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My cat is straining in the litter box, is it constipation?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Bobtail | Male | neutered | 4 years and 11 months old | 16 lbs

My cats is having trouble pooping

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on May 2nd, 2020

I'm sorry to hear that Gizmo is having some trouble! Before worrying about his pooping, first make sure that he is urinating normally. Male cats can develop urethral obstructions (blockages) that can prevent them from peeing. This is a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate treatment. Many cats with these blockages strain in the litter box and it can make it look like they're having trouble pooping. If Gizmo is urinating normally, it's possible that he's constipated. Be sure that he is drinking plenty of water. Adding water to canned food is a great way to get him to drink more. Also adding some canned pumpkin to his diet can increase his fiber intake, which can help him to poop. If he's gone 3 or more days without a bowel movement, Gizmo needs to go to the vet for further evaluation, as medications or an enema may be needed. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on June 13th, 2017
If you are not positive your kitty is urinating then this would be an emergency situation. Often owners think a cat is constipated when it goes to the litterbox and strains, but in some cases a cat actually has a urinary blockage which is considered a medical emergency. If you feel it is possible your cat isn't urinating then seek emergency care now. If you are positive he is urinating, then a vet visit tomorrow to treat the constipation is needed (unless your cat is so painful he cannot sleep tonight). We sometimes will try over the counter hairball laxative ( such as laxatone) for mild constipation, but if your cat is straining this much, it is likely a prescription strength laxative along with an enema and fluids may be needed to treat him.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on January 12th, 2020
Aaron should be seen tonight. He may have a partial urinary obstruction which is serious, but if he obstructs completely, it could be deadly.
If he is urinating, but is straining to defecate, he could be severely constipated. Either condition should be addressed promptly to avoid discomfort or worse.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 1st, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Charlotte. If she is straining to defecate, she could be constipated like you mentioned. She could also be straining as a result of diarrhea. A few drops of liquid stool come out and the cat still feels to the need to go more resulting in the straining. Check her litterbox thoroughly. With constipation, you may notice small very hard dry feces. With diarrhea you could see liquid piles of stool or just drops. Some cats are unable to make it to the box so there may be evidence elsewhere in the house. While it is not common in females, if she is unable to urinate, this is an emergency and she will be seen tonight. Look for urine in the box. If you see bloody drops of urine around the house, then she is likely straining to urinate. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My older cat is straining. Is it constipation or a urinary problem?

Adding water to the food, or a spoonful of canned pumpkin with each meal, can often help with mild constipation issues in cats. I'm not sure what Jack is doing, specifically, that is making you concerned about constipation - but I would caution you that straining in the litter box is more likely to be due to a urinary obstruction than constipation. This would be a medical emergency, so unless you are positive that he is constipated and not straining to urinate, it would be best to take him to a vet today for an exam to help determine exactly what's going on.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat is straining, vomiting, and constipated. What should I do?

Poor Eddie! Before doing anything else, make sure that Eddie is urinating normal volumes in the litter box without straining. Urinary obstructions in male cats can easily be mistaken for constipation because these cats will strain in the litter box, go in and out of the litter box, vomit, and sometimes vocalize. It is extremely important to assure that he is urinating normally without straining because urinary obstructions are a life-threatening situation that require emergency veterinary attention. If Eddie is urinating appropriately and does not have a bowel movement at home tonight, you should take him to the vet in the morning. The vet will be able to examine him and may need to take abdominal x-rays to determine the degree of constipation or stool impaction. Based upon those results, the vet may need to perform an enema or provide Eddie with prescription-based stool softeners. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat has constipation. When is it an emergency vet visit?

I usually say if there's straining in the litterbox with little to no stool produced in 24 hours, or if there are 3 days with no stool (but no straining is seen) it's time to head to the vet. The fact that he is eating normally is a good thing since appetite tends to decrease with constipation. At any time if he seems painful it is best to go to the vet. You may want to check in with your vet and see what their criteria would be for when to head in - they know more about Bug's particular case and might make different recommendations.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my older cat straining and using the litter box so much?

Poor Oreo! Straining in the litter box can be caused by constipation, diarrhea, or urinary issues - it's often quite difficult to tell if a cat is straining to pee or poop, so it can be hard to differentiate these things if you aren't used to looking at them. The most concerning possibility is that Oreo may have a urinary obstruction, especially if you have not seen a significant amount of urine in either box since yesterday. This is unfortunately a very common problem in male cats, because their urethra is extremely narrow where it exits the penis - this area can often become "plugged" with crystals or mucus from the bladder. Signs of this problem include repeatedly going to the litter box without producing much urine, crying when trying to urinate, and often lethargy, decreased appetite, and vomiting. If he does have a urinary obstruction, this is a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate treatment, as the bladder can rupture and cause death within 24 hours in some cases. It's also possible that Oreo is using the litter box so much because he has diarrhea, or is having trouble passing stool because he is constipated. These problems are less common than urinary issues in my experience, but would still need to be treated by a vet - especially since he's been acting this way for two days now, and seems to be getting worse. I would recommend taking Oreo to the vet today for an exam. He/she can palpate his abdomen to check his bladder and colon, and may also recommend some diagnostic testing if needed to help diagnose the problem.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my cat straining in litter box, only peeing or pooping little?

Oh no, poor Bella! It is concerning that she is appear to have trouble pooping and/or peeing. I would try mixing in a teaspoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) with her food, and feeding her canned food to get more moisture in her. If she is constipated, dehydration is the most common cause of it in cats. Continue to monitor here and if she is still having trouble pooping, have her seen by a vet tomorrow. If she has trouble urinating, strains to urinate, nothing is coming out when she tries to pee, or she cries when trying to urinate, you will need to take her into a vet immediately because these signs are a medical emergency.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat is constipated and peeing. What should I do right now?

If your cat is unable to defecate, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Some cats become so constipated that they require subcutaneous fluids (under the skin), enemas, sedation, and manual evacuation of the stool by a veterinarian. Do NOT try giving enemas or removing stool at home. Constipation in a cat is a serious medical condition.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat spitting up foam, straining, and crying in pain?

Your cat could be severely constipated and the straining can make him nauseous. For severe constipation, your pet should be seen by a vet. Hard stool building up in the colon stretches it out of shape, and it also causes stretching of the muscles around the anus, causing perianal hernias that trap the collected feces, effectively making a plug. Your pet may need more than one enema and even manual extraction of the feces in order to relieve this episode. To help avoid this in the future, you can add Miralax to the food. Miralax is a very gentle, easy to give treatment for constipation, available over the counter at any pharmacy. The dose of Miralax is 1 tsp per 50 lbs mixed in with food once a day. You can also add a tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil to his food once daily, or add a couple of teaspoons of canned pumpkin (not pie filling) to his food daily.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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