How Long Can A Cat Go Without Pooping? You Need to Know This

Don’t you just hate the idea of cleaning the litter every so often? If so, consider yourself lucky. This may sound ironic, but having to clean your cat’s litter to get rid of the feces is a good sign that your cat has a good digestive system. On the other hand, if you have noticed that you feline friend has not defecated for days, take this a sign of something serious.

So, you may be wondering now – how long can a cat go without pooping? I did my own research and took the time to check my observation as well to answer this question. In this article, allow me to share some relevant information on cat’s healthy pooping and what could possibly hinder it.

Cat’s Healthy Bowel Movement

Cats generally have about one or two bowel movements on a daily basis. There are cats which may defecate more or less. The general rule of thumb is that a cat should be able to defecate at least once in one day. If you have been caring for your cat, you would know exactly how often she needs to go.

If you have observed that you cat has not been able to pass feces for more than a day, then this should indicate a problem. If your feline friend has not had defecated in more than three days, she is likely to be suffering from constipation. So, what exactly causes this kind of condition and how to address it? Read on and be informed.

Constipation in Cats

There are subtle signs of constipation, but you are would likely see your constipated cat either cries and strains in the litter box. Some vomit while others just do not have the appetite. Without a doubt, excreting bowel toxins every day is one crucial part of the daily detoxification process that your cat needs to undergo.

So, what conditions could possibly lead to constipation? These include GI motility problems, obstruction of the colon, dehydration, certain neurologic problems, fracture of the hind limb or pelvis, hernias anal glands that are impacted or a case called the Megacolon.

However, the most common cause of constipation is the insufficient intake of fluid. This means that your feline pal’s diet is a massive factor to her daily toxins detoxification process. When kitties are only fed with dry food, then they only get around 12% of the moisture requirement they need. This then could lead to chronic dehydration which is a common cause of constipation.

Another problem that could lead to constipation is the accidental swallowing of fur during the grooming process. The fur could contribute to the slow transit of the waste when lodged in the colon. This becomes a bigger problem for cats that are getting the right amount of physical exercise.

Furthermore, conditions such as chronic kidney disease or diabetes are considered water-wasting conditions. These can cause your cats to urinate more frequently and lose more water. When this happens, cats tend to get dehydrated and experience constipation more frequently.

How to Help Your Cat Poop More Regularly

There are several forms of treatments for constipation. Depending the on the main cause of constipation, your veterinarian may recommend the appropriate treatment. For instance, cat medications such as laxatives and stool softeners may be recommended.

Enema solution can also be provided. However, see to it that this is administered by the veterinarian and not at home. Note that there could enemas which could also be toxic to your cat. Therefore, allow your veterinarian to prescribe and administer it instead.

There are also move invasive method to help ease severe constipation. One is through manual bowel evacuation. This can be done with the help of anesthetizing the colon of the cat. If a dilated colon is the main cause of the problem, then surgical removal of this organ is deemed necessary.

For less severe cases, there are certain measures you can take. For instance, you could inquire about high-fiber diet for your cats. Transitioning from dry food feeding to canned-food feeding is also another option.

Other home remedy solutions also include encouraging more physical exercises for your cats. Boosting her water consumption and adding high amounts of fiber such as bran cereal could immensely help as well. Closely monitoring her progress is helpful as well.

Let’s Wrap Up, Shall We?

Allow me to reiterate that it is essential for cats to defecate every single day. However, there is no need to panic if your feline friend took three days before defecating. The rule of thumb is, once she has not been able to pass feces for more than three days, then it is high time to see the vet. Here are other things to consider:

I hope that you were able to pick a relevant information or two from this post. Leave your questions and comments below, and I’ll see to it that I will get back to you soon. Until next time!