The kitty litter box is a significant part of domestic cats’ lives. They want it clean, and with multiple cats, enough of them. So part of our routine, as cat parents, is making sure their litter boxes are frequently scooped. The litter box is also a way to monitor our cat’s health. So, what if we discover our cat hasn’t pooped in two or three days? What if we find ourselves asking, “What if my cat doesn’t poop?” If you’re wondering about this, consider it a potentially serious question.
A friend to My Kitty Care told us about their handsome cat, Prince.
Prince hadn’t pooped for nearly three days, so they tried Miralax, which is safe for cats. Just sprinkle some onto their wet food.
But Prince’s pet parents realized they had a more serious problem when Prince hadn’t pooped by the fourth day. They were very concerned. They took him to their vet.
First, they needed to make sure their cat didn’t have a disease in which constipation is a symptom: kidney disease, or tumors, for example. In extreme cases, the colon’s nerves are damaged because of prolonged impacted feces, and surgery may be necessary to remove the effected section of colon.
Another condition, is blockage from hairballs or a swallowed object. (That’s why every Christmas, I repost dangers of gift wrapping for cats.)
Turned out, Prince required several enemas to clear his colon out. According to their vet, he was dehydrated, and had “fecal balls,” which also had hair in them. When they got Prince home, it was messy, so take heed. If this happens to your cat, expect the enemas to take effect and be prepared: have towels, wee wee pads and the litter box available and ready. Happily, he got better. His parents altered his diet by decreasing his dry food, and increasing quality wet food, adding water to make gravy.
Other things can cause constipation: not enough exercise, or fiber in their diet, or water; stress; even arthritis, because of difficulty with movement. The chart below, although kind of gross, is actually very useful:
| Symptom | Appearance | Frequency | Possible causes |
| Constipation | Small, hard, dry poop | Less than once a day | Dehydration, megacolon, dietary issues |
| Constipation | Small, hard, dry poop that has a lot of hair | Less than once a day | Hairballs, over-grooming |
| Constipation | Thin, ribbon-like poop | Less than once a day | Colon problems, like a tumor |
| Diarrhea | Black, tarry, runny poop | It varies | Stomach or intestinal bleeding. Call the vet right away |
| Diarrhea | Smelly, pudding-like poop | 2-3 times daily | Food intolerances, inflammatory bowel disease |
| Diarrhea | Gooey poop filled with mucus | Multiple times daily | Too little fiber; colitis |
| Diarrhea | Soft, frothy, greasy poop with mucus | It varies | Parasites |
The kitty litter box is an effective means to keep an eye on our cat’s health. And always, keep their box(es) clean!
my kitty care does not endorse any product discussed on The Scratching Post, nor does my kitty care receive payments, or any form of compensation from any company or product on my kitty care.
