My bottle-fed kittens are bloated and constipated. What can I do?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kachie! Constipation is serious in pediatric puppies and kittens. Since it has been a week I urge you to take Katchie to the Vet and see if an enema is needed. Kitten milk replacer/formula commonly causes GI problems, either diarrhea or constipation. After every bottle feeding the kitten needs to be stimulated with a warm wet soft washcloth over the anus and genitals. I always recommend bottle fed kittens be weaned sooner, around 3 weeks. So I would start offering canned kitten food mixed with formula and decrease bottle feeding. By 5 weeks she should be off formula and eating kitten food 100%. I wish Kachie the best!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You can trying giving the paste hairball treatment to the kitten to see if it helps. But if she is straining a lot or vomiting or acting sick at all she needs to be seen by the vet again. Kittens can become obstructed by worms or foreign bodies (string, toys, etc) which could be a serious emergency. But if she is otherwise eating and drinking well then try the laxatone or similar hair ball product. Feeding canned kitten food instead of dry may also help.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Roxzy is adorable! What are you feeding him? At 5 weeks I would be sure he is eating canned kitten food (or dry if he can) and that you aren't still giving him kitten formula. Formula can be very constipating. If you are feeding him kitten food then he may need another day or 2 to get comfortable in his new environment to have a bowel movement. Get him on canned kitten food otherwise. If he still hasn't pooped by Monday night he should be seen by a vet Tuesday. Sooner if he becomes lethargic and stops eating. Constipation can be serious in young animals. Good luck!

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!

Hello, and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. For now, I wouldn't stress about knowing exactly which medication has helped Kiki - in truth, it's probably been a combination of all the different interventions. Cats who are prone to constipation often need constant adjustments in their management, so for now, if she's doing well, continue the miralax as your vet advised and touch base with them if her stools become hard or less frequent again. Sometimes cats may need to be on both meds for a time, or even switch foods entirely to a diet formulated for cats with constipation issues. So, there's probably not one "right" medication for her, and a therapy that worked this time might still need to be adjusted in the future. I have found the Royal Canin GI Fiber Response food to help immensely - you could ask your vet if that's an appropriate option if Kiki continues having bouts of constipation. Hope this helps!

Poor fluid intake, low fiber diet, food sensitivities and intestinal parasites can all contribute to constipation in kittens. I recommend adding a probiotic/fibre supplement such as fortiflora and ensure she is kept up to date with deworming medications. Monitor for feces production, she may require another enema if not resolving

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Yoda! Yoda could have intestinal parasites, that can cause a swollen belly and are very common in kittens. Signs of constipation are straining to defecate, vomiting and not eating. A swollen belly isn't necessarily a sign of constipation. The use of miralax is off label use and 1 tsp is too much for a 1 lb kitten. For adults we only recommend 1/4 tsp when recommend by a vet who has examined the pet. If Yoda wasn't straining to poop he likely wasn't constipated and now the miralax is causing diarrhea. If the diarrhea persists and he stops eating I recommend seeing a Vet. He will need vaccines and to be dewormed soon anyway. I hope this helps and I wish Yoda the best!