Cats, like humans, have constipation, and this happens quite often. This gives the cat a lot of inconvenience, and the owner - unnecessary worries, because he wants to help his pet, but often does not know how. Some owners expect that the problem will be resolved by itself, but do not hope for a miracle. The animal needs help, and it will not be able to solve its problem on its own. The article will examine in detail the question: why the cat does not go to the toilet, and is there any way to help her.
Why kittens don’t go to the toilet
When a small kitten appears in the house, the whole family does not leave him. Someone wants to play, someone just touches, and someone monitors his condition. And quite often it happens that a small kitten stops going to the toilet, and this problem should be solved. But before looking for a solution to the problem, you should find out the causes of its occurrence.
- A small cat does not go to the toilet due to the stress she received while moving to a new home. This is a natural reaction of a kitten to a change of scenery. When kittens enter a new home, they may not go to the tray at all for about three days, and this is considered normal behavior. But this process should be controlled, because if after five days the tray is still empty, this means that the baby needs help.
- A similar problem may arise in kittens who still live with their mother, but because of their inexperience or for another reason, it may not help the kittens defecate, although in the first month of their life the responsibility for this process lies entirely with the mother cat. She should give them a special massage on her stomach so that it is easier to go to the toilet.
- If the kitten is too early to transfer to natural feed, then the digestive system may not cope with this drop. It’s good when still getting mother’s milk, the kitten is already familiar with the usual food. Then the process of transition from milk to natural food is absolutely painless.
- There is such a thing as congenital intestinal pathology. In this case, the kitten without the help of a veterinarian can’t normally go to the toilet.
Causes of the disease in an adult
The reasons why the cat does not go to the toilet in a big way differ from those that were suitable for the kitten.
- Improper nutrition. If you feed the animal with feeds that contain a minimum of fiber and protein, then this can greatly disturb the stool. The same symptoms appear in cats that eat too much bone or drink too little fluid.
- Quite often, the problem of lack of stool arises in long-haired cats, because there is too much hair in their stomachs that gets there at the moments when the cat is “washed”. The hairs that enter the stomach are knocked into lumps, which, in turn, become a serious obstacle not only to the release of feces, but also to their formation.
- Stressful situations have a negative effect not only on babies, but also on adults. Cats and cats may be frightened as a result of a meeting with a dog, and perhaps they will be scared by too noisy company that will be visiting. One of the breeders in his recall says that after moving his cat did not go to the toilet for a week, but the veterinarian did not find any disturbances in the body.
- When the cat is already at an advanced age, the work of the gastrointestinal tract can deteriorate greatly, since the intestines are no longer able to work with the same activity as they were at a young age. That is why feces do not pass through their channels well.
- Everyone knows that a castrated cat is a very lazy cat that spends its energy only to eat. And the rest of the time he just lies. Therefore, they are prone to obesity, which often leads to the fact that the process of defecation is difficult, and the cat can not go to the toilet without assistance.
- If, after sterilization, the cat does not go to the toilet for more than four days, then this is an occasion to see a doctor. Since this manifests itself reflex constipation, which is a consequence of such an operation.
- And the last point will be various diseases that have similar effects or symptoms.
Help animal
Undoubtedly, if you notice that the cat does not go to the toilet for several days, then this is a serious reason to seek help from a veterinarian. But if this is not possible, then you can try to help the animal on its own in order to alleviate its suffering a little.
- The first step is to reconsider your pet’s diet. The menu must necessarily include milk, vegetables. If there is such an opportunity - then kefir.
- Vaseline oil has a very good emollient effect. Veterinarians recommend adding it to food even healthy cats as a preventive measure. It is absolutely harmless to the animal. It will be enough five drops once a day, so that cat problems with stools occur much less frequently. Some replace petroleum jelly with vegetable, but this cannot be done, since the second affects the liver of the animal very badly.
- If the problem arose a long time ago, then you can try to give your pet a drink of laxatives. Dufalac and Lactusan are well suited for this. If you study the reviews of breeders, then these drugs are best for constipation in cats.
- Some veterinarians recommend that cats be given enemas that can alleviate the condition of the animal. But there are a few warnings: firstly, an enema can not be done at home, and secondly, you can not resort to this method too often, because the intestinal muscles weaken because of this, and there is a serious risk of chronic constipation.
- You can take the advice of experienced breeders who talk about the effectiveness of condensed milk. It is bred with ordinary running water in a ratio of three to three. Every hour, the pet should drink a tablespoon of this liquid. But do not get too carried away, and five receptions per day will be enough. Such a liquid will relax the stomach and return the cat the ability to defecate normally.
- If a small kitten has a problem, then you can try to give him a massage that will also relax his muscles and help the baby do his job. You should take a cotton pad moistened with warm water in advance and drive it clockwise across the baby’s tummy.
- Perhaps your cat should normalize the intestinal microflora. In this case, special medications that the veterinarian can prescribe will help.
Diet for cat
If the cat often suffers from constipation, then a diet should be prescribed for her, which will greatly facilitate this process. So, the cat should eat the following foods:
- If the animal eats dry food, then they should be soaked, as well as periodically given soups and cereals.
- Cats rarely agree to voluntarily eat vegetables, but they must be added to food at least in small quantities. Especially effective for constipation zucchini, pumpkin and beetroot.
- You can not do without fermented milk products.
- Not too often should be included in the menu raw fish and liver.
If the cat suffers from constipation, then rice, chicken and broths based on it, as well as chicken eggs, should be excluded from its diet. If the cat often has problems with bowel movements, it is worth going to a consultation with a veterinarian who will help you choose a special food for your animal.
Prevention
It is good to know how to deal with constipation, but it is even better to carry out all preventive measures in time so that this problem does not arise at all. First, pay attention to what your pet eats. Many owners feed their cats from their own table, which is absolutely impossible. If a cat gets high-quality dry food, then he will not have problems with bowel movements. And if the owner chooses natural food, then, when compiling a diet, you should consult with more experienced breeders or a veterinarian. Indeed, the menu should definitely include vegetables and meat.
The article has already mentioned that cats quite often swallow their hair and because of this later they can’t normally go to the toilet. In order to prevent this, combing should be carried out constantly, especially for long-haired breeds.
How many times does a cat go to the toilet
If we talk about generally accepted norms, then an adult should go to the toilet for the most part once every two days. Those animals that eat dry food do this more often, and trips to the toilet can be up to three per day. The same thing happens with cats that consume a lot of fiber. As you can see, much here depends on what the cat eats. But if the cat does not go to the toilet for more than four days, then this is an occasion to visit a doctor.
Urination problems
After the problems and their solutions to constipation have been considered, it is worth paying attention to the urination of the animal. After all, if a cat does not go to the toilet a little, then this is also a cause for concern. This is quite simple to notice, since the animal will certainly inform about it with its cries, moans and endless meow. But even if he succeeds in going to the toilet, then there will be very little urine, and this is unlikely to alleviate the condition of the animal. It is worth paying attention to the cat’s stomach, which becomes bloated, any touching the tummy causes pain. If after urination pay attention to the tray, then you can find there traces of blood or even pus.
Why doesn’t a cat go to the toilet in a small way:
- If the pet does not have constant access to water, then the fluid in his body may not be enough. A small amount of urine leads to the formation of stones in the kidneys or urinary bladder, which, like people, prevent the flow of urine.
- This problem can be inherited.
- A similar pathology can be congenital, because sometimes kittens are born with such a diagnosis as urinary obstruction. It is impossible to solve this problem on your own, and only surgery can help here.
- Improper nutrition leads not only to constipation, but also to problems with urination. Especially if the cat eats a lot of raw fish and meat, as well as mineral and salty foods.
- A cat goes to the toilet a little if she has a few extra pounds. After all, such pets move very little, as a result, they get not only constipation, but also the outflow of urine worsens.
Host action. Reviews
Of course, if any problems are found in the pet, the owner should immediately take him to the veterinarian, but it is not always possible to do this immediately, so you need to be able to assist the animal on the spot. As for issues with urination, judging by the reviews, the following should be done:
- Place a catheter designed specifically for urine diversion. This procedure is quite complicated and the cat brings a lot of discomfort, so it is not recommended to carry it out on your own. There are cases when the catheter was placed under general anesthesia. Often the procedure cannot be performed, since the urinary canals swell, and the animal may completely lose the ability to urinate on its own.
- It is necessary to review the pet's diet and provide him with constant access to clean and fresh water.
Frequent urge
In veterinary practice, cases are considered not only of rare urination, but also when the cat often goes to the toilet in a small way. There are many reasons for this, and each of them deserves a separate article. In short, diseases such as cystitis, urolithiasis, and diabetes can contribute to this. At the same time, the cat goes to the tray often, but at the same time there is little urine, and with some diseases it contains blood. During the hot season, pets drink a lot of fluids and because of this they can often go to the toilet, but this is not a cause for panic.
Sometimes cats do this in order to mark their territory. This phenomenon is temporary and should not worry the owner.
Treatment
If you detect urinary tract disease at an early stage, then there is a high probability that the animal will be completely cured. But the main thing in this matter is not to try to make a diagnosis on your own and prescribe treatment. Since in this way you can even more harm the animal. Moreover, if you postpone going to a specialist for a long time, there is a real risk that the disease will become chronic, and any treatment will become meaningless.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many reasons why a cat may not want to go to the toilet. But if you pay attention to it in time, then you can help the animal and prevent the development of the disease. Each owner should know how to help his animal at home, and remember that such help will still not be able to replace qualified.