My kitten is constipated.

[lisnya]

Hi guys, I'm new here. I have four cats, Cardo, Morgana, Olivia and a new kitten whom I haven't chosen a name for yet. I call him Baby.

Baby is about five months old and he's already been through a lot. He was found with his pelvis broken in three and a fractured leg. At three months old he had two long surgeries. While he was recovering at the vet's, I got sick and was unable to visit him. They didn't clean his cage at all, I'm afraid, which led to his stitches getting pretty infected. He was on antibiotics for almost four weeks and I believe that's what led to him getting a fungal infection. He got treated for that and it just cleared up two weeks ago.

Last week, he he started pooping inside. I assumed he did that because I'd put wooden skewers in the flower pots he'd been using as litter boxes to keep him away but as it turns out, he started going inside because he's constipated. He seemed completely fine until the day before yesterday when he didn't eat as much as he normally does. Yesterday he ate even less and he was a bit dehydrated. I took him to the vet who gave him an enema, which didn't work. He got another enema today and that one didn't work either. The stool is pretty dehydrated and it's blocking the exit. You can almost see it but it won't come out. I've been massaging his tummy and feeding him canned food (the patte type) with some electrolytes mixed in. I'll be taking him to the vet again in the afternoon. I have some glycerin suppositories and I'm wondering if that may work better than the enema in softening the stool?

I feel so guilty over taking so long to notice that Baby is sick again... He's been visibly uncomfortable since he started getting the enemas and it breaks my heart. I've had young kittens get constipated before but there, I'd just get some vaseline or baby oil in them and then grab their intestines and basically force the poop out, I don't know how else to say it in English. He's old and fat enough that I don't think I can do that. I can barely feel the stool, even though I know exactly where it is... Any advice?

 

[mewtantmommy]

Hi Lisnya.

Poor Baby!  But he is very lucky to have you and and his Veterinarian to take care of him.

I suggest you request an X-Ray first of all.  Pelvic fractures can lead to megacolon.  Repeated enemas can further weaken a colon that is on its way to megacolon.

I strongly recommend that you put Baby on an all-wet (wet-only) diet (with additional water added) ASAP.  Also keep drinking water available to him in several places easily accessible to him.  Ask for something from his Veterinarian today, something you can add to his wet food that will soften his stools to enable him to defecate without assistance. [ As example only, a low dose of Lactulose syrup in wet food is presently working well for my Manx Syndrome kitten.]

Please also make Baby an inside-only pet.  He should have lifelong monitoring of his bowel habits and bowel movements (he will need for you to know for certain when he has last defecated, and whether he is having difficulty with that).  If he goes outdoors unaccompanied, you will not know for sure, and he could shortly die either from fecal impaction or from maggots getting into his rectum when his anus is distended that way.  Please keep him inside-only.

 

[lisnya]

I didn't think he might get anything like megacolon because he did have x-rays and then surgery and he's been fine. It's been ~2 months since surgery, could it have developed since? I honestly think that he just ate something that he can't poop out, though. Around the time the problem must have appeared, a friend ate some chicken and fed the bones to the cats. I think that there must be some bones in there he's having difficulty passing and his vet thinks that, too. I am going to remind him of the surgery today, though, and ask for an x-ray just to be sure.

He's only been eating wet food and I started mixing in electrolytes (like pedialyte but Greek) as soon as I saw him dehydrated. He's never liked drinking water. I am watching him and I'll feed him some with a syringe if necessary.

I don't like the thought of giving him a third enema, anyway. I'm afraid that it'll just make him more uncomfortable and further irritate his intestine and for no reason.

 

[wanda doms]

Hi Lisnya.

Poor Baby!  But he is very lucky to have you and and his Veterinarian to take care of him.

I suggest you request an X-Ray first of all.  Pelvic fractures can lead to megacolon.  Repeated enemas can further weaken a colon that is on its way to megacolon.

I strongly recommend that you put Baby on an all-wet (wet-only) diet (with additional water added) ASAP.  Also keep drinking water available to him in several places easily accessible to him.  Ask for something from his Veterinarian today, something you can add to his wet food that will soften his stools to enable him to defecate without assistance. [ As example only, a low dose of Lactulose syrup in wet food is presently working well for my Manx Syndrome kitten.]

Please also make Baby an inside-only pet.  He should have lifelong monitoring of his bowel habits and bowel movements (he will need for you to know for certain when he has last defecated, and whether he is having difficulty with that).  If he goes outdoors unaccompanied, you will not know for sure, and he could shortly die either from fecal impaction or from maggots getting into his rectum when his anus is distended that way.  Please keep him inside-only.

I didn't think he might get anything like megacolon because he did have x-rays and then surgery and he's been fine. It's been ~2 months since surgery, could it have developed since? I honestly think that he just ate something that he can't poop out, though. Around the time the problem must have appeared, a friend ate some chicken and fed the bones to the cats. I think that there must be some bones in there he's having difficulty passing and his vet thinks that, too. I am going to remind him of the surgery today, though, and ask for an x-ray just to be sure.

He's only been eating wet food and I started mixing in electrolytes (like pedialyte but Greek) as soon as I saw him dehydrated. He's never liked drinking water. I am watching him and I'll feed him some with a syringe if necessary.

I don't like the thought of giving him a third enema, anyway. I'm afraid that it'll just make him more uncomfortable and further irritate his intestine and for no reason.

 

[lisa1706]

Hey there. I'm sorry to hear about your baby. I have an 18 year old cat that suffers from Chronic constipation due to kidney disease. The vet suggested Miralax powder which you can get at any drug store. It is odorless and tasteless. And my cat is picky! I suggest starting with a 1/4 teaspoon daily mixed with wet food.
I put the dry powder into an empty food dish and dissolve it with a little water and gravy from the can food. Then just add a little of the wet food and stir it up. You could also try using a little water from a can of tuna. You may want to microwave to very briefly to encourage eating. Miralax works by drawing water into the colon. It has worked like charm for us. My cat had an enema and was a wreck afterwards. It worked though. I've not heard of multiple enemas that don't work let alone a third for the same episode of constipation. Try the miralax I think I will do the trick. Make sure kitty has a clean, private area to potty. If this does not work in the next day or 2 id seek a second opinion. Good luck

 

[lisnya]

I took him back to the vet a few hours ago. We discussed the possibility of him having either megacolon or any other issues related to his injury. First of all, let me explain that his pelvis fractures weren't the kind that can just heal by themselves. He had surgery where the bones were realigned and metal rods were placed. So, his pelvis isn't too narrow (as could've happened had he not had the surgery) and the vet doesn't think it's megacolon, either, although Ι will be monitoring him just to make sure, of course.

He had too much dehydrated poop gathered towards the end of his intestine and that's why he couldn't poop. The enemas couldn't get through and soften the stool, either. The vet put him under anesthesia so that he'd be able to really do a thorough job. He broke up the stool and made sure the enema got in deep. He told me to take him back tomorrow morning if he hasn't pooped by then. He did get diarrhea and I think that he's fine now. He just has to fully regain consciousness now. I'm not supposed to feed him until tomorrow and then he'll have some more wet food with electrolytes mixed in. Although now, after a bath that I had to give him, I don't think that he was as dehydrated as he looked, he was just filthy which made his fur look bad.

lisa1706, thanks for the suggestion! I'll ask at a drugstore tomorrow and see if we have anything similar in Greece. We probably do, although hopefully he won't need it. I just hope he's had enough disease and misfortune for now... =/

He also told me that after I'd left in the morning, a guy walked in with his dog who had the exact same problem. He had to reach in and break up the stool with his finger. Talk about a shitty day!

 

[lisa1706]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize u were in Greece. Yes, they had to put my kitty under to do a thorough enema. She was a real mess. I think it's good sign she had diarrhea so you know things are moving along. Miralax is just a powder laxative. Keep me posted. I don't normally respond to posts. I just had to once I read about your baby. He is lucky to have you. Be well.

 

[lisnya]

Here's a picture from when he had the first surgery. I don't have any newer pictures in the laptop but I thought I'd show you what he looks like.

 

[mewtantmommy]

How adorable!  Hoping he will feel much better very soon. 

 

[lisnya]

He's quite pretty in my biased opinion. Very well-mannered, too, except for all the food-stealing. Thanks.

 

[mewtantmommy]

Lisnya, your Country has been in our News a great deal over the last several months.  Are you all there able to find or order the consumer goods and pet care goods needed?

 

[lisnya]

Personally, I still belong to the ever shrinking middle class, so I am able to afford everything I need, yes. Vets are ridiculously cheap compared to the ones in the US, too. Imagine that today's procedure cost me ~25 USD. Both the kitten's surgeries cost ~200 USD, although that is a special price, since he was a stray kitten.

 

[lisa1706]

Lisnya! What a cutie pie. My kitty had diarrhea after the enema, for a day or so. She was ver stressed and appeared uncomfortable. Her fur was really a mess but she was so stressed I didn't bathe her right away. Being a clean cat I could tell she felt bad she was stinky and could not clean hersel or controlnhe diarrhea. I sponged her lightly best I could but.she was too upset.
She was fearful and hid awhile. It took about 2 days for her to have a normal bowel movement. Here id

punkin.jpg

• lisa1706
• Sep 3, 2015

her pic. They look alike,! Lol

 

[lisa1706]

I'm excited I can share experiences from people all over the world. I just had to be patient with Punkin. I was on pins and needles until she finally pooped.
People got tired of me talking about my cat popping. Lol

 

[lisnya]

lisa1706, he was on a puppy pad while recovering from anesthesia and he got so much diarrhea, he ended up completely covered in it. It even got in his mouth. And he dragged it all over the house, he got it on my bed. I didn't know what else to do. Your cat is pretty, too. And red. Is constipation a red kitty thing?

As for talking about cat poop: a friend had a baby when she was 19. My best friend and I would go visit her and she talked about her baby's diapers a lot. It seemed kind of sad to us, we couldn't imagine going from college student to talking about diaper fillings. Then I took my cat to college and she took her dog and we spent hours upon hours talking about how they were constipated at first and what we did to make them better. We were worse than the friend we felt sorry for.

 

 

[lisnya]

So, he has megacolon after all. He's gotten several enemas since I posted this. The last one almost killed him. I had to leave him with my mom and she didn't realize that something was off until he'd stopped breathing. She called me, I rushed over, I couldn't feel a heartbeat, I started doing whatever CPR type moves I could think of and, luckily, he came around. He threw up, so I guess it was acute aspiration, is that what it's called? After that we got him on laxatives and they didn't really work, plus he started drooling and refused food that had even traces of laxatives in it. We can't just keep giving him enemas everyday, so we're going to go ahead with the colectomy.

I'm rather terrified.  I trust my vet a lot, he's worked with many of the strays some friends and I rescue. He's good at his job, he always goes over literature for every case and tries to find the best option and he's a very adept surgeon. He thinks kitten will do fine during surgery. I'm worried because he's been through so much but he's explained away many of my fears. He wants to remove most of his colon. I told him that he's been pooping a bit and I'd rather leave some of his colon intact, since it obviously works but he says that it's better to just get it done now and not give megacolon a chance to return later. What do you guys think?

He tolerated a five-hour surgery when he was three months old, malnourished and dehydrated, so I think he'll manage a 2-hour surgery now but I'm so scared... Especially after he almost died last week.

 

[lisa1706]

Lisnya, I'm so sorry to hear your kitty is not doing well. I'll be praying this next surgery will restore him to health. I know how terrifying this is for you but u r doin all you can for him. The doctors won't do the surgery unless they think he is strong enough. When is the surgery to happen??

 

[lisnya]

The doctor is absolutely certain that he's strong enough. The surgery is tomorrow at 9 am (4/5c in the US). He had trouble with the first surgery, on his pelvis because he was tiny, his bones were brittle and the vet just couldn't get the screws in. It took almost five hours. He was a baby and a bit malnourished and dehydrated, too. Now he's bigger, well-fed and well-hydrated and this surgery is expected to last 2 hours. He should be fine. He does seem uncomfortable but he's in a good mood. He eats well and he even plays with his toys. So, I hope he'll be fine tomorrow and he won't have to go through any more troubles...

 

[wanda doms]

I took him back to the vet a few hours ago. We discussed the possibility of him having either megacolon or any other issues related to his injury. First of all, let me explain that his pelvis fractures weren't the kind that can just heal by themselves. He had surgery where the bones were realigned and metal rods were placed. So, his pelvis isn't too narrow (as could've happened had he not had the surgery) and the vet doesn't think it's megacolon, either, although Ι will be monitoring him just to make sure, of course.

He had too much dehydrated poop gathered towards the end of his intestine and that's why he couldn't poop. The enemas couldn't get through and soften the stool, either. The vet put him under anesthesia so that he'd be able to really do a thorough job. He broke up the stool and made sure the enema got in deep. He told me to take him back tomorrow morning if he hasn't pooped by then. He did get diarrhea and I think that he's fine now. He just has to fully regain consciousness now. I'm not supposed to feed him until tomorrow and then he'll have some more wet food with electrolytes mixed in. Although now, after a bath that I had to give him, I don't think that he was as dehydrated as he looked, he was just filthy which made his fur look bad.

lisa1706, thanks for the suggestion! I'll ask at a drugstore tomorrow and see if we have anything similar in Greece. We probably do, although hopefully he won't need it. I just hope he's had enough disease and misfortune for now... =/

He also told me that after I'd left in the morning, a guy walked in with his dog who had the exact same problem. He had to reach in and break up the stool with his finger. Talk about a shitty day! :lol3:

 

[wanda doms]

So, he has megacolon after all. He's gotten several enemas since I posted this. The last one almost killed him. I had to leave him with my mom and she didn't realize that something was off until he'd stopped breathing. She called me, I rushed over, I couldn't feel a heartbeat, I started doing whatever CPR type moves I could think of and, luckily, he came around. He threw up, so I guess it was acute aspiration, is that what it's called? After that we got him on laxatives and they didn't really work, plus he started drooling and refused food that had even traces of laxatives in it. We can't just keep giving him enemas everyday, so we're going to go ahead with the colectomy.

I'm rather terrified.  I trust my vet a lot, he's worked with many of the strays some friends and I rescue. He's good at his job, he always goes over literature for every case and tries to find the best option and he's a very adept surgeon. He thinks kitten will do fine during surgery. I'm worried because he's been through so much but he's explained away many of my fears. He wants to remove most of his colon. I told him that he's been pooping a bit and I'd rather leave some of his colon intact, since it obviously works but he says that it's better to just get it done now and not give megacolon a chance to return later. What do you guys think?

He tolerated a five-hour surgery when he was three months old, malnourished and dehydrated, so I think he'll manage a 2-hour surgery now but I'm so scared... Especially after he almost died last week.