Fortunately, constipation is a rare occurrence for most cats. If your kitty is straining without producing any stools and the litter box remains empty for a day, there is a problem. There are many simple DIY home remedies to relieve feline constipation — providing the constipation is not the result of another underlying condition.
If the usual diet consists of dry food, one of the easiest DIY cat constipation remedies is to simply offer the cat a can of wet food. The change in moisture content will almost always get the bowels moving again.
Below are a few other do-it-yourself cat constipation remedies. Try one of these if the above doesn’t work:
- Kittens love milk, although we don’t give it to them because we know it isn’t good for them. In the case of feline constipation, milk is a cat’s dream come true. A small amount of milk will help the cat pass its stools.
- Most kitties do not consume enough water on a daily basis for good digestive health. Offer the cat a bowl of fish stock, and that will surely aid in elimination as the cat will consume the fluids necessary for a bowel movement.
- Two tablespoons of canned pumpkin is another way to help a constipated cat. Kitties love the taste of this stuff. Be sure to use only canned pure pumpkin and not canned pumpkin pie filling. The two are significantly different; the added sugars and spices in pie filling are not good for your pet.
- The addition of ½ teaspoon of olive oil to the regular diet should help eliminate cat constipation within 12 hours. Do not add more than that or the furry one will have diarrhea.
- Smear a small, pea-sized amount of petroleum jelly on the roof of the cat’s mouth. This will cause the cat to ingest the jelly slowly. The jelly will in turn help lubricate the bowels, allowing the stools to be moved effectively.
- Pureed beets will also assist in easier bowel movements. Put a tablespoon of it in the food bowl. If your pet will not readily eat the beets, use an infant’s dosing syringe, which you can buy at any drug store. The fluid and fiber in the puree will alleviate feline constipation rapidly.
- There are many over-the-counter remedies that can be purchased at any pet supply store or online. We really like the Laxatone catnip flavor, pictured at right. These remedies come in tube form. Apply the gel to a paw. The cat will lick at the paw to clean the gel from it and ingest the feline laxative. Results usually occur within 24 hours.
So as you can see, there are quite a few DIY cat constipation remedies. In the future, keep this rule of thumb in mind: If the litter box is empty for one full day, get your kitty to the veterinarian straight away.
Photo: April J. Gazmen/Flickr
