My cat hasn't pooped in 3-4 days!

[Mycatisblocked!]

Okay, so I've been reading online all over the place about home remedies and other things that can help a cat pass his stool. I've tried almost everything; Mineral Oil, Stimulation, Changing his food to Wet, Giving him milk, Massaging him, and nothing is making him poop. Occasionally, he'll move to the litter box and pee; not a lot, but it's there. He eats regularly, and he stopped drinking water, but I've been force feeding him water. I've considered using a finger to remove the stool, but I fear injuring my cat (He's only 5 months). I also read that it's best to take him to the vet, but I haven't any money to pay for this kind of trip. Does anybody out there have any advice about how to deal with an impacted cat? Has anybody attempted the finger thing? Did it work? Also, how long can a cat survive with out any bowel movements? Please, I need help!

[Christine]

Hello and welcome. We have some really informed cat experts who should be along soon. Until they do, I would suggest tablespoon of canned pumpkin with no spices mixed in with his food. I have always heard that milk can cause constipation and not to be tempted to give him a laxative in case there is a blockage which may mean a visit to the vet if at all possible. Also, be very careful about giving mineral oil as it could cause pnuemonia. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... 120200.htm

Hang on, more help is coming, but the pumpkin might just take care of things.

[BendyMom]

is he vomiting?
if he gets really impacted he will start vomited, and THEN you are in big trouble.

syringing water is a good idea, as much as possible.
and you're going to love my suggestion....
enema.
plain ol warm water, or if you want to use a commercial one then docusate sodium is OK.
in fact, you can look at the stool softener capsules that are sold, find the one that is just docusate sodium and give him one of those. i've used it many a time. but, if he hasn't pooped in days your best bet is a warm water flush. if the blockage is right at the end there, you can use a finger. trim your nail all the way back, use some vaseline.
if you can't do the enema route, then definitely get some docusate for him. heck i find it in the dollar tree just labeled 'stool softener.'
pumpkin is good, not the pie filling but just plain pumpkin. they usually don't mind the taste, some even like it.
warm water soaks, up to his waist, in warm water for 10 minutes. helps relax everything.

good luck!

[Mycatisblocked!]

@Bendymoon: no. He is not vomiting...yet. I hope it doesn't come to that, but the warm water soaks sounds like a great idea. I'll try that tonight. I want to try my finger, but I'm a little afraid that i'll injure him. With the pumkin, I just go to a store and buy a pumpkin, and grind it up? Or is there somewhere I can buy a mix of it? Thank you for the advice. I'll stop feeding him the Mineral Oil, I don't want one more thing on a list of already bad things.

[Christine]

You can buy plain canned pumpkin - just no spices - not pumpkin pie filling.

[Jean]

Hi, I just wanted to clarify something. You mentioned in your first post that your kitten was urinating. You said he was only urinating a little bit each time he used the cat box. Male cats can develop blockages in their bladders. You said his bowel is blocked. Are you seeing him straining to poop ? Could he possibly be straining to urinate? I have a kitten from the shelter that blocked at 4 months of age. The vet said he had never seen a kitten that young develop a blocked bladder. In a male a blocked bladder is deadly. If he has an infection and is continuing to strain the infection could lead to him blocking./Jean

[Mycatisblocked!]

Oh, dear. I didn't think about that.

[Jean]

You really need to get your kitten to the vet and get him evaluated. Could you apply for care credit?
In the area where I live there are small towns outside of the major larger city . The Vets located in these smaller cities oftentimes charge a considerable reduced fee in comparison to the Vets in the larger cities. Other options might include approaching family members or friends who might be able to lend you the money.
How is the little fellow doing now?

[Mycatisblocked!]

He's sleeping right now, besides his lack of using the litter box, you'd think he was a perfectly healthy cat. But I think I'm going to take a trip to the Vet today. I have an Aunt who has care credit, and I promised to pay her back when I have the money. Thank you for letting me know about that. I would have stayed completely ignorant to that possibility, and God only knows what would happen.

[Jean]

Great don't delay get him in today. Keep us posted. I'll be praying for your little guy.

[Christine]

So glad you found a way to get him to the vet - bless your aunt! Now you will know what you are dealing with and we can help even more.

[Mycatisblocked!]

Sorry, I haven't replied in a while, but update: my cat is way better now. He's been fine for almost a month now. I decided I needed to give a warm bath, and that night there was a poop in his liter box. I was still worried that he wasn't peeing, and he wasn't drinking water; suddenly, he was normal again. I took him to the vet, no damage. So, thank you all for your help and advice.

[BendyMom]

glad to hear it all 'came out well in the end'
those are the kind of endings we love
hope he doesn't have the problem again.

[pikachu464]

I have been having the same problem. Expect my cat's a girl. She's 8 years old. And when I feel her tummy it feels like she has a hard bowling ball down there. She's not fat though, so it's not her weight, it's something hard.

[CarolC]

Hi pikachu464,

Is she urinating and defecating normally?
Is there any chance she is pregnant?
It sounds like she needs to be checked by a vet to see why her tummy is like that. I think it would be good to have her checked right away.