Way, Way O.T. Constipated cat

I have an older cat in the house. She was the wife's pet. The wife passed away a couple months ago but the cat remains. She (the cat) leaves poop here and there throughout the house. It is very dry and hard when I pick it up. It must be a digestive problem. Anyone familiar with the problem and a possible remedy? It started when the wife was still alive. I know SSS would be the proper thing to do, but out of respect for the wife, I cannot do that at this time. It is almost to the point where it will become an outsider. Thanks in advance.

Got on here as well. My GUESS is that it has a lead deficiency.

maybe try different cat food ?

If your cat eats canned food, add a SMALL amount of mineral oil. This works well to clean them out when they have a hairball. Should work in this case too.

If it was my cat, I would get a couple of the stool samples and put them in a plastic bag and take them and the cat to a small animal vet to see what is wrong. I am assuming you go to the doctor if you are not feeling right, why shouldn't a sick animal be able to see a doctor too?

try sprinkling some metamucil on the cats food. we did that for our old cat and it really helped her.

When the dog gets into the hairball remedy cat food, it sure gets him going!

I concur with your prognosis.

Hey! I LOVE cats. They taste just like chicken!

A canned cat food may loosen the cat's stool. It sounds like the feces may be sticking to the fur. We have a long hair (elderly neighbor, long story) and we have to keep her backside clipped to prevent little presents from being deposited throughout the house. You don't sound like much of a cat person, but give it time. I didn't want this one for the first several years. She's quite the hunter now.

Aaron

Understanding you, you do have a litter box that the cat uses, or thinks she is using it but has too much fur around the orfice and some sticks to it? Or does she not use the litter box if you have one and just random poops?

So I offer 3 solutions: Ensure you have a litter box and keep it clean, once daily for one cat, maybe 2 days on the outside. Cats like things clean and neat. Ensure that it's deep enough so she can dig a hole and pile it on afterwards......2" deep is fine, Arm and Hammer with dedorizers.. I loved that cat; Siamese, vet said liver failed, had to put her down, said a common problem. Put a lid on the litter box. They like their privacy. If a large cat ensure the box is large enough for her to take care of business comfortably. I ordered a couple of large ones off www since the locals didn't carry them.

2. Ensure she has a clean hinie, trim if necessary.
3. As mentioned, take a food sample and the cat to a vet.
4. Vets around here peddle Iams food and usually see it dry. I always fed canned and read the label as to what's in it. Mine liked fish gormet chow in the plastic tub with an alum foil seal, forget the brand.

HTH, Sorry about your wife. I lost mine too; 49.5 years together.

Well... After this post, I will never Be hesitant about Bringing Up any OT Subject again LOL!!!Larry

I switched to aims hairball formula. I will give it a week to see if it helps. Litter box was clean and still happening. I haven't caught her in the act. She is a long hair and has had hairball problems in the past.
Thanks, for all the suggestions. Evidently this one isn't the only one that has issues.

This is a common problem in older cats. There's a series of products that are commonly referred to as CatLax. An oily product in a toothpaste tube. You smear a bit on the cat's foot with your finger making sure it's smeared on the foot. If you leave it in a pile the cat will shake it's foot and you'll find catlax splattered on your wall. The cat licks the stuff off it's foot and gradually it's stools will become softer. There's more than one product that fits this description. I'd look for the ones made out of cod liver oil and other natural oils and steer clear of the petroleum jelly based products.