My new rescue kitten hasn't peed or pooped in a day. What to do?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You should offer a small amount of food about 3-4 times daily and in really small kittens, every few hours might be needed. Eliminations and the frequency thereof, are dependent on many things depending on food intake, type of food, water intake etc. As long as she is not straining and trying to poop, it could be up to another 24-36 hours. She is getting accustomed to her new and that is probably slowing up the fecal elimination process. Again, no straining to have a bowel movement usually means that everything is ok, especially if the kitten is eating and drinking normally. Just keep monitoring for a bowel movement and monitor behavior, appetite, etc. If things change and you are unsure have your veterinarian evaluate the kitten. I hope everything works out ok.

Young kittens will normally toilet frequently, often up to 6 times a day but I would be very concerned by repeated trips to the tray without producing anything as this may indicate an obstruction or severe spasm and inflammation which is quite common in cats and can be triggered by stressful events such as moving house. I recommend an urgent vet check to determine if he is constipated or bladder pain and to prescribe the most appropriate treatment and ongoing management to prevent recurrence. In the meantime I would try to encourage fluids with flavoured water (freshly boiled chicken broth or a little cod liver oil on the water bowl) and provide wet food to maximise fluid intake which can help soften stool and flush the bladder

I am not sure how many days she has gone without having a bowel movement. But if she is attempting to poop and straining, then she should see a vet immediately for an enema to help her go and then treatment for long term care. However, if she is not straining and it has been less than 3-4 days since she has pooped, give her time to adjust to whatever new things may be going on around her. Offer her food (Canned food is best @ this age or kitten formula if she has not transitioned yet) like normal and monitor her the next few days to see if she finally goes. Cats are notorious for holding their bowels when they are recently adopted, move, or there's a new introduction to the home. And finally, if you are seeing any other symptoms such as vomiting, decreased appetite, or straining, then Olly should be seen by your vet right away. You can try stimulating her to go as well by using a warm wet cloth. I hope that your furry friend Olly is able to have a bowel movement soon! Best wishes and take care. : )

Simba may be going in the other cat's litter tray, and I would try to see if you can follow him around to see if you can catch him pooping in the other tray. Kittens do not necessarily poop right after a meal, and it could be he is pooping at night in the other tray while you are sleeping. Given that he is acting normal, I wouldn't be to concerned. If he wasn't pooping at all, you would see other signs lack of appetite, potentially vomiting, straining to poop, and lethargy. Should you see any of those signs, then I would be concerned and have him seen by a vet. Best of luck.

Now that she is 3-4 weeks old she may be peeing or pooping without your knowledge. Go ahead and start teaching her the litter box but make sure it is small enough that she can get in and out. If you haven't already I would also start weaning her to cat food. At first you will still have to supplement with formula but you start by putting all for feet in canned food on a paper plate. Soon she will start eating that. And once she gets a little older, approximately 6 week, you can start adding softened kibble. The fact that she is still playful and acting normally, I do not think she is block and not urinating or pooping. Usually they will become lethargic. If you still haven't see any irons or poop in the next day or she becomes lethargic then I would see your vet for an exam. They will be able to tell if she is constipated or if the bladder is really large. I hope this helps!

This is really concerning. There are some rare genetic issues that can prevent cats from having bowel movements and can be fatal. I would strongly recommend your vet to take a look at him and possibly take some x-rays to see if there is stool in his colon and to make sure his colon is fully formed. I hope this helps and he starts to do better soon!

There is no set time frame, however a cat should poop at least once every two days (if it does not eat much) and it should urinate at least once daily. If your cat is not urinating at least once a day and not eliminating properly , it should be seen by a veterinarian for an exam. It may not be eating enough which in turn could be caused by a health condition.