I’m really at my wit's end. To explain the situation, four months ago I rescued a kitten I found in my garden; he was only 10 days old.
Since then, he's had loads of problems with his bottom (soft poo that really irritated the skin, severe constipation...). I've had to clean his bum regularly and he just can't stand it anymore.
This has been going on for over four months now and the poor little guy holds it in because he's scared of doing a poo. When he needs to go, he doesn't go to his litter tray; he just stays where he is, strains a bit, and then walks off with his anus dilated and the poo ready to come out. He also scoots his bum across the floor... He’s been wormed, of course. The problem is he’s getting poo everywhere, and obviously, he miaows loudly whenever we try to clean him. Since we aren't home during the day when we're at work, if he starts trying to go, he ends up with poo stuck to his bottom for several hours with his anus dilated.
My husband can't cope with it anymore because there is poo all over the house, yet he manages to wee in the litter tray just fine. I don't understand why he can't just do his business properly in one go. I've tried everything: different food, different litter, using bleach, cat grass... you name it. Nothing works.
I'm coming to you as a last resort because I honestly don't know what to do anymore; my husband doesn't want him in the house anymore and I've seen several vets who haven't been able to help me.
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Try to find a vet practice that has internal medicine specialists.
You did the right thing with this little kitten, but 30 days of milk isn't quite long enough. My own cat, who I took in at 3 weeks old, stayed on kitten milk until he was 2 months old.
Did you use clay-based litter at the start? Every kitten I've ever raised ended up eating the litter from the tray. I've seen some of my cats do exactly what yours is doing—scooting along the floor—because of something they hadn't digested properly that was having trouble coming out.
If he’s suffering from chronic constipation, there is a very good paraffin-based oral paste you can get (like Laxatone or Katalax):
This sounds like a prolapse of the anus, rectum, or bowel.
The alternating cycle of diarrhoea and constipation causes the tissues to slacken, which leads to these difficult bowel movements.
You should focus on a rich, wet food diet, which will help things get back to normal.
Contrary to popular belief, (good quality) wet food doesn't cause diarrhoea.
Cats, and kittens in particular, aren't naturally meant to eat dry food like kibble (which is only 10% water); they are designed to eat prey (which is about 75% water).
Kind regards
Hi there,
Changing their diet might help, but it won't fix the underlying issue. If your regular vets can't find what's wrong, you should ask them to refer you to a specialist (either at a university vet school or a specialist referral centre).
Best of luck!
Hi Lyzzza,
It really is a very strange situation, and it feels like we’re stuck in a vicious circle we can't get out of.
I bottle-fed him for three weeks, and I always cleaned him using warm water and cotton wool pads so I wouldn't irritate him.
What I find hard to understand is that he is toilet trained; he grooms himself every time he goes for a wee or tries to do a poo.
It makes me so sad, but I've already seen three different vets who don't have a clue. One of them even suggested giving him an enema without even knowing what the cause might be.
My poor little kitten, I really think he must be in pain. He’s so playful and cuddly as well. It’s such a worry. I’m going to try a fourth vet; maybe they'll know more, I don't know.
It must be so draining for his little body.
So the cat is about 4-5 months old? Still a kitten then.
And no vet has been able to give you a proper diagnosis yet?
If you rescued him when he was only 10 days old, he must have been bottle-fed. What kind of milk did you use and for how long?
Around what age did you wean him?
Were you cleaning him with cotton wool after every feed? You know, using a cotton wool pad soaked in warm water to stimulate him to go to the toilet, just like a mother cat would by licking her kittens.
If he wasn't stimulated properly when he was a baby, he might have developed a form of chronic constipation and could be suffering from a "lazy bowel".
I'm not a vet, but have a think about these questions and maybe mention this angle to your vet—there might be a solution.
Maybe an abdominal X-ray could reveal some sort of malformation?
Or perhaps inflammation caused by a foreign body he’s swallowed that’s causing a blockage.
The poor thing must be so miserable not being able to go.
Is there a vet school anywhere near you? (It might be worth a try).
While you're waiting for it to arrive, I’d recommend soaking their dry food in warm water for 20 minutes before giving it to them (just do small amounts at a time as it doesn't keep). It’ll be a bit less of a nightmare that way.
Best regards
@Courgette et canne à pêche, thank you so much for your advice. I’ve just ordered some wet food. I’m going to try it out for a few weeks to see if it works.
Hi,
@Blue cat, he has indeed seen plenty of vets. I’m going every week and the bills are starting to get extremely steep. I’ve already tried liquid paraffin; it worked for a while. But my cat clears up each time; after a week on the liquid paraffin, the vet told me to switch to rapeseed oil as it’s less chemical-heavy. But it’s the same result—he just gets blocked up again.
It really is a nightmare...
I’d recommend Animonda Carny on Zooplus; it’s the best value per lb for such decent quality, and it’s grain-free. They have 200g, 400g, and even 800g tins (which is about 1.7 lbs). With the 800g tins, you can freeze the food in portions to spread the meals out over several days—it’ll keep much better that way than being left open in the fridge for days on end. Also, try to get hold of some psyllium husk; if you notice they’re starting to get diarrhoea, just add half a teaspoon. It helps soak up the excess liquid and makes it easier for them to pass stools. Cheers.
Hi there,
The situation you’re describing isn’t normal. Has he been seen by a vet? That should be the first thing you do. There could be a serious issue. The skin around the anus is very delicate; it’s likely inflamed and causing him a lot of pain.
A bit of liquid paraffin in his food helps the poo pass without pain, but it won't fix the underlying problem.
