Constipation and crystals - food help

Hi everyone, I have an almost 4 year old little man who has been going thru an ordeal with constipation for the last 2 weeks. Oreo was diagnosed with crystals in his urine about a year and a half ago. He has been on Hills C/D food every since with no issues. I had Oreo at the emergency vet 2 Saturdays ago, as he all the sudden started to vomit and was struggling to what I thought was pee, turned out to be constipation. The emerg vet "cleaned him out" gave him an enema and 7 hours later, he went home. The following Monday (a week and 2 days later) I took him to my regular vet for a check up, and once again, he was full of poop. She did an enema and sent us home, said if he didn't poop over night, to bring him back. I took him back in at 8am the next morning as there was no poops. My poor boy was once again "cleaned out" which meant they took the hard stool at the very end out, gave him another 2 enema's and I picked him up at 4:30pm. The told me I had to watch him and make sure he pooped. I kept him in my room as he was COVERED in poop that was leaking from his bum and I wanted to make sure he was going to go. Within an hour and a half he took a huge poop! RELIEF! He then took another one, very runny an hour or 2 later and another small runny one throughout the night. Spoke to my vet the next morning and she told me to put him on Royal Canin gastrointestinal fiber response hard food, I was told they don't have any canned food in this type and he needs it as he has both issues and this one has an s/o index. Anyways, here we are today, and his poops are once again, nuggets. They sent us home with Cisapride and lactulose. He has been getting one cisapride daily, but they didn't tell me to give the lactulose. I have been weaning them off of the old food slowly as recommended and wondering if maybe it just takes a while for the food to help? He had 2 poops this morning, both nuggets, not super hard, but not soft either. We have a 10 year old cat, and she is just fine. Nice poop daily for her. I am very worried about my boy. I gave him 1ml of the lactulose this morning, and will give him another dose tonight. I guess I'm just looking for some advice. I am so anxious about this, I feel so helpless and just want him to be ok.

Thanks for any help.

Wow. This is like reading the story of my cat! Maybe you should try something other than Hills Prescription food. My vet insisted on it but they have a personal financial interest in keeping your cat on that food. It is a low quality food, and high in fiber. Cats dont go around in the wild eating grains. They eat meat. That food caused my cat to get regular, frequent enemas and they put him on the same meds as yours.. My boy really sufferred from that food and the constant enemas and constipation led to some serious issues that he still suffers with today. A high fiber diet for cats can make them constipated.

Go for a high protein, preferrably without grain, canned food with chicken or turkey as the main meat source. I use Wellness and buy the 12.5 oz cans to save money.Not only will this help with the constipation, but the increase of water in canned food (and go ahead and add more water to the food) is great for flushing out crystals and preventing cystitis. Ditch the lactulose, in my opinion, and go for a good diet instead of treating kitty for side effects to a food. Lactulose has been linked to increasing calcium levels anyways, which can cause crystals, and tends to lose its effectivness quickly.

Dont feed your cat foods that are seafood based, because they can lead to crystals, hence going with chicken or turkey. These meats are considered highly digestible too..meaning easier to defecate. Regular constipation, vet visits, and enemas will stress any cat out, which of course, is also unhealthy. You can add Cranberry Relief to their food if you would like, to help fight crystal formation, and make sure kitty is not stressed or anxious regularly.

I don't like seeing vets push these prescription foods as if they are absolutly needed and some sort of miracle product. They do work for some, dont get me wrong, but no vet should tell a client to keep feeding their cat a food that requires meds just to continue with it. Once you've finished treating the cystitis make sure he's eating a quality, feline-appropriate food. Once cats have crystals, they do tend to get them again but taking small measures can really help. Mine went years without a reoccurance.

As for the constipation, try switching foods first. For mine, that literally did the trick. No more constipation either for years except a couple of times. Hes older now and started having some issuesso Im giving one gel tab of an over-the-counter stool softener and it helps him through it. Because your cat cant tolerate fiber like mine, I would avoid Miralax also..as its high fiber.

Hope this helps. I dont want someone else and another cat to go through unneseccary health issues.

Thanks so much for your reply. I am terrified to use anything but what is being recommended as my vet has stressed how many times she has seem an animal come back in with crystals after a food change. I am at my wits end here. I don't know what to do for him and my anxiety is through the roof, I just want him to be ok. I am making myself sick with worry. I am able to get the wellness brand in Canada at my local pet store, but I am so scared of something going wrong. 

Thanks again

Well, my cat had crystals three or four times in a row plus horrible constipation, while on Hills. My other cat became obese on it. We switched food and made some other small changes...and went for about five years with no crystals and no constipation. The proof is in the pudding!

Crystals are scary, dont get me wrong. But that food is not a cure-all for your cat. If you read up on crystals, they now realize that most cases will clear themselves up in a few days. Mine goes on Baytril for 10 days to treat any infection. But the stress that the enamas, vet visits, and constipation are causing may very well give your kitty crystals. My cat often had part of the crystals and infection disappear but then needed a second round a month later to finish it up, so to speak.

I know its scary and youre doing your best but truthfully, I would be hesitant to listen to any vet who encourages a food that might be causing more health issues and very stressful ones at that. How can he justify making your cat sick?

Thats why my reply was so lengthy. Later on, I could see how shady my vet was. He didnt have my cats best interest in mind, and I saw him doing the same with others. I couldnt believe all the suffering my cat went through over a food and a terrible vet. My vet also insisted I keep him on it but my heart, and commmon sense, along with the resesrch I did, told me not too.

Crystals are serious and may happen again but you can do a lot to keep your kitty healthy and prevent cases. A water fountain can help too, by the way. Try not stressing, keep an eye on your cat and usually this will clear up quickly.

By the way...www.chewy.com is a great place to buy canned food. Not sure if they ship to Canada but maybe! Also, it is very concerning that this vet didnt put your cat on canned food..thats typically the FIRST thing done for crystals. I honestly recommend a new vet asap.

This is my thoughts as well, no wet food? I just don't get it. Thanks again for the replies. I am so scared for him. We've only had Oreo for almost 2 years and I have never dealt with a cat with issues, so this is really weighing on me. Should I try the wellness brand wet food and keep feeding the Royal Canin? He is off the Hills C/D now, as they put him on the Royal Canin gastrointestinal fiber response. Is this also crap food? I am really concerned about him. He's lost weight as well in the last few weeks. He was 12lbs when we got him almost 2 years ago, and is just over 10lbs right now. 

This whole thing is very scary. Pretty sure he has been traumatized from what he has been through. He wasn't himself for a few days after the last vet appointment. He is such a good cat, I feel terrible for him.

Oreo is such a cute kitty name. Youre doing great with him and Im so very glad youre taking care of him. It sounds like your vet is more into treating symptoms rather than preventing the issues to begin with. I personally find some of his tactics inexecusable though.

Wet food is very important for both crystals and constipation. Like your vet said, you dont want to switch foods a lot but you also dont want him on a crummy food. Yes, Id still consider Royal Canin crappy. If it did a great job for Oreo, I could see keeping him on it temporarily while seeking a better option but clearly, things arent going so well. And this food will do nothing to help cystitis. And I personally wouldnt want my cats eating all the junk in that stuff...not to mention its super expensive despite the low quality.

If I could start all over with my boy, I wouldve put him on a 100 percent canned diet...no fish products.

Im bewildered as to why he has put Oreo on a food for cystitis, which caused severe constipation, and so switches him to Royal Canin, a very similiar food which offers no benefits for cystitis and then gives you meds for a new issue without actually addressing the real issues here. I could use some four letter words here but will refrain. So whats he doing for cystitis, then?

Food takes a 2-3 days of use before youll see how it effects the colon. However, if it were me..this is my thought. Hills gave him constipation due to the high fiber. Now Oreo is again on a dry diet full of grains and low quality. So I would start switching him to a full canned food diet right away...take a few days to switch him completely, add some water into the canned food, and find a new vet. Consider adding cranberry to the food and once hes fully switched to canned, stop the lactulose/cisapride and see how is stool is over those next few days. It doesnt have to be Wellness..thats just what Im using...but avoid grains. Keep in mind all this stress will effect stool and eating habits.

What was he eating before all this?

Im not surprised hes lost weight but thats a lot of weight loss. My cat tends to eat well even if he has crystals but constipation will stop his appetite and even leas to vomiting. My boy lost a lot of weight and ended up underweight..he never gained back all his weight but is at a good weight. Cats tend to lose a little weight on canned food but if Oreo simply feels better, his may go back up. Is the vet paying attention to his weight?

Frequent constipation and cystitis can cause cats to hate/fear the litterbox as well...when it hurts to go, they dont want to go! Im not trying to scare you, just letting you know, but the sooner you can find what works for Oreo, the better.

Is he an anxious cat? Or fearful/normally stressed?

Hang in there. Make sure he gets lots of water and tlc. Try staying calm and switching him to canned. Know that with so much going on, it might take a while to see him get back to normal but keep an eye on him and do your best, as Im sure you are. And stick with the canned food. Cystitis is pretty common and Im assuming your vet did an xray? So youll know that no crystals are too large to pass? With increased water, he should flush them out and by helping the constipation, he will be less stressed (as will you!) more comfortable, and much happier.

Im sure he was traumatized, by the way! Poor thing doesnt understand whats going on. And its a lot to take in for you too. He has you though, and thats important. By the way, mine has NEVER had an enema since switching food.

I swear by this Dave's Restricted Diet food for my boy with a history of urinary blockage:

http://davespetfood.com/product/restricted-diet-magnesium-phosphorus-pork-dinner-cats/

It is so much higher quality than the Rx food, does the same job, and is significantly less expensive (I get it at chewy.com as another poster suggested).  You can tell as soon as you open the can that it is much meatier than the Rx food.  Quincy loves it and has never had an issue (urinary or otherwise) since he's been on it.  He gets half of a 5.5 ounce can twice a day (so one can a day), and it's clearly enough as he is a very hefty boy.  I do mix in a couple of tablespoons (not really measured, just eyeballed) of water with each meal to absolutely guarantee he gets some water since I rarely see him drink.

If the constipation continues to be an issue, maybe in addition to mixing water in with his wet food try giving him some canned pumpkin.  Search for it on this site and you should find more info on that.  I've had a kitty with...um...the opposite problem, and I gave her a Tablespoon per day of organic live culture goats milk yogurt, which actually can sometimes also help with constipation just because it helps the gut bacteria.  But it has to be goats milk yogurt, not cow, as cow milk can be harmful for kitties.

Best of luck with your kitty!

I'm so sorry your sweet Oreo is having to go through so much at such a young age. I encourage you to read this about Feline Constipation, written by Pat Erickson, http://www.felineconstipation.org/introduction.html  . It gives a good background on how the cat's system works, as well as what can go wrong.  My girl Tiger's constipation was due to early stage CKD/hypercalcemia for example.  Per my vet's advice, she got 1/8teaspoon of Miralax and pumpkin, but this was only with my vet's advice.  I hope that by understanding how a cat's system works you can then ask your vet more questions, and hopefully come up with a treatment plan/suitable species appropriate diet for Oreo, rather than constant enemas which are likely causing stress for both of you.

Please dont feel you cant come here! I dont want you to feel thar way, instead, I simply want to share what I know with you in hope of helping you and your kitty.
Part of my post was removed because I advised that you seek out a different vet and a different course of action. I still personally stand by that advice, however. Constipation can become a very serious issue and tends to worsen over time and with age and again, can be due to the food he is on. Your cat may not have more crystals in the future, especially if youre working to prevent them through canned food and such but cisapride can make it more difficult for a cat to push out feces over time and regular constipation can lead to megacolon, a need for surgery, blockages, enamas, vomiting, bloody stool, a lifetime of meds, illness, etc.. I again advise switching food as I know that constipation can be very serious while also leading to a LOT of stress and discomfort for cats. (Stress can lead to crystals also)
Im afraid this current treatment plan is only going to lead to more issues. I wish someone had explained these things to me years ago. My cat has reoccuring cystitis now and megacolon but honestly, the megacolon is the larger issue and when it worsens,he is so stressed and ends up with crystals, hence the importance of working toward preventing BOTH issues.
I think just about anything you can read regarding cystitis will recommend canned food and if you have a vet who seems to be lacking in knowledge, its advisable to seek out someone more knowledgeable whom you can also feel comfortable with.
Again, I want you to feel welcone here but I hate seeing a cat suffer with another illness that could be very preventable.

I just saw this read. I am sorry, but I have not read it fully. I just went over it quickly.

I do not know if I can help at all; but based on what I have been through, I will try.

My guy had 2 episodes of iFLUTD~~~ no crystals, just obstruction. 

His Vet switched him to the Royal Canin urinary wet food. He ate that for a year, without any issues. I was also adding extra water mixed with Miralax to help him with his poops.

At about a year, Artie decided he did not care for that food anymore. I switched him over to Fancy Feast, canned. 

He was still having problems with constipation. We kept with the miralax and added some dry GI high Fiber dry food. That food did work miracles! It does have a probiotic, and extra fiber~ ALONG with having the same S/O index as the urinary wet food.

My Vet checked that out before she gave it to me. 

Fast forward another year---My guy still constipated, or diarrhea cuz of me trying to clean him out. Not eating much; losing weight...

Went to a specialist. He has irritable bowel disease.

This was in May of this year. 

Now My guy is on Cisaperide, since September. On a restricted diet of high protein, low carb, novel protein diet. I still add 1/8 tsp of Miralax twice a day to his food. He is also taking a steroid and pepcid AC...I think the Vets really do not feel that enemas are that bad...I feel they are, and will do a anything to avoid it...thankfully, Artie has never had one~as of yet. The hydration from the Vet usually did the trick....

What I am trying to explain is that I kind of understand what your Vet is doing, because I went through the same thing with my guy.

I was not happy with giving him the Royal Canin, especially the dry, but I had faith in my Vet. I did notice a huge difference with his poops when he was eating it. I would have continued, but Artie is now allergic to chicken and must be on a novel protein diet. 

I also understand how it was when your kitty was all "messed" up. When I had to take Artie in the first time,for the iFLUTD,  it was to the ER Vet, which is not local. They wanted to keep him overnight, but I could not afford it. I decided to take him home and watch him. They hydrated him and gave him back to me, with meds..

He could not hold things in, so on the way home, he peed and pooped himself..It was horrible trying to deal with a sick cat and try to clean him, his carrier, and the towels... never mind trying to catch him and not get scratched, bit, while keeping him confined to one room...a nightmare..on a Sunday night....

If I may suggest, Have you thought about taking your baby to a specialist?

I mean, someone like an internal medicine specialist for a second opinion? If only for some peace of mind.

The people on this site are awesome, but I know that too much information can seriously overwhelm a person. You get to questioning yourself and everything you are doing...

By having the option of visiting a specialist for a second opinion; can really take a lot of the stress off of you. You can relax a bit, which will be good for both you and your baby. Cats do sense our stress levels...and they do respond to it. 

This is just a suggestion. 

I am long winded, but I wanted you to realize that you are not alone......people have gone through this..

Hopefully this helped a bit...

Good luck and ((hugs))