Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My cat isn't pooping after possible obstruction. How can I help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 2 years and 4 months old | 10 lbs

I took Sparta to the vet - they did xrays that showed a possible obstruction. Iv fluids, laxatives, and $500 later. He pooped once. It was diarreah filled with my hair. He cant keep cat food down. Is still lovey. Still plays. His spirit is high. He can keep chicken down. Still drinks water and still urinates often. But he hasnt pooped since Wednesday. Im worried and my vet is closed until tomorrow. Please help me. What can i do to help him poop?

This question includes photos that may contain sensitive content. Click to view.

View more to consider that the photos may include sensitive content.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 1st, 2019

Poor Sparta. Try adding low sodium gently warmed chicken broth to his chicken to see if that helps. Dehydration can be a factor in this problem. If it does not help, have him seen by a vet in the morning.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Cleo my cat seems to be constipated. She had poop on her butt. She also left another hard poop on the floor. It seems to be bothering her too. Is there anything i can do besides taking her into the vet??
You could try offering canned food or low sodium broth to help increase her water consumption. If she is not straining in the litter box then she probably isn't significantly constipated. If you do see her straining without producing stool, or if she vomits or has a decrease in appetite you should see your vet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, my cat has recently been kept at the vets for what they thought was a viral infection but they didn't know for certain. That was Thursday last week and he came home Friday. He has seemed better but hasn't pooed since Saturday evening and his app
Hello, sorry to hear about Mario. I wish him a speedy recovery. It sounds like his constipation is associated with his decreased appetite and decreased activity. As he continues to regain his appetite and move more then he will begin to defecate as well. If however, you notice that he is actively straining to defecate then you should have him evaluated to make sure he is not obstinate. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat recently had eye surgery, but has refused to drink water since he came home. Crunching his dry food seemed to hurt his eye, so I started giving him wet food with about a tablespoon of water mixed in. He licks up most of the food, and all of th
He likely hasn't eaten enough to produce enough stool yet. If he isn't straining to defecate and he seems to be acting normally I would not be too concerned about that just yet. That being said, constipation can be caused by dehydration. If you are seriously worried about him being dehydrated you cannot force him to drink so my suggestion would be to take him to your vet so they can give him some fluids under the skin of neck so his body can absorb them (this is called subcutaneous fluids). I think you are doing fine by feeding the canned food and adding the water. You can try adding a bit more and maybe just a very tiny pinch of salt to see if that will cause him to drink a bit more. I also suggest you feed him a probiotic. That will help with digestion and overall health. My favorite is Fortiflora. You can buy it over the counter or online. If you can't find it or get it then you can use any probiotic but make sure it is made for cats (not humans and no dairy). Hope this a
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat is 1 year old and just had major emergency surgery for blockage by a lot of thread which was found in lower GI tract. Shes is barely eating and not pooping yet. The surgery was 2 days ago. Should I be worried?
Poor Smores. Cats cannot tolerate anorexia for long, and I'm concerned that she is barely eating. If she isn't eating, then she has nothing to poop. I would be worried and have her seen by an ER vet now. Best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
Hi, my cat is 10.5, male orange tabby, not obese, active. He has not deficated in 2 days. This happened about 4-5 years ago and went on for about a week, and he was close to death. IThat time, he eventually deficated and was immediately fine afterwar
You are better off giving him Miralax powder. The psyllium is a fiber that will bulk up the stools but it isn't really a laxative/stool softener. I would give him 1/4 teaspoon mixed in a bit of canned food every 12 hours to effect. I think this will help tremendously. https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/equate-clearlax/6000189073881 Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi! Please: my persian cat is having problem to poo...today has 3 days than he didn't poo...and I guess he is drinking water normally,the only different thing is than we changed the food to a one of urinary treatment...because he was with having crys
If your cat hasn't pooped in three days I would be concerned about constipation. One thing you can try at home is adding some fiber to his diet, either by doing a teaspoon of metamucil on his food or some canned pumpkin on his food. If he is not already on wet food you could try adding some warm water to his food as well. If the constipation becomes severe your cat will stop eat, act painful and maybe start throwing up. If you notice any of these symptoms you should take him to your vet so they can give him medication to relieve the constipation.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat hasn't pooped in the past two days. He's been on a bland diet of boiled chicken (transitioning back now) and a medicine called Scourban to treat a stomach bug which caused him to vomit and have diarrhoea. He doesn't seem dehydrated, pees and a
It could be either one - he may not have much in his colon that needs to come out or he may be constipated. Sounds more like he doesn't have enough to go because usually when they are constipated they spend a lot of time in the litter box straining. I suggest you get him back on some cat food as soon as you can. I know you are transitioning back and we usually tell clients to do that over a week's time but I would try to shorten that to 5 days. One of the best ways to help constipation is to increase water intake. Ways to do this: apply chicken broth over the food or feeding canned food only (not dry). You can also try feeding more fiber in the way of canned pumpkin. Most cats will readily eat this: 1/4 teaspoon up to twice a day. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Food & Nutrition
Need help asap. 5 year old male neutered domestic short haired yowling loudly in obvious distress, Straining to go in litter box, but unable to pass stools. We have 3 cats that all have open access to food and water. Only watery mucus surrounding ver
Hi there and thank you for using Boop by Petco to address your concern. If Sylvester is in that much distress, I would get him in to be seen by a veterinarian sooner rather than later. What you are describing could be an indication of a fecal impaction, megacolon or something causing an obstruction. If he is not producing any urine either, he may be dealing with a urinary tract obstruction, which can be very serious if left untreated. I would get him seen as soon as possible if you can so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I think my 7 yo car is experiencing constipation. Her bowel movements have been less frequent and when she does defecate the feces are smaller and dark black.
Hello. You do need to try & get more liquids into your cat the best you can. This includes switching to a wet or canned diet, or one of the fiber responsive diets made by Royal Canin. Offering additional liquids such as beef/chicken broths or stocks & tuna water will also help. I would also add 1/8 teaspoon Miralax to her food twice a day. You can slowly, over a week or so, increase this to 1/4 teaspoon per meal. If this does not work to help soften her stool, then medical management with stool softeners like lactulose, & possibly using intestinal motility modifiers like cisapride may be necessary. But you will need to work with a vet to go this route. Try my suggestions for a few weeks & hopefully you can make things more comfortable for Baby. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Please help can’t cant poop ! What can I do to help him poop?
In mild cases of constipation, a feline hairball laxative such as Laxatone, available at most pet stores, or a teaspoon of canned pumpkin added to the food may help; but if constipation has been going on for more than a couple days, the cat is painful/not eating/vomiting then veterinary care is needed. In male cats we also want to be sure that the issue is not that the cat is trying to pee an unable as male cats can get a blockage of the urethra and be unable to pee which results in them straining in the litterbox. This is a lifethreatening emergency and needs immediate care so if there is any question about whether or not he is peeing he should go to the vet right away.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Food Cat Supplies Wet Cat Food Cat Laxatives Canned Cat Food UTI Cat Food Cat Broths & Toppers Cat Urinary Care Cat Broths Electrolytes for Cats Lactulose Cat Laxatives Sulfasalazine Cat Laxatives Lactulose Cat Medicine Sucralfate Cat Laxatives Prescription Diet Cat Urinary Care PancrePlus Powder Cat Laxatives Pancreved Powder Cat Laxatives Tylan Cat Laxatives Iams UTI Cat Food HomeoPet Cat Urinary Care
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored