What kind of Metamucil am I supposed to give?

The vet recommended that I give my cat Metamucil for constipation but didn't say what kind I should use. I noticed that there are two unflavored types: Smooth Texture - Sugar free (Psyllium Husk, Citric Acid, and Maltodextrin) and Coarse Milled - Original Texture (Psyllium Husk and Citric sucrose). Which one of these should I use?

My cat doesn't like canned pumpkin (the plain kind, of course) which is what the vet first recommended. Would it be ok to use baby food squash? Beech-Nut has a Butternut squash and Gerber has just squash. I'd prefer trying squash before trying Metamucil. Of course, if anyone knows how to make the canned pumpkin more palatable, I'd rather try that.

Originally Posted by mej_1

The vet recommended that I give my cat Metamucil for constipation but didn't say what kind I should use. I noticed that there are two unflavored types: Smooth Texture - Sugar free (Psyllium Husk, Citric Acid, and Maltodextrin) and Coarse Milled - Original Texture (Psyllium Husk and Citric sucrose). Which one of these should I use?

My cat doesn't like canned pumpkin (the plain kind, of course) which is what the vet first recommended. Would it be ok to use baby food squash? Beech-Nut has a Butternut squash and Gerber has just squash. I'd prefer trying squash before trying Metamucil. Of course, if anyone knows how to make the canned pumpkin more palatable, I'd rather try that.

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Best bet is the Metamucil in capsules, 500mg of Psyllium Husk; you give 1 capsule a day (some will say 0.52g, pretty much same thing)
Now, I give this one: Vetasyl Fiber Caps 500mg
It is pretty much the same thing, but it is malt flavored, and my cats love it!!
I mix it on the wet food with extra water for the ones that eat wet, and sprinkle it over the dry food for Lucky who only eats dry. Same thing - they each get 1 capsule a day.
It's been great for the kids IBD issues and Lucky's hairballs problems - good luck!

Originally Posted by Carolina

Best bet is the Metamucil in capsules, 500mg of Psyllium Husk; you give 1 capsule a day (some will say 0.52g, pretty much same thing)
Now, I give this one: Vetasyl Fiber Caps 500mg
It is pretty much the same thing, but it is malt flavored, and my cats love it!!
I mix it on the wet food with extra water for the ones that eat wet, and sprinkle it over the dry food for Lucky who only eats dry. Same thing - they each get 1 capsule a day.
It's been great for the kids IBD issues and Lucky's hairballs problems - good luck!

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the above is solid advice... I suggest though calling and asking your vet ... Many many years ago I used that for a IBD dog, but then the only ingredient was pysillium fiber

Originally Posted by sharky

the above is solid advice... I suggest though calling and asking your vet ... Many many years ago I used that for a IBD dog, but then the only ingredient was pysillium fiber

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The one in capsules is pure psyllium Husk...

Are you giving this to your cat for constipation? If so, you mighit ask your Vet about using Miralax versus Metamucil. First of all, my cat would not eat ANY food with metamucil on it (None of my cats would, so I now find myself with a large bottle of it that I don't know what to do with), and second, for constipation, Miralax works in a much different way and just plain old seems to work much better, even better than prescription Lactulose.

Just a thought. Many Vets aren't even familiar with it (mine wasn't), but when I asked her about it, she investigated and gave me the go-ahead, and it's been a God send for my chronically constipated kitty.

Originally Posted by mrsgreenjeens

Are you giving this to your cat for constipation? If so, you mighit ask your Vet about using Miralax versus Metamucil. First of all, my cat would not eat ANY food with metamucil on it (None of my cats would, so I now find myself with a large bottle of it that I don't know what to do with), and second, for constipation, Miralax works in a much different way and just plain old seems to work much better, even better than prescription Lactulose.

Just a thought. Many Vets aren't even familiar with it (mine wasn't), but when I asked her about it, she investigated and gave me the go-ahead, and it's been a God send for my chronically constipated kitty.

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Good point about the cats not eating Metamucil... Mine don't either - reason why I give them Vetasyl instead, which is the same thing, but malt flavored, and my cats love it - both in the wet or in the dry food.

None. This is the wrong thing to use for cats with constipation issues. psyllium (what metamucil is made of) works by creating bulk...drawing water to the colon. This makes the stools HUGE, which makes them very difficult to pass.

If you were to use it, I would say to use Konsyl pure psyllium husk. It's expensive but you use about a quarter of what you would use with those brands that are loaded with sugar and other junk.

However, using "metamucil" type products for feline constipation will only make things worse, long term. The doses have to be continually increased, and that's when the stool gets so large and that's when a megacolon results.

These days there are many other options, starting with an all canned grain free diet. Adding water to the canned servings helps too.

Increasing exercise is important too. Daily interactive Game time to keep kitty moving will go a long way toward keeping the bowels moving too.

If more help is needed the next step I would talk to your vet about trying miralax rather thhan psyllium.

PS one more thing...has blood work been done. Sometimes constipation is actually a symptom of some other problem such as kidney disease.

Originally Posted by otto

If you were to use it, I would say to use Konsyl pure psyllium husk. It's expensive but you use about a quarter of what you would use with those brands that are loaded with sugar and other junk.

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The metamucil capsule IS 100% pure, there is NO junk in it.
Vetasyl is 95% psyllium, 5% Barley malt for flavor - no sugars, no artificial nothing, again none of the junk you are talking about

None of my cats have HUGE poop as you say either - on the contrary - they have great poop... Now, I do not give it as a remedy for constipation.

I do see a lot of people taking about Miralax, and how it works better than fiber.... so that might be something to discuss with the vet...

Originally Posted by Carolina

The metamucil capsule IS 100% pure, there is NO junk in it.
Vetasyl is 95% psyllium, 5% Barley malt for flavor - no sugars, no artificial nothing, again none of the junk you are talking about

None of my cats have HUGE poop as you say either - on the contrary - they have great poop... Now, I do not give it as a remedy for constipation.

I do see a lot of people taking about Miralax, and how it works better than fiber.... so that might be something to discuss with the vet...

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You are using it for IBD, right?

Since your cats don't have trouble moving their bowels, the danger of the poop sitting for too long and getting too large is not an issue, like it is for kitties with constipation.

It's good to know there are other forms of pure psyillium available besides the Konsyl, metamucil capsules are probably easier to find, I used to have to order the Konsyl online. I simply mixed it with a little water until it formed a little blob, then I slipped it in her mouth and down, following with a little bit of a watery meal, or a water chaser, if I couldn't get her to eat.

I will rephrase slightly, what I said before to: based on my own experience, and what I have read, I would not recommend using psyllium for long term, to treat chronic constipation in cats.

I use canned pumpkin and mix it with canned cat food. It works really well. Haven't met a cat yet that refused this mixture. I wouldn't ever use metamucil on cats-and would question a vet that said I should.The cat would have to drink enough water to help the product to work. I have heard of it being used successfully on dogs, but not on cats.

Originally Posted by otto

You are using it for IBD, right?

Since your cats don't have trouble moving their bowels, the danger of the poop sitting for too long and getting too large is not an issue, like it is for kitties with constipation.

It's good to know there are other forms of pure psyillium available besides the Konsyl, metamucil capsules are probably easier to find, I used to have to order the Konsyl online. I simply mixed it with a little water until it formed a little blob, then I slipped it in her mouth and down, following with a little bit of a watery meal, or a water chaser, if I couldn't get her to eat.

I will rephrase slightly, what I said before to: based on my own experience, and what I have read, I would not recommend using psyllium for long term, to treat chronic constipation in cats.

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Right... I do not have a cat with constipation - as I said before... I do use for IBD for both kitties, Lucky eats it as she share the bowl with Bugsy, and it has completely solved her hairball problems, which I came to find out in talking to the vet, it works for that too.
But again, as I said before, I do not have a kitty with constipation...

A lot of vets are still prescribing metamucil (which is actually a brand name, the stuff is psyllium) for cats with chronic constipation. So I always speak up against it, in hopes that people will go back and discuss it their vets, so their vets can update themselves on this and pursue other avenues of dealing with it.

Here's what worked for me after my cat suffered from saddle thrombosis  which  paralyzed her hind legs- the first few days after she refused to eat or drink: For constipation: use 70% canned pumpkin + 30% canned cat food & stir in the JUICE FROM A CAN OF TUNAFISH. Then pool some more tunafish juice over the entire top & the cat will probably eat it. IF CAT REFUSES TO DRINK: Give her water mixed with canned tuna fish juice again- put the tuna juice in milk or water & kitty will probably drink it. At first I had the make the tuna juice very strong, like 85% I know tuna juice is high in sodium & magnesium but this helped my cat poop & pee LOL The best of luck !!

Here's what worked for me after my cat suffered from saddle thrombosis  which  paralyzed her hind legs- the first few days after she refused to eat or drink: For constipation: use 70% canned pumpkin + 30% canned cat food & stir in the JUICE FROM A CAN OF TUNAFISH. Then pool some more tunafish juice over the entire top & the cat will probably eat it. IF CAT REFUSES TO DRINK: Give her water mixed with canned tunafish juice again- put the tuna juice in milk or water & kitty will probably drink it. At first I had the make the tuna juice very strong, like 85% I know tuna juice is high in sodium & magnesium but this helped my cat poop & pee LOL The best of luck !!