Help cat isn't going number two.

Last Thursday I moved to a new home. The move was tremendously stressful for my cat Buck. He had only known a small 600 square foot condo and now, he was in a 1200 foot 2 floor townhome.  I am not sure he ate anything on Thursday and Friday but he did on Saturday for sure and started really drinking and eating on Sunday.  However he did not go #2. Until...

Early Tuesday Morning he did have a bowel movement. But, it was certainly not a robust one.  I would say about 1/3rd the size of normal and also.. very light colored. (which I have heard can be caused by stress). That night, I called the vet to be sure. The vet imho was useless. Her first bit of advice, bring him in. Um.. no.. my cat just got done a very stressful move.. I am not bringing him in (which is also stressful). She wouldn't give me any really good info and said I should give it a few more days. I asked if it was a good sign that the cat did some #2... the vet said, well, really hard to say. I asked, is it a good sign that he is going number 1... the vet said, well really hard to say.

Suffice to say... she isn't giving me any advice unless I pay her.

So I considered calling the vet here in my new town.. but the thing is... she doesn't know anything about the cat and I am not sure... she would not say I need to see him.  Which IMHO needs to be avoided at all costs as that would just put the cat on another round of terror.

So I am reaching out to you all to get your thoughts. 

(1) he seems to be eating and the wet food I have given him I have put miralax in... which normally works wonders. Not so much this time.

(2) I try to only give him wet food and he seems to really like drinking now. I let him indulge.

(3) I have given him tuna and mostly water for the last few days.

(4) He seems happy and healthy and is adjusting running around playing.

(5) He goes #`1 frequently and steady.

I can't tell if I should give him hard food. On the one hand.. that tends to really push the #2 out... on the other I don't want to risk clogging him up.  Tomorrow will be seven days since the move and he has only done one small bowel movement.  I do not want to pull the trigger on the vet too early and expose him to another terror. But by Saturday I will have no choice as the vet isn't open on Sunday and I have to work for weeks.

Can anyone offer some positive advice / info.

The wet food and the Miralax is about the best thing you can do at home.  I wouldn't add dry food, dry food actually could make matters worse.  Hopefully it is all related to stress and he will start going normally.  If not then he will need to go to the vet.

(1) Miralax - many here have tried it with success like yourself. - Give it more time? 

(2) Slippery Elm Bark powder - works the same as Miralax, yet a natural alternative if you desire that.   I found some at a local health food/supplement store that carries these unique items.  Quite inexpensive vs. Miralax.

I've used it with great success. My cat had nice solid poops in no time.

I still put him on a 3-4 day Slippery Elm Bark regime ~ once a month, just to clean out the pipes so to speak.  

What you're experiencing is the same as me, although my guy took a little under 48 hrs. to poop, when I first got him. 

As your kitty only really started eating on Sunday, he may not have created enough waste to go much. I agree with Denice that you probably shouldn't introduce other foods for the moment as this may upset him further. Most likely his system is just out of whack due to the move, and he probably just needs a little more time. The miralax will keep things soft but don't overdo the dosage. If he hasn't gone by Friday morning, I would schedule an appointment with the vet.

What you can do for him is to spend a little quality time, cuddling, maybe give him a light tummy massage starting from the top of the belly at the arms and working towards the lower gut. This might help him to relax and can sometimes have the effect of releasing any trapped gas and bringing on peristalsis which can help to move the stool along.

Hope this helps and that your little guy will go real soon. Please keep us posted.

Well, Buck still hasn't' left me a deposit.  I thought we were making progress last night with relaxation but this morning he is back to under the bed.  He also officially is refusing the wet food now. He wants the dtry food.  I have been giving him a few pieces.

Generally he prefers the dry anyway. Thanks for all your advice. Someone told me I should just start ignoring him more as the fact that I am so anxious over this is something he could be picking up.

Mommytobuck said:

 
Well, Buck still hasn't' left me a deposit.  I thought we were making progress last night with relaxation but this morning he is back to under the bed.  He also officially is refusing the wet food now. He wants the dtry food.  I have been giving him a few pieces.

Generally he prefers the dry anyway. Thanks for all your advice. Someone told me I should just start ignoring him more as the fact that I am so anxious over this is something he could be picking up.

Click to expand...

A few pieces (5-10) of dry food would be okay, but I wouldn't serve a meal of dry at this point. It's also important that he continue to drink water.

The advice you received from that someone, was good advice. I have a male cat that has experienced episodes of constipation so I know how you may be feeling about this point. Cats can be very sensitive to our moods. Its good to always be aware of a cat's litter box habits, but not to hover or check while they are going, or after they have gone. Kitties need space and quiet to feel secure. This is especially important given that you are in a new home. The litter box should somewhere that he feels he can do his business with some privacy.

Positive vibes and warm thoughts that he will go soon  

I will meditate on your Poo Patrol, as will Yoda.

"Do or do not, there is no try" - I believe he was referring to a nice solid poop. 

Positive vibes and warm thoughts that he will go soon

 

Click to expand...

That worked!! Thank you so much ... he did a tremendous poo just now... full, good color, not too hard. THANK GOD. Thanks so much for your support. I am pretty sure we will be ok now.

Hi MommyToBuck!

Sorry you had that problem and glad things worked out.  I've had cats (breeding and showing) for about 30 years.  One of the things you can add to Buck's diet twice a week is about 1/2 teaspoon of virgin olive oil.  This does several GOOD things:

- Helps with normal digestion and yes, bowel movements

- Helps hair move easily through and out of the system as well...Preventing Hairballs. 
- It conditions skin and makes for a beautiful coat. 

You don't have to buy/purchase higher cost medications because this brings balance to the feline body.  The only thing you want to make sure NOT to do...is overuse it because that can result in diahhrea and discomfort.  Most cats enjoy it more when mixed with moist verses dry *which they may not even eat if it's added there".

Always good to have a happy kitty at home =^.^=

Mommytobuck said:

 
That worked!! Thank you so much ... he did a tremendous poo just now... full, good color, not too hard. THANK GOD. Thanks so much for your support. I am pretty sure we will be ok now.

Click to expand...

Wonderful! .. Thanks for letting us know.

Best wishes for you both, in your new home.

Mommytobuck, so happy "everything came out okay"...LOL
It will stay that way now if you continue use of the olive oil.
Yeay, that Buck is a Happy Boy and Mommy can rest now too. 

SFsUSA <3

If the recent trouble was due to stress from the move, then it isn't a problem requiring anything on an ongoing basis in my opinion. If you want to improve the condition of the skin and coat of your cat, I would suggest alaskan salmon oil which is an animal-based oil versus a plant-based which would be better for cats and in this case, higher in omega-3s than Olive Oil. If better digestion is what you are seeking, then probiotiics would be your best bet.