Constipation in a cat: what to do at home?

All owners of four-legged pets try to maintain the health of a friend at the proper level. That is why every year it is necessary to take vaccinations in accordance with age, conduct a deworming procedure, attend elementary consultations. Such a delicate problem, like cat constipation, worries many owners. That is why we will consider the main causes of the disease, its symptoms and methods of treatment.

Causes of constipation in a cat

1. Older animals experience a rebuild of the body. Their organs are no longer working as before. The tone of the intestinal muscles is weakened, slow motility leads to constipation.
2. Very often, the problem of stool retention is improperly selected food, an unbalanced diet, inaccessibility of a bowl of water (dehydration of the animal's body).
3. Animals that experience stress may experience constipation. This condition will last until the pet’s psychoemotional state returns to normal.
4. There are so-called psychological problems leading to stool retention. Among them is a dirty cat tray, which is rarely cleaned, competition for an allotted toilet with other pets in the house, the location of the tray in a passageway (for example, an entrance hall).
5. A cat cannot go to the toilet if it has injuries in the abdominal region, inflammatory processes near the anus, and a violation of the intestines. The animal cannot be emptied because it has pain during bowel movements.
6. Often the cause of constipation is the difficulty in the work of the kidneys. When the body is dehydrated, the animal’s stool becomes dry and hard. When a cat tries to empty, it hurts.
7. Everyone knows that cats lick their tongue, washing themselves. Unfortunately, the wool enters the esophagus in the form of lumps, resulting in bowel obstruction.
8. Parasite pollution is another common cause. Deworming must be carried out every 3-4 months. If you do not follow this, the cat begins to have problems with stools.

Symptoms of cat constipation

To identify constipation for sure, knowledge of the causes is not enough. It is necessary to carefully consider the behavior and health of the animal. Symptoms of constipation are as follows:

• lethargy, lethargy, complete lack of activity;
• poor appetite;
• vomiting and nausea;
• body position - lying;
• lack of feces in the tray;
• in rare cases, an increase in body temperature;
• hard, rounded belly.

Naturally, every living organism reacts differently to problems. An adult healthy cat should be emptied at least 1-2 times a day. If this does not happen, you have cause for concern.

How to cure a cat’s constipation

1. Be careful what your pet eats. If the food is dry, provide the animal with round-the-clock access to fresh and purified water. It should ideally be changed every 4-5 hours. Use commercially available or well-filtered water.
2. Very often, after castration or sterilization, the cat wakes up from anesthesia and does not eat for 12 hours. When the moment of the meal comes, the animal has already had a disorder of stool. His body digests food poorly. Therefore, feeding should be carried out in small portions. Again, watch for water!
3. It is very dangerous for a neutered cat to experience stool retention immediately after surgery. If you want to empty, the animal will begin to push, this is fraught with divergence of seams.Therefore, at the first sign of constipation, immediately bring your pet to the veterinarian, or at least get advice by phone.
4. To help your pet go to the toilet, do not treat him with products that have a fixing effect. These include broth on poultry or meat, chicken is especially contraindicated. You can’t give your pet a boiled liver, egg, rice, fat milk, cheese, sour cream.
5. Choose foods with a laxative effect. The animal will benefit from fresh sour-milk products, vegetable crops. Add a drop of petroleum jelly that you can buy at the pharmacy. It will enhance the passage of food through the esophagus.
6. In no case do not treat your pet with vegetable or castor oil. Contrary to all claims, such a composition does not weaken the intestines at all. You only create additional load on the liver and exacerbate the situation.
7. To make it easier for the cat to empty, treat it with raw liver (not boiled!). In difficult situations, the cat must be given the medicine “Dufalac”. But you should be careful with him, consult with your veterinarian in advance.

Treating constipation in a cat at home

1. Proceed with troubleshooting with extreme caution. You must make sure that the animal is actually constipated, and not an obstruction in the intestines. Treatment can begin with the use of liquid paraffin.
2. The composition does not adversely affect internal organs and is not absorbed into the walls of the colon. The product also has no unpleasant odor and taste. Therefore, the oil does not cause dislike in the pet.
3. If you notice that the cat has problems with going to the toilet, special preparations for animals will help to solve the situation. As a rule, the composition produces a mild laxative effect. Also, the drug completely restores the microflora and protects the intestines from harmful toxins.
4. Keep in mind that if you yourself decide to treat cat constipation, you must first obtain the approval of a veterinarian. This problem can easily be confused with bowel obstruction. The latter ailment is also characterized by bad breath from the animal.

How to cure constipation in kittens

1. Almost all kittens face the problem. If the cat gave birth, she must independently look after the offspring. The fact is that when the mother licks the kitten’s stomach, she stimulates the baby’s gastrointestinal tract with her actions.
2. If you have acquired a very small pet, then you will probably encounter the problem of constipation. You will have to slightly knead your tummy yourself. As a result, there is a rush of blood to the tissues, not only peristalsis, but also urination improves.
3. To start the massage, it is recommended to use a soft, moistened cloth or cotton swab. Make light movements. Begin manipulation from head to tail. Movement must be repeated from all sides. Never press on the abdominal area.

Prevention of constipation in a cat

1. If you want to warn the cat against constant constipation, it is important to follow simple recommendations. In longhaired animals, systematically comb the hair thoroughly. As soon as the cat begins to lick, excess lint enters the esophagus, resulting in constipation.
2. If you do not want to further treat the animal for ailments, you can purchase phyto-vitamins in a specialized store in advance. An active dietary supplement helps the cat to easily remove wool from the stomach along with feces. The presence of medicinal herbs in the drug eliminates inflammatory processes in the digestive tract.
3. In the fight against constipation, pumpkin showed itself well. It is enough to mix 30 gr. boiled vegetable with the usual cat food. Such a mixture will help the animal gently cope with an urgent problem. If a cat eats exclusively dry food, it is important that the animal can freely drink clean water in the required amount.
4. If you have brought an animal, you must treat it with all responsibility. Therefore, regular visits to the vet are simply inevitable. The specialist will be able to respond in time in case of health problems in the cat. Provide your pet with sufficient physical activity. Such activities will help to avoid the formation of all kinds of problems.

To help the cat cope with constipation, you need to make sure that it is not an obstruction in the intestines. Visit the doctor without fail. The specialist will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis and solve the problem on the spot. In the future, in order not to encounter an ailment, it is recommended to give the pet active vitamins. Do not forget to comb your pet systematically.

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