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

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 14 lbs

Hello, My kitty has been going to her litter box a lot today and I noticed that she is only pooping a little but each time or peeing just a little. She goes and hovers like she has to go potty but it is like she can't go then she licks her bottom and lays down then later tries again. We have not changed foods and she appears to be drinking water. What could be going on?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 22nd, 2017

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.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Davis
Veterinarian
Published on August 10th, 2017
She may have a urinary tract infection. This causes straining with only small amounts of urine and burning when she urinates. It causes discomfort which is why she is roaming and can't get comfortable. I recommend taking her to your veterinarian for treatment. They will check a urine sample for bacteria, blood and crystals and will prescribe medication, usually antibiotics. If there are crystals they may recommend a prescription food to prevent this from recurring again. Please don't give her human pain medications. You can feed wet food with some added water to help flush out her bladder. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bella.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 2nd, 2017
If Lilly is straining while going to the bathroom it could indicate a number of different things going on. First, it is important to know if she is having trouble when she is trying to urinate or defecate or both. This can help narrow down the problem. If the issue occurs when she is trying to urinate I would be concerned about a urinary tract infection or bladder stones. If the problem occurs when she is trying to poop she could be constipated or have an increased urgency because of the diarrhea. I would recommend taking Lilly in to the vet to be examined. She will need a fecal examination and a urinalysis performed to rule out an infection. Best of luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Why is my 2-month-old kitten straining and crying when pooping?

If she is experiencing a lot of pain than she should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. She may be just having some constipation issues but a vet could check to make sure she doesn't have a congenital malformation and/or problems with her hips or pelvis. If it is just constipation than you could add a teaspoon of canned pumpkin to her diet to increase the fiber and see if that helps.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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

Training & Behavior

Why is my cat straining in the litter box but not peeing or pooping?

Oh no, that's not good. This can be a sign of a blockage in the urethra from bladder stones. A urethral blockage is fatal without treatment, and since I can't see Mittens in person to rule one out, I think it's best to take him into a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My cat strains to poop, eats less, and has accidents. Is it constipation?

Poor girl. It sounds very likely Lola has an internal problem causing her to have an accident outside the box as well as a decrease in her appetite. This could very well be constipation, since constipated cats will strain and can often-times get nausea causing them to eat less or even vomit sometimes. I would highly recommend getting her seen by your vet soon to have her fully evaluated via physical exam to see if constipation is the underlying cause for her illness. If it is, then the vet will likely get her on a stool softener and recommend fluids to hydrate her. I hope that Lola's condition improves soon! Best of luck and take care.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

Why is my cat straining to poop and has a red ring around her anus?

The red ring may be a potential rectal prolapse from all the straining. Add water to the meals to increase fluid intake. Too much pumpkin may worsen constipation. Add no more than 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds body weight of plain canned pumpkin (NOT pie filling) to the meals. Ideally, Olivia should be examined by your veterinarian. Abdominal x-rays should be done to determine if she is obstipated (obstructed with stool). If so, she may need sedation and manual emptying and or enemas. Do not administer an enema at home.

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

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