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My older cat is straining. Is it constipation or a urinary problem?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Male | neutered | 9 lbs

Hi, my older (8 years) male cat is constipated. Any advice?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 7th, 2017

Adding water to the food, or a spoonful of canned pumpkin with each meal, can often help with mild constipation issues in cats. I'm not sure what Jack is doing, specifically, that is making you concerned about constipation - but I would caution you that straining in the litter box is more likely to be due to a urinary obstruction than constipation. This would be a medical emergency, so unless you are positive that he is constipated and not straining to urinate, it would be best to take him to a vet today for an exam to help determine exactly what's going on.

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