Is tuna good for constipated cats
Cats & Tuna: Is it Safe for Them?
Awell-balanced meal plan for catsincludes protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. When your kitty eats too little or too much of certain nutrients, health complications can arise.
Tuna on its own is not nutritionally balanced. For example, tuna has too much unsaturated fat and is not supplemented with Vitamin E or other antioxidants. Therefore, tuna should not be fed as your cat's primary source of nutrition.
If tuna is part of your cat's meal plan and you notice them acting out of sorts, consider taking them into your veterinarian for a wellness visit it's always a good idea to get a baseline reading to ensure nothing serious is going on.
Best Cat Food for Constipation
The best cat food for constipation promotes a healthy stool consistency. These foods are rich in hydrating moisture, made with easily digestible ingredients, and offer balanced fiber levels to ensure smooth and regular digestion.
When a cat is constipated, stool turns to stone, and bowel movements become increasingly frustrating. All the while, the digestive system continues merrily on, creating more waste to fill up the small intestine and double your cats discomfort.
In this guide, youll learn what features make a product appropriate for cats struggling with constipation. Weve also assembled a list of our top picks for the best cat foods for constipation on the market.
At a Glance: The Best Cat Food for Constipation in 2024
Overall Best
10.0
Picked by 31 people today!
- Rich in animal-sourced protein
- Cod liver oil provides omega-3 fatty acids
- Good source of hydration for your cat
Runner Up
9.8
Picked by 31 people today!
- Contains a single source of animal protein
- Rich in hydrating moisture
- Limited list of digestible ingredients
Budget Pick
9.4
Picked by 21 people today!
- Hydrating canned food
- Popular among cats with digestive issues
- Contains pumpkin
Best Ethically-Sourced
9.3
Picked by 18 people today!
- Made with ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients
- Contains a single source of animal protein
- Rich in moisture to support hydration and digestion
Best Wet
9.2
Picked by 31 people today!
- Formulated to support digestive health
- Rich in animal-sourced protein and fat
- Salmon oil provides anti-inflammatory omega-3s
Best Dry
9.1
Picked by 31 people today!
- Numerous sources of quality animal protein
- Much lowers carb content than typical dry food
- Free from artificial additives and fillers
Best for Picky Cats
9.0
Picked by 25 people today!
- Made with a single source of novel protein
- Easily digestible with low carbohydrate content
- Full of moisture to support your cats hydration
Best for Sensitive Stomach
9.0
Picked by 21 people today!
- Made with a short list of easily digestible ingredients
- Relies on animal-sourced protein and fat
- Doesnt contain carrageenan or gums
Best for Seniors
8.9
Picked by 18 people today!
- Rich source of animal protein
- Short list of easily digestible main ingredients
- Fairly low carbohydrate content
Top Picks Explained
In this video, Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, discusses the signs of constipation in cats and how to treat it. The products recommended below were chosen with Dr. Wootens advice in mind.
Why Trust Cats.com
The products recommended below were carefully selected and tested by several members of our team with their own cats at home. Prior to selecting products for testing, we consulted our panel of veterinary advisors to learn more about the dietary management of constipation in cats. Relying on in-depth research and veterinary advice, we made our selections and purchased the products at full retail price.
Our in-home testing process involves a detailed analysis of each products nutritional makeup as well as research into the brands history. We also read customer reviews to gauge cat owner satisfaction with the products. Our cats provide their opinions on the foods taste, texture, and general appeal while we make observations about the aroma, appearance, consistency, and packaging.
Our Veterinary Advisors:
The Top 9 Best Cat Foods for Constipation
For its meat-centric formula and rich moisture content, Smalls Fresh Ground Bird is our top pick for the best cat food for constipation. But it isnt the perfect pick for every cat. Your cat is unique and your choice should account for their individual needs and preferences.
We consider a variety of factors when evaluating and recommending cat foods. Our rankings are based on objective analysis of the product along with the results of in-house testing. To help you find the right product for your cat, weve categorized our picks by food type, price range, and other key markers.
What to Look for in Cat Food for Constipation
When waste arrives in the small intestine, it has a sludgy consistency. As it moves further along the gastrointestinal tract (GI), the large intestine draws out water, turning the sludge into stool. Once the waste firms up, it makes its way to the rectum and out of the body.
But if anything goes wrongif the process went too slowly, the body absorbed too much water, or theres something blocking the way the stool wont move out smoothly. A change in diet may help resolve ongoing issues with constipation and prevent it from recurring.
Heres what to look for in cat food for constipation.
High Moisture Content
Although well-hydrated cats can be constipated, dehydration is a contributing factor in feline constipation. Jean Hofve, DVM, says In more than 18 years of experience as a feline veterinarian, I have not personally seen constipation problems in cats who do not eat dry food.
Consider that dry food is 10-12% moisture and that your cats natural prey is at least 70% water. Combined with your cats low thirst drive, this is a recipe for chronic dehydration and all its ripple effects throughout the body, including constipation. High-moisture diets encourage water retention in the stool, making it easier to pass.
Easily Digestible Ingredients
Your cats body is designed to process meat, so the closer their diet is to whole prey, the easier it will be for your cat to digest. A species-appropriate diet for cats includes muscle meat, organs, and bones with plenty of hydrating moisture. Animal by-products, vaguely named meals, and high levels of carbohydrates may negatively impact a products digestibility.
Its also wise to stick to a recipe that contains a short list of ingredients. The longer the ingredients list, the more opportunity there is for something in the food to trigger a reaction or cause irritation. Keep it simple to ensure optimal digestibility.
Adequate Fiber Content
You might feel that cats dont require fiber after all, cats are obligate carnivores that eat meat. But remember that cats consume herbivorous prey which often carry a pocket of partially digested plant matter in their own tiny GI tract.
While we think of natural prey as an ultra-efficient form of nutrition for cats, its not completely digestible. Prey animals have hair, skin, teeth, and claws. Commercially-sold diets include substitutes for these natural sources of fiber and indigestible matter, but raw cat food or homemade diets seldom do.
There is no magic number when it comes to the fiber content of your cats diet. Excessive fiber is just as likely to cause digestive issues as inadequate intake. It may be a matter of trial and error to find the right balance in your specific cats diet.
Supplements to Support Digestion
For cats being fed low-fiber diets, adding a fiber supplement may help ease constipation. Insoluble fiber sources like beans, potatoes, and cellulose help prevent constipation by adding bulk to your cats stool. Soluble fiber (like pumpkin puree or psyllium husks) acts as a prebiotic that helps fuel probiotic activity in your cats gut to promote healthy digestion.
Cat food that contains probiotics may help resolve constipation by promoting a healthier, more balanced environment in the digestive tract. Digestive enzymes in cat food and supplements may be beneficial as well, helping the body break down food more efficiently to ensure a smoother trip through the gastrointestinal tract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does grain-free food help with constipation in cats?
It depends. A high-moisture diet focused on animal ingredients with low carbohydrate content is the best for constipated cats. Grain-free diets can be low in carbohydrates, but they often arent. These foods often include legumes like beans and peas which, though grain-free, can be difficult for cats to digest.
What does megacolon cat poop look like?
Megacolon sometimes develops in cases of severe constipation when the muscles of the colon become stretched out. Stools produced by cats with a megacolon may appear smaller than normal. The cat may pass a large amount of hard, dry stool once or several times a week instead of smaller amounts more frequently.
What is the best diet for a cat with a megacolon?
A cat with a megacolon may have trouble passing stool because the muscles of the colon have been weakened. Easily digestible diets are key. A low-residue diet will minimize the effort required to digest the food. Increasing your cats fiber intake may help as well by adding bulk to the stool.
What foods are natural laxatives for cats?
Fiber-rich foods like canned pumpkin may help ease difficult bowel movements. If your cat is on a dry food diet, feeding small amounts of wet food may also help. Do not give your cat fish oil or other liquid oils as a laxative. Theres no scientific evidence that oil is an effective method for relieving constipation in cats. In fact, it may cause diarrhea.
Cat Constipation: Causes, Treatment, & Remedies
Constipation in cats is not something to take lightlyit can be a serious health concern.
Constipation occurs when cats pass hard, dry stool or have difficulty evacuating their stool. Obstipation is a severe form of constipation in which no stool passes for a period of days, resulting in a large buildup of feces in the colon.
Although many cats will occasionally become constipated, prolonged constipation requires veterinary intervention.
Constipation is very common in older cats and senior cats, but cats of any age can experience constipation.
Quick Overview: Cat Constipation
Common Symptoms: Little to no fecal production, straining to defecate, frequent litter box visits, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy.
Diagnosis: Hard stool can sometimes be found during physical exam. Physical exam is also needed to rule out a urinary bladder obstruction, which is much more serious and can mimic constipation symptoms. X-rays can help support the presence of firm stool present, bloodwork to evaluate underlying diseases that can predispose to constipation.
Requires Ongoing Medication: Sometimes
Vaccine Available: No
Treatment Options: In mild cases of constipation, an oral laxative like lactulose or miralax may be used. Advanced cases of constipation may require enemas to be performed at the vet's office. Obstipation, where a fecal blockage is present often require sedation or anesthesia for manual removal of feces or hospitalization. Other underlying causes of constipation may need to be treated. Prescription diets, fiber supplementation, or oral laxatives may need to be continued.
Home Remedies: Miralax, an over the counter powdered osmotic laxative may be used for mild cases of constipation, starting at 1/8 teaspoon once a day and increased in in 1/8 tsp increments up to twice a day. A vet visit is needed if no stool is seen after 24-48 hours or if other signs of concern develop.Is Your Cat Constipated? A Vet Explains How To Help
What Causes Constipation in Cats?
Cat constipation signs can sometimes be difficult to notice. There are many possible causes of constipation in cats.
Some of the most common causes of constipation in cats are:
- Anal gland infection
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Change in diet or inappropriate diet
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
- Foreign body ingestion
- Hairballs
- Hyperthyroidism
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Intestinal tumors
- Kidney disease
- Medication
- Megacolon
- Metabolic abnormalities
- Neurologic disease
- Obesity
- Prior pelvic fractures
Constipation can also result if a cat begins holding her poop because of behavioral or environmental reasons.
For instance, the cat may be avoiding the litter box because she is being ambushed by another household cat when she enters or exits. Maybe the litter box itself is not cleaned frequently enough and the cat doesnt want to use it.
Megacolon may also play a part in feline constipation.
A condition called megacolon can either be the primary cause of constipation or can develop as a secondary condition because of severe constipation. With megacolon, the muscles of the colon become stretched out and weak and are unable to move fecal matter through the colon and out of the body.
Megacolon is a very serious condition that can result in severe illness and even death if left untreated. Therefore, it is vital to seek veterinary attention if your cat experiences constipation that does not resolve quickly.
Signs & Symptoms of Cat Constipation
Some of the most obvious signs of constipation are less frequent defecation (finding less poop in the litterbox), finding small or dry poops, or in severe cases, finding no poop at all. In general, cats defecate one to three times a day. Constipation should be suspected in any cat that has not pooped in a couple of days.
Other Signs Of Constipation Include:
- Abdominal discomfort
- Blood or mucus in the stool
- Decreased appetite
- Dry, hard stool
- Defecating outside the litterbox
- Hiding
- Small amounts of diarrhea
- Straining when using the litter box
- Vocalizing (crying) when using the litter box
- Vomiting
How To Help a Constipated Cat?
If your cat is severely constipated (passing very little stool, has not pooped in several days), she requires veterinary care.
Colonic obstruction (where the colon becomes impacted with stool) can be mild (termed constipation) or it can be very serious (called obstipation). When feces remains in the cats body for too long, the cat will eventually become extremely sick. Left untreated, cats can even die from constipation.
When You Visit the Clinic, Your Veterinarian Will Perform a Physical Examination
The veterinarian will do a complete physical exam, including palpating the abdomen to feel for hard stool in the colon and checking for signs of dehydration (one of the most common causes of constipation). Some cats will even tolerate a rectal examination, though some cats will not think this is acceptable!
Additional Tests May Be Necessary
Depending on the severity of the constipation and whether it is something that has happened before, the veterinarian might wish to run additional tests, including blood work, urinalysis, and X-rays or ultrasound.
Fluid Therapy Is a Cornerstone of Constipation Treatment
The main treatment for your cats constipation is therapeutic rehydration with fluid therapy. Your veterinarian may choose to rehydrate your cat with subcutaneous fluids (administered under the skin) or intravenous fluids (given via an intravenous catheter).
Enemas and Laxatives May Be Administered
After hydration, laxatives may be prescribed to help the cat begin to pass the stool. Enemas can be used to directly hydrate and lubricate the stool that is stuck in the colon.
Over-the-counter enemas available in pharmacies should not be used in cats, since many contain ingredients that are toxic to cats. Many cats will tolerate enemas with minimal sedation, but a full disimpaction (manual extraction of feces) will require general anesthesia and is pursued only when other methods have failed.
Some cats with severe megacolon may require a surgery called a subtotal colectomy to remove the affected area of the colon to prevent painful recurrences. This is a major procedure that is reserved for only the most severe cases.
Once the constipation is addressed, your veterinarian will discuss measures you can take at home to prevent your cat from becoming constipated again, including encouraging more water intake, dietary changes, supplements, and possibly medications like stool softeners, laxatives or motility drugs (always use such medications under the guidance of a veterinarian).
Constipated Cat Remedies / Natural Remedies
Prolonged constipation may result in severe fecal impaction as shown in this X-ray.
Making some changes to your cats lifestyle can greatly reduce her chances of becoming constipated again. To keep things moving, you will want to keep your cat well-hydrated, make sure shes eating enough fiber, prevent hairballs, keep your cat at a good weight, and encourage exercise.
1. Increase Hydration
Hydration is the biggest component of resolving and preventing constipation in cats. To resolve mild constipation or to prevent constipation from recurring, encourage your cat to drink more water.
Cats are notoriously bad about drinking water, but there are some tricks you can try to get your cat to drink more.
Many cats like drinking from pet fountains because the water is always movingkeeping it interesting, cool, and fresh tasting. Many cats prefer cool water, so you can also try putting a few ice cubes in your cats water dish or purchase a cooling pet bowl designed to keep the water cold.
Another good way to entice your cat to drink more is to flavor her water by pouring a teaspoon of low-sodium chicken broth or juice from a can of tuna into her water dish.
Also Read: Best Cat Water Fountains
If your cat eats primarily dry food, gradually switching your cats food to canned food can increase her daily water consumption. Read more about the best cat food for constipation below.
2. Try Natural Remedies
Certain home remedies, including fiber supplements like psyllium (Metamucil) or canned pumpkin, can help keep things moving in your cats intestinal tract. These natural remedies for cat constipation are safe and easy to give your cat.
Not all cats need fiber, though, and in some cases excess fiber can cause more harm than good. Ask your veterinarian if your cat would benefit from psyllium or pumpkin and for advice on how much to give. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend a gentle laxative like Miralax.
Although some people think its a good idea to give a cat with constipation olive oil, coconut oil or even butter to relieve cat constipation, this is generally not recommended. The high fat content of oils and butter can
3. Prevent Hairballs
If your cat is prone to hairballs, consider using a hairball remedy. Hairball remedies come in a tasty gel formulation that cats find palatable. There are also special hairball treats designed to help move hair through the digestive tract. Brushing your cat more frequently can also cut down on the amount of hair she ingests during self-grooming.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight
Overweight cats are more prone to constipation. If your cat is overweight, speak to your veterinarian about steps you can take to help her safely lose weight so she is leaner.
5. Increase Exercise
The more your cat moves, the better her bowels will function. Encourage her to get more exercise by adding more play sessions with toys like feather wands and laser lights (careful not to shine them into her eyes).
Cat Food for Constipation
Certain cat foods are designed to help promote colon health to keep things moving. A high-fiber diet or low-residue diet can help cats that experience chronic (recurring) constipation. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a specific brand of cat food for constipation.
Also Read: Best Cat Food For Constipation
Help for Cat Constipation
For some cats, constipation can be a recurring issue. If your cat experiences constipation, stay on top of her hydration and implement any other changes your veterinarian recommends to try to stave off future episodes.
