# Hard Stool - what next?



## GingerZ (Jul 26, 2010)

I've posted before about this, but it was quite a few months ago and since then I've sort of accepted things the way they are and stopped worrying about it. This week, though, I am pet-sitting for a friend, and it reminds me that things still aren't quite normal with my cat.

*Background*
I've had my 7 y/o female kitty for a little over a year. I got her from the shelter and I don't know her history. Since I got her, she's been eating primarily EVO 95 canned food with a few bits of grain-free kibble as treats (a tablespoon or less per day). She is a few pounds overweight, but we are working on that and it is (very) slowly coming off.

Shortly after I got her, she started scooting on the carpet. I have had her anal glands cleaned out several times but that doesn't seem to be the source of the problem. I started giving her a teaspoon of canned pumpkin a day, and it has helped. I still catch her scooting a couple of times a week...but since she doesn't seem to be in distress, I guess I've gotten used to it.

*Now
*So, where we are now is that she poops a little every day, but it's usually pretty hard and dry. I don't think she strains, but her litter box is not in a well-traveled part of the house, so I rarely watch. I got used to this as "normal" but lately I've been pet-sitting for another cat and was quite surprised at the "giant logs of poop" I found in his litter box! It makes me wonder if I'm still not doing enough for my cat.

*Questions*
My first question is, if she's pooping every day, does it matter if they are hard and dry? I'm assuming it does, but I just have to ask.

Could the difference between the two cats have to do with the quality of their diets? Other cat is eating cheap kibble, while mine is on the highest quality I can find short of going raw. Hubby wonders if the better quality diet leads to less waste and what she is producing is fine.

I'm thinking about picking up some Miralax tomorrow when I'm out and about. Does it sound like she needs it? And if I start using it, should I cut out the pumpkin?

As a note, because I often see it as a suggestion, I can't get any more liquid into her unless I force feed her. If I add water to her canned food, she refuses to eat it, and I try to offer her a dripping faucet once a day, but she rarely partakes.

Thanks!!


----------



## catinthemirror (Jun 28, 2011)

When I switched my older cat from cheap kibble to some better quality stuff I noticed a HUGE drop in the amount of waste she left in the litter box. I've heard a lot of people say the same thing. You're husband is probably right about higher quality food - the less crap goes in, the less comes out! :wink 

That said, neither of my cats scoot unless they get something stuck in their fur back there. So I don't have much experience in that area... Although thinking about it, my cats seem to have slightly larger bowel movements after they've eaten some grass. Might be something to try.


----------



## Stryker (Apr 2, 2007)

Here's the go-to guide I recommend Feline Constipation Home Page


----------



## GingerZ (Jul 26, 2010)

Thanks for the link, Stryker. I actually saw it in another thread (probably from you!) and read through it last night before posting here. The information in it is part of what confused me, because of all the symptoms of constipation listed, my cat only has one of them, so I'm not sure if it is still considered constipation or if it is even a problem.


----------



## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

GingerZ said:


> My first question is, if she's pooping every day, does it matter if they are hard and dry?


My cat developed chronic constipation last year at the age of 7. Well, probably before that, but that's when I really noticed a problem. So now she's on Miralax twice a day.

If her stool is dry, hard round balls or very small hard dark stools - it's highly possible that she could be constipated. That's how my cats constipation started. Like you, I never noticed her straining, but I also did not watch her go. And like your cat, my cat also did the butt scooting. Then one day I caught her in the act trying to have a bowel movement, and noticed her severely straining. So I started paying closer attention, and realized it was an ongoing problem.

If you suspect constipation, I wouldn't immediately use Miralax. I would first visit the vet for an x-ray so they can see if there's stool backed up in the colon. Constipation is very painful and uncomfortable for a kitty, and can often go unnoticed by us unless we actually see them attempting to go. Constipation can be caused my many different things, so a vet visit is your best course of action if you suspect a problem. 

Go with your gut instincts. Which by your post, I believe your gut instincts are telling you there may be a bowel movement problem. I've learned with my two cats, when I fear there's a problem, get to the vet right away, because my instincts are almost always right. Good luck!


----------

