My 4-month-old kitten isn't pooping. Should I manually stimulate him?

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.

Hi and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the kitten is less than 8 weeks old, it should be fed milk replacer and not cat food. Kittens digestive systems are not yet mature enough to handle regular food and giving them this may cause stomach upset. If the kitten cannot go to the bathroom or is having trouble doing this, you can stimulate her to go by rubbing her underside with a warm washcloth. There is also a congenital abnormality where kittens are born without a anus and therefore cannot defecate called atresia ani. It is rare but can occur. If you have tried to get her to defecate and she is still not going, you may need to take her into her veterinarian for further examination. Best of luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Boba. As long as she is eating, gaining weight and seems comfortable, she should defecate soon. Make sure you are stimulating her after each meal. Apply a warm cotton ball to her genital area. This replicates the mother licking her and will help her to urinate and defecate. If she stops eating or her belly appears distended, then she needs to see a veterinarian. In this case, an enema may be warranted. I hope this information helps!

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. : )

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

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, This is Dr. Johnson. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I see that Suga is about 3 weeks old. I am assuming you are hand raising him. I recommend that you take a warm soft cloth and gently wipe the genital area. When kittens are raised by their mother the mom licks them after they nurse ti stimulate the kittens to eliminate. Good luck!