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Bowel Problems in Cats
By: Alfred and Little Cat A


More often than not your cat will have a bowel movement at
least once a day. If you notice that your cat is having
trouble using its litter box, starts eating your houseplants
or grass outside, and or there are no smelly clumps in your
litter box after three days, your cat is most likely constipated.

Cats that are older and less active tend to be more prone to
constipation. Constipation in cats is frustrating for your
cat and it makes your cat uncomfortable and less likely to
be active and to eat properly. There is really no specific
rule that your cat has to go so many times a day, but it has
been noted that a healthy cat will usually have one or two
bowel movements a day.

Constipation isn't a disease, but it is a sign that your
cat's gastrointestinal tract isn't doing well. If you do
notice that your cat is taking frequent trips to the litter
box with no result, or cries when it is eliminating, then it
may be constipated. But please note that it is also possible
and not rare, that there is a urinary tract infection or a
urinary obstruction causing the discomfort, which is far
more serious than constipation. Contact your veterinarian if
you see these symptoms.

Cats with serious constipation will lose their appetite,
look unkempt, become lethargic, may hunch or crouch because
of abdominal discomfort and may even vomit. The cat may pass
a small amount of blood-tinged diarrhea from time to time.
If these symptoms occur, it is a matter of life and death
for your cat that you contact the vet.

People usually term any bowel obstruction as constipation,
when in actual fact there are really three distinct
conditions under this generalized term: constipation,
obstipation and megacolon. There are differences and
similarities between these three conditions so the treatment
will differ between these conditions.


Obstipation:

Obstipation is when there is a blockage in the gut and the
cat is unable to pass any stool at all.

Obstipation happens for the same reasons that constipation
happens.


Megacolon:

Megacolon occurs when there is chronic constipation and
obstipation from different causes that distends the colon so
that there is poor movement through the colon itself.

Megacolon can also occur when there is a diminished muscular
movement through the colon wall for some unknown reason.
When this happens the fecal matter will build up in the
colon, becoming harder and drier as time passes. Eventually
the colon will become distended and become packed with
almost a cement-like consistency of dried hard fecal matter.
Veterinary science has been unable to determine the cause of
this condition. The full name of this condition is
idiopathic megacolon.

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