How long can my cat go without pooping before I should worry?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 3 years and 11 months old
How long can a cat go without pooping? It's been 24 hours which is unusual for my cat but I don't want to rush her to the vet if I'm being paranoid.
5 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on March 20th, 2016
A cat can go up to 48 hours without pooping, meaning anything past 48 hrs is a cause for concern, especially if you see your pet straining to defecate and nothing coming out. Ideally every pet should have a bowel movement daily, however there can be some slight variations here depending on the GI transit time and diet. I would monitor for signs of straining and also vomiting, lethargy or lack of appetite which means that kitty should be seen for constipation/obstipation. There are also medications and supplements available through your vet (i.e. Laxatone or Lactulose) that can help keep the GI track moving along if this becomes a chronic issue. Also fiber supplementation can be discussed with your vet.
104Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on October 31st, 2019
Yes, cats should have a bowel movement 1-3 times a day. any cat who has not pooped in 48 hours needs to be examined. Here is a link about constipation: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-big-no-go-constipation-in-cats-101/ Have Star examined today. He may need a stool softener and fluids to help him have a bowel movement. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on November 12th, 2018
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Longer than 36-48 hours would be considered unusual. If you are concerned about constipation, you can add 1 teaspoon of canned pumpkin to his meals which may help. Good luck and have a good night!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on February 21st, 2023
If Callie hasn't passed stool in several days I'd be worried about problems such as severe constipation, impaction, foreign bodies, or megacolon preventing her from passing stool. It is a good idea to bring her into your vet to have her examined. They'll likely recommend an X-ray to see how much stool is in her body and to look for anything that may be pressing on the GI tract or stuck in it preventing her from passing stool. They can also help remove any impacted stool and provide medications such as lactulose that can help soften it until she returns to normal.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on April 22nd, 2020
Poor Poof! I'd be worried there is something causing him pain ongoing, either with his mouth, or further into his GI tract, especially if his stools have changed and are very dry (which could indicate something such as constipation or dehydration, or even a blockage further up preventing eating/stool moving through properly). If he's gone more than a day without eating anything and is still exhibiting the behaviors you mentioned, it would be best to bring him into a vet ASAP for care. Bringing in a sample of his stool (if he goes again before the vet) can also help check for any issues such as parasites that could be causing GI upset.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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