pathology. Experts do not recommend experimenting with self-treatment of the animal. In case of unpleasant signs, it is best to consult a veterinarian.