Constipated senior rescue kitty

[BusyMintCrab]

I took my new wee pal home from the SSPCA about 3 weeks ago. She’s 19(!) but on very good form apart from being a bit deaf.

For the last week I’d say her poops have just been small nuggets rather than normal poops. Although she is still going twice a day. She had a hairball so I started her on those hairball treats last Saturday but they don’t seem to have helped. She only eats wet food anyway and I’ve been adding extra water to it to make sure she’s hydrated but that hasn’t helped either.

I’ve seen I can buy the laxative stuff online - but am I ok to just buy it or should she go to the vet? Because she will NOT be happy with it and would just cause a huge amount of stress. She wouldn’t let the SSPCA vet look at her and was marked “feisty” because of it 😅

My senior kitty does small nuggets of poop. Is she pooping regularly? If so I don't think I'd be overly worried.
Many pet insurers have a helpline you can call too for vet nurses advice ... you could try that ? You usually get a few weeks cover foc from the rescue

That’s reassuring, thanks! I’ll check about the vet nurse call 🤞🏼The last cat was an outside cat so we never really knew about her toileting.

Ps here she is!

She's beautiful! Well done you for giving her a lovely retirement home.

She looks in wonderful condition for her age.

She's gorgeous.

So long as she is actually pooing regularly I wouldn't be too worried unless she seems distressed. TempCat only 'goes' every second day. I once panicked when it once got to 5 days of no litter tray action but even with a laxative up the bum at the vets he took until the next day to go.

He's on Royal Canin GastroIntestinal Fibre Response dry food which helps a lot - you can also get a wet version in gravy. He's very fussy about wet food so I've not tried it.

Is she drinking enough water? Dehydration could explain small hard poos. If she isn't, try something fishy in the water, or a water fountain might help if she's not already got one. Rex loves his.

I also tried the laxative paste, which works to soften the poo and make it move a bit more frequently. Unfortunately he hates it so I have to smear it on his fur and have him lick it off. It gets very messy. But that works.

Oh she is lovely 😻

I too wouldn't worry about the poos. She's regular, it's not causing discomfort, just be grateful for easy to clean up poo! (My latest does tiny neat poos, and they don't smell which is an added bonus).

Just get lactose from the chemist eg Boots. Just don't say it's for a cat.

It's exactly the same stuff as the vets and a lot cheaper. Do check though how much you should give and ask the vet for a small syringe. Our vets have been very reasonable about this, if only because it's something they don't have to do.

My cat sniffs the fancy stuff and flatly refuses to eat/take any of it. Complete waste of money over the years.

Currently my old chap is on yellow label salmon and renal cat food (has a higher water content apparently) plus senior cat dry food, but that's rationed so as stop him getting bunged up.

I know more about cat constipation that anyone really needs to!

Put 3 drops of extra virgin olive oil onto one of his BACK feet , not on the pad , on the top . He will eventually lick it off and should poo within 24 hours, it works on mine in about an hour . My cat is old so I do this to him once a week on the same day and he's a happy pooper , not every day , but regularly . It also helps with hairballs .