Cat making really weird, scary noise

It probably hurts him to poop.  You should talk to your vet about using a laxative or stool softener.  You can try adding plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to wet food to help things move along easier.
 

He gets Lactulose as needed but hasn't seemed constipated lately.

If pain were the only reason (I know he's in pain because he grunts sometimes while he's going), wouldn't he make this noise during it? Not after?

stephanietx said:

It probably hurts him to poop.  You should talk to your vet about using a laxative or stool softener.  You can try adding plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to wet food to help things move along easier.

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Weruva has some recipes with pumpkin as an ingredient. All Weruva products cause smaller turds. So switching to that would reduce pain - if he will eat it, of course. I would rather do that than try to give him a stool softerner and canned pumpkin made for humans.

Have you seen his body posture when he makes that noise? Is he hacking like he's going to cough up a hairball, or acting like he does with a normal meow? Sometimes old cats get a bit of dementia and "talk" to themselves. If he's hacking it could be asthma or something.

He's usually just sitting upright like a normal cat. He does has asthma and is on inhalers for it, but this is less of a wheezing/coughing and more of a low growl (though there's no aggression). He hasn't had a hairball in the 17 years I've had him and don't think that would be it since he can't do much grooming by himself.

xthoroughbred said:

He's usually just sitting upright like a normal cat. He does has asthma and is on inhalers for it, but this is less of a wheezing/coughing and more of a low growl (though there's no aggression). He hasn't had a hairball in the 17 years I've had him and don't think that would be it since he can't do much grooming by himself.

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It sounds like he most definitely has some pain from straining. Maybe the area around his bum is inflamed, and he makes the noise because it hurts the most right after a bowel movement? I totally agree with Emily, switch him to Weruva - especially Pumpkin Jack Splash in the Cats in the Kitchen pouches. This cleared up Cookie's constipation a few months ago. Plus, it's better than Laxatone - all natural!

I'll look into the Wureva. Do you know how it is for kitties with kidney problems? He went through renal failure a few years ago and my vet is always very careful about things that will affect his kidneys. He's overweight as a result of several issues, as well.

Lactulose is some serious stuff. He shouldn't be having constipation issues still if he's on that. Maybe his dose needs to be increased a little bit.

OH! Yes kitties with CRF can definitely have problems with constipation. This website has some information that may be able to help you out! http://www.felinecrf.org/constipation.htm

xthoroughbred said:

I'll look into the Wureva. Do you know how it is for kitties with kidney problems? He went through renal failure a few years ago and my vet is always very careful about things that will affect his kidneys. He's overweight as a result of several issues, as well.

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Weruva is low-calorie and 80 percent water, which makes it the best thing out there for overweight and CRF cats. i wish I knew about Weruva five years ago.