Kitty Stool Softeners and funky poops

lucius&cissa

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Quick rundown....Lucius, my fat cat (just turned 1 this month and weighs 14 lbs) was back at the vet for his 2nd anal gland infection. This was a week ago. I noticed him scooting and took him in.

The vet asked me a lot about his diet and stools. We've been watching his weight too. Between him and Cissa (about 9 lbs) they were eating 1 can of nutro (5.5 oz can) and maybe 1/2 cup of dry, so ~1/4 c. each, though I think Lucius tended to eat more of the dry and Cissa the wet.

His stools were hard, round and dry.

The vet said I could either try all wet (or as much wet as possible) or a stool softener and I went for the wet as they had been eating it already.

No go.....they want their little bit of wet food. After a few days of having 2 cats barely eat, I started giving them a bit of dry again (Innova) and they are getting maybe 2 T dry each, with wet food (whatever they will eat, they won't gorge on that.)

I'm not worrying about weight this week, just the stools as she said they are too abnormal for normal anal gland cleaning.

She said he may turn out to be a candidate for having his glands removed but we obviously don't want to do that.

She also said to give each 1/2 can of tuna in oil every two weeks, and I could use petromalt also.

His stools don't seem to be changing, and we go back to the vet tomorrow.

My question.....after all that....what do cats use for stool softeners? How are they administered, is it expensive? I'd like to know something about them before we use them.

Any other suggestions are welcome, ideas I can bring to the vet, or I'd be interested in knowing if your cat had problems with stools (not diarrhea.)

Thanks
 

dr. doolittle

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We usually recommend increasing fibre in the diet either with a perscription diet, metamucil added to the regular diet, or canned pupmkin or squash. This would help to bulk up the stools to help the anal glands express more easily. I also always recommend weight loss if the patient is obese. Too much fat around those glands makes it very hard for them to express naturally.
 
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lucius&cissa

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I will ask about the metamucil. Will it soften the poops though?

Her concern is that he has very hard poop, about 5/8" little balls, rather than a longer skinnier one.

I see this as a form of constipation myself. Though he does eliminate daily. He needs them bulkier and wetter.
 

sharky

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pumpkin will ... the regular not the pie mix stuff... it gives bulk without hardening...
 
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