Trouble eliminating ....

Our 18 yr old Persian has developed a periodic problem emptying his bowels. Recently he goes every other day and they're very large. Should I cut back on letting him eat all day if he wants ? Is he starting to develop Megacolon ?  Help, please.....

If you're not already, I recommend feeding just wet food. It has fewer carbs than dry foods, so stool size will be smaller, as plant matter is what creates bulk, and more importantly, it will keep him hydrated! No matter how much a cat drinks, they are not getting as much water as they would on a wet food diet.

I would not add a fiber supplement in his case, but you can use a stool softener (Miralax) to help the stool absorb more water. Start with 1/8 tsp once or twice a day, and increase from there if necessary.

You need to take him to see a vet to tell if he's at risk for megacolon. They can prescribe medication to stimulate bowel contractions. If his appetite decreases, or he becomes lethargic, he will need to see a vet immediately.

Thank you, we'll start right away. We have been giving 1/2 Tsp of wet in the mornings; today he wouldn't eat it - then he had the hard time trying to poop.

Canned pumpkin is great for constipation. Pure pumpkin, no spices. 1 tablespoon a day mixed with wet food.

Can you give him one meal of wet a day? Cats bodies need moisture and they can't get it from dry food. You may have to try a few different brands and textures to see what he prefers.

Paiger8 said:

Canned pumpkin is great for constipation. Pure pumpkin, no spices. 1 tablespoon a day mixed with wet food.

Can you give him one meal of wet a day? Cats bodies need moisture and they can't get it from dry food. You may have to try a few different brands and textures to see what he prefers.

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I would not add canned pumpkin in this case without consulting a vet first because the stool is so large. Canned pumpkin is indeed often helpful because the soluble fiber absorbs water and feeds the gut bacteria, but adding fiber sometimes makes the stool bulkier and more difficult to pass and could make everything worse.

Waiting to see the results of wet only, no dry food from yesterday. Thanks all !!

Our first day of no dry food. Fed wet this A.M. along with stool softener dissolved in chicken broth. Stool was narrower and softer and he was happier. Will continue wet food and a bit more softener tomorrow and see how we do.

Great!  Just an FYI, if your kitty is constipated, he won't want to eat because the food will have nowhere to go.  It can also cause indigestion, much like in humans. If you've ever been constipated, you know the feeling!  You might find that once you're over the immediate crisis, you can try just plain canned food and he'll be okay.  I think eliminating the dry, feeding canned and adding in plain pumpkin daily will work.

Sounds like a good course of action - will see how he is tomorrow and then stay with the wet. We're wintering in the Southwest now where he has to stay in the RV; at home he runs all through the house at time. Here his activity is limited and that may be affecting his health, too. Thank you. 

Wonderful! You can use your judgement in tinkering with diet, fiber, and stool softener on a day to day basis. Yes, activity level can definitely have an impact on bowel motility. So glad he's feeling better!

So glad we found this site !

Am using a little bit of softener solution in every other morning feeding. He has started going every other day and this treatment keeps him "normal" !

Have finally resolved our 18 yr old's elimination problem. After much experimenting using the suggestions from this site, we have started using Science Diet Indoor Age Defying 11+ after a breakfast of wet. He's back to normal which is surprising for his age. No need for stool softener or laxative. Thanks again, Cat Site !!!!!!