What to do if a kitten is not pooping

Cats experience constipation due to long-term feeding on dry food and restricted intake of fluid foods. Excessive consumption of bone meal and calcium phosphate forms a paste-like block in the intestine, or insufficient intestinal stimulation due to low intake. Diseases causing painful defecation, such as foreign objects in the rectum; mechanical obstruction diseases, such as prostatic hyperplasia, can also lead to constipation in cats. You can crush the accumulated feces with your hands and flush the rectum with paraffin and soap solution.

Causes of constipation in kittens

Possible reasons for constipation in kittens include: 1) lack of stimulation behavior: Kittens from birth to three weeks old need to be stimulated by their mothers or humans to encourage defecation. 2) dehydration: Due to excessive milk concentration, for example. It could also be caused by lack of gastrointestinal peristalsis, colitis, perianal diseases, pelvic narrowing, and other diseases.

Symptoms of constipation in kittens

Constipation symptoms last for more than three days without defecation. In the early stage of constipation, the sick kitten tries to defecate hard, with a small amount of feces attached to mucus or having a bad smell. In the later stage, the kitten shows restlessness, attempts to defecate but cannot, is tense, and makes crying sounds. Some sick kittens may vomit, have a clear urge to defecate, act nervously, but cannot pass feces, have a swollen abdomen, and abdominal gas. The contents of the intestine stagnate and dry up due to intestinal motility disorders and secretion disorders, causing incomplete or complete obstruction of the digestive system.

How to teach kittens to poop

When kittens are born, they do not know how to poop on their own. Generally, mother cats stimulate their anus to encourage defecation. Owners can use cotton swabs or towels to gently wipe the kitten's anus to stimulate it. If the kitten can poop on its own, the owner needs to prepare a cat litter box and place the kitten's feces or urine in it for it to get familiar with. Eventually, the kitten will learn to poop in the litter box.