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My cat is constipated. Is it safe to give him a human laxative?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 4 years and 7 months old

consipated 5 year old cat male due to low potassium illness last week. Can i buy a laxative and give to him safely / He is eating and urinating has a way nose ..

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on June 6th, 2018

Unfortunately human laxatives are toxic to cats, so that is not a good idea. Depending on how constipated Martin is, sometimes your vet will have to do an enema to resolve the constipation. If the constipation is mild, you may be able to give a stool softener to help resolve the problem. There are some over the counter and some prescription medications for this. I am attaching a handout below that discusses constipation including medications that we use.
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951509
Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on January 9th, 2020
Hello. The biggest concern would be if the constipation worsens & he becomes obsitpated. Make sure he is drinking as much as possible, including meat broths, stocks, tuna water & of course fresh water. Give him 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax with every meal ( should only be wet food ). If he does not defecate within a day or so, you will need to find a way to have him seen. These two companies do offer payment options that most veterinarians will accept. Please check them out to see if you qualify. Good luck with Pepper & thanks for using PetCoach.
https://www.carecredit.com
https://www.scratchpay.com
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Is it safe to give my very constipated senior cat an enema at home?

Poor Marshmellow! It would not be safe to give her an enema at home. You can give her some canned pumpkin to see if this helps soften her stool but it really sounds like she needs to see a veterinarian for care. Your veterinarian can also discuss medication options like Lactulose or Miralax to soften her stool in the future and prevent constipation. In older cats constipation often occurs secondary to some other issue like kidney disease or inflammatory bowel disease so blood work would be a good idea for Marshmellow.

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My cat is constipated with hard stool. Why isn't the laxative working?

I am sorry to hear about your kitty Kiko! Oftentimes if the oral laxative is not helping pass the stool, she may require more aggressive treatment at the vet's office such as a stay for a period of time to get IV fluids to help rehydrate her, an enema and in some cases sedation to manually empty the bowel https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951509 . I would recommend calling your vet to get Kiko back in for a recheck examination.

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My cat has constipation. Can I give lactulose syrup and how much?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, you can give lactulose orally. If he is a medium-sized cat, he can likely get 2 mL by mouth twice daily until his stools are softer. If he does not defecate for longer than 48 hours, he should be seen by a veterinarian right away. Constipation can progress to obstipation, meaning a cat is completely unable to pass the feces. This can lead to rupture of the colon and/or irreversible problems with the colon. I hope this is helpful.

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My cat threw up twice, is constipated, and won't take laxative.

If he is still vomiting then he needs to be examined by a vet for treatment. If he is constipated, he may need an enema and medication to help soften his stool. He might also need an anti-vomiting medication.

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My cat is constipated. Can I safely give sennosides to help her?

Sennosides should not be given to cats as it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and anorexia. If your kitty is constipated you can try giving pumpkin in his food, It is best, however, to take your kitty to your veterinarian for an enema or proper kitty laxatives.

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My cat hasn't pooped in 2 days and is uncomfortable. What should I do?

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.

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What canned food is safe for my cat's urinary and constipation issues?

Since constipation issues are directed at increasing water content and fiber, I would recommend sticking with the canned Purina urinary food and then adding in fiber daily with 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin or Metamucil. Also have him checked with your vet if there is ever a time he can't go at all because he may have a condition called megacolon (enlarged colon) which would require medicaiton to treat. You can also try Laxatone over the counter. Here is a website link with more information for you.http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=634 I hope your fur baby gets well soon.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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