Hard Bowel Movements - Loss of Weight

autumnisabel · Nov 21, 2006

Hi,

I came here looking for some sort of help with my cat. We're going to bring her to the vet soon if we can't figure out what's going on.

My cat has hard bowel movements... we know this because sometimes she'll leave the cat box and have poop hanging from her butt. When we wiped it off we realized it was really, really tough poop. (sorry about the mental imagine, I know it's not great).

Also she's lost weight since last spring. I was wondering if it had something to do with nutrition or if someone knew what might be going on?

Thank you,

Autumn

schwarzekatz · Nov 21, 2006

It could be constipation.

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

How is she acting otherwise?

kittenkiya · Nov 21, 2006

Welcome to TCS!

How old is your baby? What are you feeding her? Is she generally healthy, no runny eyes, no runny nose? Is she drinking water ok?

autumnisabel · Nov 21, 2006

Thanks for the welcome.

Otherwise she is acting rather normal. She's had arthritus for a few years so her joints get achey in the late fall and early winter... but that's about it. No runny eyes, no runny nose. She's eating normal and she's been drinking normally. She's twelve.

gailc · Nov 22, 2006

My Ox is 17 1/2 and has constipation/bowel problems for the past several months. Do you feed any wet food? I would start if not to increase the amount of liquid in her diet. I've heard of pumpkin being given but Ox didn't like that!!

autumnisabel · Nov 22, 2006

Originally Posted by GailC

My Ox is 17 1/2 and has constipation/bowel problems for the past several months. Do you feed any wet food? I would start if not to increase the amount of liquid in her diet. I've heard of pumpkin being given but Ox didn't like that!!

Umm I feed her dry cat food. I'm bringing her to the vet anyway because of the loss of weight... but i'm going to try feeding her wet cat food for the constipation.

tomr · Nov 23, 2006

It sounds a lot like the symptoms of megacolon. My ex wife's cat, who just came back to live with me 2 months ago, was diagnosed with this condition during the 2 years that he wasn't living here.

As was noted above, I have been advised to feed pumpkin, 2 tablespoons per meal (he's about 16 lbs). The pumpkin acts as a laxative so the bowels can move. The vet had alternatives if he wouldn't eat pumpkin, some over the counter, some prescription. According to the literature the vet gave my ex, at some point he will probably require surgery to remove part of the colon.

I am still trying to figure out what works best. I have found canned plain pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling, in the baking area of the supermarket. I mix it with soft food, but at times he just licks the pumpkin off and leaves the food, sometimes he leaves the pumpkin.

Keep us updated after the vet visit. I don't know enough about this condition and am still trying to figure out exactly what works best, I would appreciate hearing your experiences if this is the problem.

autumnisabel · Nov 23, 2006

Originally Posted by TomR

It sounds a lot like the symptoms of megacolon. My ex wife's cat, who just came back to live with me 2 months ago, was diagnosed with this condition during the 2 years that he wasn't living here.

As was noted above, I have been advised to feed pumpkin, 2 tablespoons per meal (he's about 16 lbs). The pumpkin acts as a laxative so the bowels can move. The vet had alternatives if he wouldn't eat pumpkin, some over the counter, some prescription. According to the literature the vet gave my ex, at some point he will probably require surgery to remove part of the colon.

I am still trying to figure out what works best. I have found canned plain pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling, in the baking area of the supermarket. I mix it with soft food, but at times he just licks the pumpkin off and leaves the food, sometimes he leaves the pumpkin.

Keep us updated after the vet visit. I don't know enough about this condition and am still trying to figure out exactly what works best, I would appreciate hearing your experiences if this is the problem.

But wouldn't the poop be bigger if she had megacolon because the muscles and the colon would get bigger? Mitten's poop is the same as it has always been.

reddicequeen · Nov 23, 2006

After the vet checks out kitty...try the pumpkin. That stuff works great for either diarrhea OR hard stool.
I always have it on hand.

autumnisabel · Nov 23, 2006

Originally Posted by reddicequeen

After the vet checks out kitty...try the pumpkin. That stuff works great for either diarrhea OR hard stool.
I always have it on hand.

I'm willing to get fresh pumpkin... but does can pumpkin do the same thing? (It lasts longer)

pat · Nov 23, 2006

At this age, if you haven't had her in for a senior panel, I would do so. By 10, I like to have one done - it's a panel to check their thyroid, kidney and liver functions. If all comes back normal, you can simply deal with adjusting diet for the constipation.

It's not at all unusual to see senior kitties have hyperthyroidism or chronic renal failure.

sharky · Nov 24, 2006

Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

At this age, if you haven't had her in for a senior panel, I would do so. By 10, I like to have one done - it's a panel to check their thyroid, kidney and liver functions. If all comes back normal, you can simply deal with adjusting diet for the constipation.

It's not at all unusual to see senior kitties have hyperthyroidism or chronic renal failure.

.....

autumnisabel · Dec 6, 2006

Thank you all for your advice. I do believe that Mittens is getting better. We began giving her fur ball medicine and wet food... ever since she hasn't been having hard poop nor has she been throwing up. She's put on a bit of weight too and is steadily gaining her weight back. I wanted to thank you all for your help.

pat · Dec 6, 2006

Very glad to hear she is doing better!

Hard Bowel Movements - Loss of Weight

autumnisabel

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schwarzekatz

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kittenkiya

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autumnisabel

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gailc

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autumnisabel

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tomr

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autumnisabel

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reddicequeen

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pat

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