my elderly cat seems to have constipation

[hillyhilly]

Our DC is almost 18, she's pretty fit and well and doesn't look or seem her age though she has had a couple of water infections and started to drink a lot more in the last couple of years.
Today I have seen her a couple of times outside straining to poo and not necessarily achieving anything.
She has just got down from the sofa, she looks really uncomfortable her sides are squeezing but nothing's happening.
I will try to get her a vet appointment tomorrow but does anyone have any experience or advice for us please?
She is on Hills dried food for the elderly and has a pouch of wet food most days which she often just licks the jelly off without eating the lumps.
She may have lost a little weight but not a lot.
Here she is, she's beautiful and so much one of our family heaps of personality

There could be quite a few little things going wrong at that age - she looks great by the way - but I'd be inclined to think at the least maybe some arthritis and dodgy teeth together with the muscles, both internal and external, not functioning so well hence some constipation. Maybe some stool softener would be a good idea for the longer term?

Tell everything to the vet tomorrow and good luck with her. That sort of age deserves to be celebrated.