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What can I give my constipated cat to help him quickly at home?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Caracat | Male | neutered | 4 years and 2 months old | 26 lbs

My 4 year old cat appears to have constipation. We can't afford a vet. How can we help him quickly? We've been givng him prune juice and water with an eye dropper?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on February 8th, 2020

Hi, and thanks for your question. Mild constipation that lasts no more than two days can usually be resolved at home with increased fiber and hydration. Canned pumpkin (not pie filling, just the straight-up pumpkin) or liquid paraffin can be used, and should work straight away in the following 8 hours from administration. DO NOT TRY to give an enema as it could be dangerous and cause electrolyte imbalances and colon perforation. If constipation lasts more than 24 hours from administration of those or 48 hours in general, a check up at your local vet is required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 15th, 2018

    She can give plain canned pumpkin, a tablespoon in each meal, in addition to feeding wet food with some added water or chicken broth. The fiber will bulk up the stool and prevent it from getting to dry and hard. Also having more water in the stool makes it easier to pass. If she doesn’t pass any poop by tomorrow your veterinarian may need to give an enema. This can become a chronic problem in some cats so adding additional water and fiber daily will help prevent constipation in the future. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Soska.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 20th, 2018

    Constipation can be a very serious condition, it can be caused by a physical blockage (foreign body like a bone) or a functional peristalsis deficiency of the intestines. In order to treat simple constipation, you should increase the fibers in the food (e.g. canned pumpkin) and can add a little mineral oil to the diet. I strongly advise taking ZUZU to the vet in order to check if there is a serious condition causing the constipation first.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 20th, 2018

    No, you need to take her to the vet in order to get this constipation investigated before nay other medication or supplement is given. Constipation can be a very serious condition, it can be caused by a physical blockage (foreign body like a bone) or a functional peristalsis deficiency of the intestines.

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