Constipation in a cat: what to do at home?

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

Causes of constipation in a cat

1. Older animals experience a rebuilding of the body. Their organs do not work as they did before. The tone of the intestinal muscles weakens, slowed down motility leads to constipation.
2. Very often, the problem of stool retention is improperly chosen food, an unbalanced diet, the inaccessibility of a bowl of water (dehydration of the animal's body).
3. Animals that are experiencing stress may experience constipation. This state will last until the psycho-emotional state of the pet does not return 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 the allotted toilet with other pets in the house, the location of the tray in the passageway (for example, the hallway).
5. A cat can not go to the toilet if he has injuries in the abdominal area, inflammatory processes near the anus, violation of intestinal activity. The animal cannot be emptied because it has painful sensations during stool.
6. Often the cause of constipation are difficulties in the work of the kidneys. When dehydrating the body, the animal’s stool becomes dry and hard. When a cat tries to empty it hurts him.
7. Everyone knows that cats lick themselves tongue, washing. Unfortunately, the wool enters the esophagus in the form of lumps, as a result of which intestinal obstruction is formed.
8. Contamination by parasites is another common cause. De-worming should be done every 3-4 months.If you do not follow this, the cat starts having problems with the chair.

Symptoms of constipation in a cat

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

• apathy, lethargy, complete lack of activity;
• poor appetite;
• retching 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 cat constipation

1. Be careful about what your pet eats. If the feed is dry, provide the animal with around-the-clock access to fresh and purified water. It should be changed ideally every 4-5 hours. Use purchased or well filtered water.
2. Very often, after castration or sterilization, the cat wakes up from anesthesia and does not eat within 12 hours. When the moment of the meal comes, the animal has already had a disorder in the stool. His body does not digest food. Therefore, feeding should be carried out in small portions.Again, watch out for water!
3. It is very dangerous for a neutered cat to experience stool retention immediately after surgery. If you wish to empty the animal will begin to push, it is fraught with divergence of the seams. Therefore, at the first sign of constipation, immediately take your pet to the veterinarian, or at least get advice by phone.
4. To help your pet go to the toilet, do not treat it to products that have a fixative effect. These include broth on poultry or meat, especially chicken is contraindicated. You can not give a pet boiled liver, egg, rice, full-fat milk, cheese, sour cream.
5. Choose foods with a laxative effect. The animal will benefit from fresh sour milk products, vegetables. Add a drop of vaseline oil in food, which you can buy at the pharmacy. It will increase the passage of food through the esophagus.
6. Do not treat your pet with vegetable or castor oil. Contrary to all the allegations of such a composition is not weak intestines. You only create an additional load on the liver and aggravate the situation.
7. To make it easier for the cat to empty, treat it to a raw liver (not boiled!).In difficult situations, the cat must be given the medicine "Duphalac". But you should be careful with him, consult with your veterinarian in advance.

Treatment of constipation in a cat at home

1. Begin to solve the problem with extreme caution. You must make sure that the animal is actually constipated, not obstruction in the intestine. Treatment can begin with the use of vaseline oil.
2. The composition does not adversely affect the internal organs and is not absorbed into the walls of the colon. The product also does not have an unpleasant smell and taste. Therefore, the oil will not cause a pet dislike.
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. Consider, if you decide for yourself to treat constipation with a cat, you must first get approval from a veterinarian. This problem is easily confused with obstruction in the intestine.The last ailment also has an unpleasant odor from the mouth of the animal.

How to cure constipation in kittens

1. Almost all kittens face the problem. If the cat has given birth, it should independently care for the offspring. The fact is that when the mother licks the belly of a kitten, she stimulates the digestive tract of the baby with her actions.
2. If you have acquired a very small pet, then you will surely run into the problem of constipation. You will have to gently knead your tummy. As a result, there is a rush of blood to the tissues, not only peristalsis improves, but also urination.
3. To start a massage, it is recommended to use a soft damp cloth or cotton wool. Perform light movements. Start the manipulation from head to tail. Movement must be repeated from all sides. Do not press on the abdominal area.

Preventing constipation in a cat

1. If you want to warn the cat against persistent constipation, it is important to follow simple guidelines. For long-haired animals systematically carry out a thorough combing of wool.As soon as the cat begins to lick, excess lint gets into the esophagus, resulting in constipation.
2. If you do not want to continue to treat the animal for ailments, you can purchase phyto-vitamins in a specialized store in advance. Active dietary supplement helps the cat to easily remove hair from the stomach along with feces. The presence of herbs in the drug eliminates the inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
3. In the fight against constipation, a pumpkin showed itself well. It is enough to mix 30 grams. boiled vegetable with the usual cat food. This mixture will help the animal to gently cope with the immediate problem. If a cat eats only dry food, it is important that the animal can freely drink clean water in the required quantity.
4. If you brought an animal, you must treat it with all responsibility. Therefore, regular trips to the vet are simply inevitable. The specialist will be able to react in time in case of problems with the health of the cat. Provide your pet with sufficient physical activity. Such activities will help avoid the formation of all kinds of problems.

To help the cat cope with constipation, it is necessary to make sure that it is not an obstruction in the intestine.Be sure to visit a doctor. The specialist will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis and solve the problem on the spot. In the future, in order not to deal with the illness, it is recommended to give the pet active vitamins. Do not forget to systematically comb your pet.

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