Why hasn't my 4-week-old kitten pooped since birth? Is it serious?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 0.81 lbs
My 4 week old kitten hasn’t passed feices ever since it was born.It has only peed.I have started weaning it so should I expect it to poo now?
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on June 4th, 2018
This is really concerning. There are some rare genetic issues that can prevent cats from having bowel movements and can be fatal. I would strongly recommend your vet to take a look at him and possibly take some x-rays to see if there is stool in his colon and to make sure his colon is fully formed. I hope this helps and he starts to do better soon!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 14th, 2019
Hi,are you sure that he he is not passing feaces and that mummy cleans him straight away ? Normally they pass feaces once mummy stimulates them by gentle cleaning, so perhaps when he goes you are not seeing him. If he had been constipated for a week he would be very poorly by now. Hope thsi makes sense.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
New Pet
Hello .. my cat just gave birth and the kitten is 1 week old it was born 6th December 2019 ... And from the day it was born he is not pooping at all what do I do .. he is well hydrated ... The mother cat giving him milk as well but still I don't know
Hi,are you sure that he he is not passing feaces and that mummy cleans him straight away ? Normally they pass feaces once mummy stimulates them by gentle cleaning, so perhaps when he goes you are not seeing him. If he had been constipated for a week he would be very poorly by now. Hope thsi makes sense.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
hello, i have a 4 week old kitten and she hasnt pooped yet. should i be worried?
I am not sure how many days she has gone without having a bowel movement. But if she is attempting to poop and straining, then she should see a vet immediately for an enema to help her go and then treatment for long term care. However, if she is not straining and it has been less than 3-4 days since she has pooped, give her time to adjust to whatever new things may be going on around her. Offer her food (Canned food is best @ this age or kitten formula if she has not transitioned yet) like normal and monitor her the next few days to see if she finally goes. Cats are notorious for holding their bowels when they are recently adopted, move, or there's a new introduction to the home. And finally, if you are seeing any other symptoms such as vomiting, decreased appetite, or straining, then Olly should be seen by your vet right away. You can try stimulating her to go as well by using a warm wet cloth. I hope that your furry friend Olly is able to have a bowel movement soon! Best wish
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
We have just recently got our kitten she's 6 weeks old she's peeing but not pooping and it's nearly been 2 days
Sometimes stress can cause constipation. Make sure she is drinking plenty of water. Canned food is good to prevent constipation; you can also add a little water or chicken/tuna broth to the canned food to get her to drink more water. She is still young, so you may be able to stimulate her to have a bowel movement by rubbing her anus gently with a warm wet washcloth. If she does not have a bowel movement in 24 hours, I recommend that she see a vet before the stool gets too dry and hard.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
2 1/2 week old kitten. On kmr for 5 days, had yellow diarrhea then turned green then back to yellow. She is still eating, gaining weight and seems comfortable but hasn't pooped in 36 hours. Pee is clear. No vet has any openings. How long can I safely
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Boba. As long as she is eating, gaining weight and seems comfortable, she should defecate soon. Make sure you are stimulating her after each meal. Apply a warm cotton ball to her genital area. This replicates the mother licking her and will help her to urinate and defecate. If she stops eating or her belly appears distended, then she needs to see a veterinarian. In this case, an enema may be warranted. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I’m concerned if my kitten is getting the nutrition she needs. She’s about 4 weeks and I’ve had her for a few days now. She’s becoming less active she’s sleeping a lot and she doesn’t drink much of the replacement milk and she threw up a few times af
Hello. I am a little concerned about your kitten because at 4 weeks of age she should be a little fireball & not require stimulation to move her bowels. She should also be eating a canned kitten food with a little replacement milk mixed in. If she has not been dewormed, this would be a priority as intestinal parasites like roundworms can make a kitten pretty weak. She may also be a little dehydrated if you have not seen her urinate. I truly hope you can have her seen by a veterinarian soon. Little babies like this can be pretty fragile. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
I haves 3 week old kitten who has not pooped in 2 days. She's drinking milk fine and is very active can she be constipated?
MIracle is REALLY cute! You could check to see if she is dehydrated by pinching up the skin between her shoulder blades. If it is slow to go back to normal then she is dehydrated which could be contributing to the lack of feces. I would have your vet take a look at her if she is dehydrated so they can give her a little fluids if needed. If she is well hydrated then I would continue to feed her every 3 hours and be sure to use a warm wet cloth at every meal to rub around her anus. This will help to stimulate her bowel movements. If she still hasn't pooped within the next 24-36 hours then I would have your vet look at her. With her being so small, I don't want to give her a bunch of stuff over the counter as they can be quite sensitive. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
I have (what I think) is a 4 week old kitten. I have had him for two days and he takes a bottle fairly well and eats gruel. I am able to get him to pee but not poop. Should I take him into a vet?
Weigh him and you can determine his age. Kittens gain about 3.5 ox of weight per week. So if he weighs 14 to 15 oz, he is 4 weeks old. He will still need kitten milk and instead of gruel you should offer canned kitten food in small amounts. Feed him 4 times a day plus about a table spoon full of kitten food per day. Over the next three to four weeks slowly replace the milk with the food. He is still young enough that he may have to be stimulated to poop and pee. So take a warm moist paper tissue and gently rub his anus. This will stimulate him to poop. Clean him afterwards. Do the same with urination, even when he appears to urinate by himself. He looks very sweet. You may want to worm him with kitten wormer as well.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
How often should a 5 month old kitten poop? We just got him from the local shelter yesterday around 5pm, and he used the restroom around 2 times. He keeps moving his litter and squatting, turning around and doing it again. Most of the time, nothing h
Young kittens will normally toilet frequently, often up to 6 times a day but I would be very concerned by repeated trips to the tray without producing anything as this may indicate an obstruction or severe spasm and inflammation which is quite common in cats and can be triggered by stressful events such as moving house. I recommend an urgent vet check to determine if he is constipated or bladder pain and to prescribe the most appropriate treatment and ongoing management to prevent recurrence. In the meantime I would try to encourage fluids with flavoured water (freshly boiled chicken broth or a little cod liver oil on the water bowl) and provide wet food to maximise fluid intake which can help soften stool and flush the bladder
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hii my kitty is of 15 days and he pees alot but does not poop and even his one eye is fully open and another is partially open. He was abandoned by his mother the day he was born and I have him now. My neighbour had his brother too but he died 2 days
You may have to stimulate your kitten to poop, but if he isn't pooping, I would have him seen by a vet immediately. You may have to stimulate him to poop, but if he hasn't pooped in al day, that's serious and requires a vet visit. Both his eyes should open fully soon, and the vet can examine him to let you know if he is doing ok. Please take him into a vet now.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
My two months kitten didn't poop since 24 hours but eats normally and urinates regurally .She has a big belly btw
If she is straining and attempting produce stool but is unable, or if she is vomiting I think you should see a veterinarian. Constipation is rare in a kitten that age but is possible. Your vet can check for parasites and potentially give an enema to help her pass stool. If she is not straining or vomiting I think you could also monitor her for another couple of days but if she hasn’t pooped in three days you should see your vet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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