How to tell if cat is constipated?

donutte

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I mean other than looking in the litter box, because I have five cats. I may be obsessive with my cats, but I can't tell ALL their poops apart just yet. I suspect the one is constipated. I only know one thing about her poop habits and that is that she doesn't bury it. However, Penelopy does, so I don't know how much she is pooping.

Is there anything to look for with Maple herself?
 

kittens mom

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Can you put her in a separate room ? Why do you think she's constipated ? Would it hurt to just give her a bit of laxatone ?
 
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donutte

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Can you put her in a separate room ? Why do you think she's constipated ? Would it hurt to just give her a bit of laxatone ?
She seems a bit, err, protruded, on her back end. I have been wiping her down every day since she went to the groomer, but don't quite remember that area feeling so.. big. Plus she's been running around like a crazy cat the last couple of days. I don't think she's completely stopped up, but hoping it doesn't get that way.

She's eating now. I'll go see if I can spy on her afterwards.
 

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She seems a bit, err, protruded, on her back end. I have been wiping her down every day since she went to the groomer, but don't quite remember that area feeling so.. big. Plus she's been running around like a crazy cat the last couple of days. I don't think she's completely stopped up, but hoping it doesn't get that way.

She's eating now. I'll go see if I can spy on her afterwards.
It could be her anal sacs are impacted?  My Basil's anal sacs got impacted and ruptured, resulting in a very bad infection.  You may have to take her to the vet to have them expressed. 
 
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donutte

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It could be her anal sacs are impacted?  My Basil's anal sacs got impacted and ruptured, resulting in a very bad infection.  You may have to take her to the vet to have them expressed. 
Geez, I had to look at the calendar to see what day of the week it was. I'll have to see how it is tonight and tomorrow morning. She doesn't seem particularly bothered. She doesn't like me wiping her but then again, she has not liked it all week. This was the first time I felt that though.

I have to get her in for blood work anyway. Was gonna wait a bit on that but I guess doing it sooner wouldn't hurt. I hurt my back last night though so carrying her would prove a bit difficult.
 

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Can you put her in a separate room ?
She seems a bit, err, protruded, on her back end. I have been wiping her down every day since she went to the groomer, but don't quite remember that area feeling so.. big. Plus she's been running around like a crazy cat the last couple of days. I don't think she's completely stopped up, but hoping it doesn't get that way.

She's eating now. I'll go see if I can spy on her afterwards.
Ghillie suit ?  Mine seem to go pretty soon after. Not that I watch.
 
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donutte

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Can you put her in a separate room ?
Ghillie suit ?  Mine seem to go pretty soon after. Not that I watch.
I just stand by the mud room, but have to wait till 5pm, gah. I can separate her, but that means removing three young cats that move faster than me. The litter box with the Cat Attract is in my room, and that's pretty much where all the cats hang out.

we need lives
I swear, I am forcing myself to go out on Friday. For the sake of my sanity!
 

kittens mom

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 I just stand by the mud room, but have to wait till 5pm, gah. I can separate her, but that means removing three young cats that move faster than me. The litter box with the Cat Attract is in my room, and that's pretty much where all the cats hang out.

That just sounds so wrong.
 
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donutte

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Ok, Pea-Pea was already out. Oliver was near the door, so I just picked up Oscar and shooed Oliver out. She's in there by herself now. And of course scooped the litter box before locking her in.
 

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Ok, Pea-Pea was already out. Oliver was near the door, so I just picked up Oscar and shooed Oliver out. She's in there by herself now. And of course scooped the litter box before locking her in.1!
POOP WATCH !
 

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How's your kitty doing? If they still haven't pooped, a little Miralax mixed in food helps. I have a cat with megacolon, so I'm VERY familiar with constipation issues. And I'm on constant poop watch!
 
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donutte

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How's your kitty doing? If they still haven't pooped, a little Miralax mixed in food helps. I have a cat with megacolon, so I'm VERY familiar with constipation issues. And I'm on constant poop watch!
She didn't go in the 1 hour 45 minutes I had her in the bedroom by herself, but that doesn't mean much unfortunately. I cleaned it out again this morning and it was plenty used. Good god those cats poop a lot. I know there are five of them but still! I've watched Pea-Pea taking poops, and I can't believe how much comes out of that tiny little body of hers.

I'm taking Maple in for her blood work today. I'm gonna sneak in a question along the lines of "how do her anal glands seem to you?" Yeah, I'm sneaky like that. If she thinks the vet needs to see it, she'll bring him in. She also has a small patch of matted fur on her left side that was not there yesterday. It doesn't smell bad so I can't for the life of me figure out what it is! And now she's under the one table. I think she knows she's going somewhere today.
 
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donutte

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I checked about ten minutes ago, Maple was back by the heater. I went to get the comb and scissors to see if I could cut out the matted fur but can't even get the comb under there! Seriously don't know what it is. Anyway, next, I wiped her down again, which she absolutely LOVED. I didn't feel the bulge today that I felt yesterday, and damn if my wiping her down didn't make her expel some of that lovely gland-stuff because OMG, I had to stand up it reeked so bad.

So I guess her anal glands are in working order!
 

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That's good! I have five too, it's hard to tell who's doing what unless you separate them.
 
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