Constipation in the Cat ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

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Constipation in the Cat

What is constipation?

Constipation is an abnormal accumulation of feces in the bowel resulting in difficulty passing bowel motions. One of the functions of the bowel is water absorption, so the retained feces become hard and dry which makes passage of these even more difficult. Constipated cats strain in an attempt to pass feces and this is often painful. Some constipated cats may pass small amounts of liquid feces which may be confused with diarrhea.

What causes constipation?

Factors associated with constipation include:

What is Megacolon?

This term refers to an excessively large and poorly functioning large bowel. Megacolon may be seen as a condition by itself or arise following long-term constipation. When the bowel has been distended with faeces for a prolonged period, its ability to contract may be reduced or lost resulting in Megacolon.

How is constipation diagnosed?

In most cases, a diagnosis of constipation can be made on the basis of the symptoms that the cat is showing. Affected cats usually strain unsuccessfully to pass feces and may cry in pain when doing this. Any feces passed are hard and dry. The cat may also show signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Veterinary examination usually reveals an obviously palpable full bowel. Further tests may be needed in order to diagnose the cause of the constipation and these may include x-rays of the abdomen and pelvis in order to look for pelvic injuries or blockages in the bowel.

A constipated cat can be difficult to differentiate from a cat with urinary tract discomfort such as cystitis. Usually a cat with a bladder problem will pass small spots of blood stained urine and licks excessively around its genital area. Most constipated cats make it to the litter box but cats with cystitis are often caught short and are found straining in corners or other odd places. Cats with colitis will also strain but in this situation the cat usually has an empty bowel. The straining is caused by the inflammation of the lining of the bowel wall. From the cat’s perspective, an irritated, inflamed bowel produces the same sensation as wanting to go to the toilet so there is ongoing straining even if the bowel is empty. Some constipated cats will have diarrhea. This paradoxical situation is caused by excessive straining which allows fluid feces to pass around the firm block of feces. It’s easy to see how confusion may arise about exactly where a problem may be, but a veterinary examination will usually easily determine the cause of the straining and the appropriate treatment can be initiated.

How can constipation be treated?

If the constipation is mild, it can be resolved with oral lubricants and fecal softeners. More severely blocked cases may require an enema. The patients usually require an anesthetic or sedative to carry out such a procedure. Treatment of dehydration with intravenous fluids may also be needed in severely affected cats.

If the constipation recurs or becomes a long term problem, then continuous treatment may be needed to prevent recurrence. A wide variety of treatments are available and the aims of these are to enable regular passing of soft feces. Altering the diet so that this contains more fiber may be helpful and lubricating laxatives or stool softeners may also be used in mildly affected cats.

Those more severely affected may need drugs that stimulate contraction of the colon. The doses of all of these drugs may need to be altered to produce the desired effect. Ideally, cats should pass feces at least once every other day. Over a period of time, resistance to the treatment may be found necessitating an increase in the drug dosage or a change to another therapy.

In long-haired cats, regular grooming may reduce hair ingestion by the cat, lessening the likelihood of hairballs causing constipation. It is important to ensure that there is always access to a clean litter tray so that frequent passing of feces is encouraged.

If Megacolon develops or if the constipation is severe and medical treatment is unsuccessful at controlling this then your veterinarian may advise surgery. This can involve quite extensive procedures which require removal of most of the colon. This initially results in diarrhea but over a period of time this improves. The surgery should not result in loss of bowel control.

What is the long-term outlook for a cat with this problem?

The long-term outlook varies tremendously according to the cause of the constipation. Most cats can be adequately managed without having to resort to surgery. Constipation occurs when there has been a delay in the time normally taken for food to travel down the gastrointestinal tract. The upper part of the digestive tract, the stomach and the small intestines, digest and absorb all the goodness from the food but the gut contents are still very soft when they reach the bowel.

Page URL: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/constipation.html

Resource References:
Much, much appreciation to Dr. Raymond Van Lienden, DVM of Clifton, VA USA for his extensive research in locating the material found on this page. Thank you, dear Doctor!