Paws Whiskers & Claws, The Feline Hospital
Georgia's premier cat hospital - servicing Marietta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Atlanta, Vinings, Cumming, Alpharetta, Morningside, Smyrna
Ingrid is excited to share that she co-authored a paper for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery on helping clients use food puzzles with their cats! The final version is available at the publisher's website. As a supplement to the article this handout was created and you can download and share with others!
This handout provided by permission of the authors and with permission to share from the JFMS.
AND...while defecation outside the box is almost always due to an underlying medical problem, it is still imperative that you maximize your litter box protocol. These links will help you do just that!
Constipation can be defined as an abnormal accumulation of feces resulting in difficult bowel movements. This may result in reduced frequency or absence of defecation. The feces are retained in the large intestine, or colon. Since one of the functions of the colon is water absorption, the retained feces become hard and dry, which makes fecal passage even more difficult.
Constipated cats strain in an attempt to defecate resulting in abdominal pain. Some constipated cats may pass small amounts of liquid feces or blood. They will often vomit during and/or after straining to defecate, whether or not feces are produced. They will also often lose their appetite and/or become lethargic when they are constipated.
Many constipated cats will defecate outside the box and often it is unintentional. They may start out in the litter box trying to defecate but little or nothing comes out until they start to walk away. The physical activity of walking helps some feces fall out to the ground. Alternatively, they may defecate wherever they are if they get the urge, which can be frequently since their colon is so full and a litter box may be too far away. Finally, they may start to associate the pain of straining and difficult defecation with the litter box and develop an aversion to using it because of that.
Painful cats, just like people, may act in ways we would refer to as cranky, easily agitated, or aggressive towards people, especially children, and/or other animals. Pain or discomfort from any source often causes cats to act out of their ordinary routine. They may hide, be less social, have different eating habits, and/or different elimination habits as described above. Sick or painful cats are not being spiteful or acting out of anger, just out of distress. It is their natural instinct to behave this way. In the wild, a painful or sick cat is a weak cat and a weak cat is a potential victim. Changing their normal routine and/or demeanor may ward off a potential predator. As a result, what seems abnormal to the untrained human eye is actually normal to the feline survival instinct.
Factors associated with causing constipation include:
Constipation is a condition seen most commonly in middle-aged and older cats. In the vast majority of cats, there is no underlying cause.
In addition to constipation, some cats may develop enlarged or impacted anal glands that can also make it difficult for feces to pass through the anus. Anal glands are sacs that are located under the skin at about 4 and 8 o’clock on either side of the anus. They empty with normal defecation. These anal sacs are filled with a foul smelling liquid and a few drops are usually excreted to mark their stool during the process of defecating. For some cats, the liquid within these sacs can become dry and cakey, making it difficult to be excreted. Sometimes anal glands can become infected and even rupture. For cats that are straining to defecate, the anal sacs should be evaluated and emptied to ensure that feces can comfortably pass. Full anal sacs can cause discomfort, be itchy, and contribute to defecation outside of the litter box (and the commonly seen “scooting” behavior).
This term refers to a dilated and weak colon that has lost the ability to contract and push feces out the anus. Megacolon may be seen as a primary problem or following long-term constipation. When the colon becomes distended with fecal material over a prolonged period of time, its ability to contract may be reduced or lost resulting in megacolon.
In most cases, a diagnosis of constipation can be made on the basis of the cat’s clinical signs. Affected cats usually strain unsuccessfully to defecate and may cry in pain. Any feces passed are hard and dry. Often cats will leave small amounts of hard, dry feces outside the litter box as they may continue to strain and pass feces as they walk around your home. Alternatively, they make think they are finished in the litter box and the physical activity of walking helps remove any fecal balls left near the anus. The cat may also show signs of lethargy, reluctance to eat, and vomiting.
X-rays are the primary test for the diagnosis of megacolon. Bloodwork is also helpful in diagnosing any underlying causes of dehydration, such as kidney disease, which can predispose the body to constipation.
Initial treatment of a cat with constipation may involve administration of enemas and manual extraction of feces by a veterinarian. The latter may necessitate anesthesia. Treatment of dehydration with subcutaneous fluids may also be needed in cats that have become dehydrated. If the constipation recurs or becomes a long-term problem, continuous therapy may be needed to prevent recurrence.
Most cats need a stool softener once to twice a day. A wide variety of treatments are available to soften the feces and promote regular bowel movements:
*IMPORTANT* If your cat is already constipated and exhibiting symptoms of straining, yowling, and vomiting, the above listed products WILL NOT soften the hardened stool already impacting your cat’s GI tract. You should see your veterinarian immediately!
Ideally, cats should defecate at least once every other day. Over a period of time, resistance to treatment can occur, necessitating an increase in the drug dosage or a change in therapy. No changes to the treatment protocol should be made without consulting your veterinarian. Even with chronic medical treatment, every once in a while cats may need to see the veterinarian for enemas and/or manual evacuation (this is when the veterinarian manually removes feces from the rectum).
In long-haired cats, regular grooming such as combing, sanitary and stomach shaves, and lioncuts are helpful at reducing the potential for high volumes of fur being ingested. Hairball removal agents listed above and hairball diets may also help reduce the likelihood of hairballs causing constipation or GI obstruction.
It is important to ensure that there is always access to enough large, clean litter boxes dispersed throughout the home so that frequent defecation is encouraged.
If megacolon develops or if the constipation is severe and medical treatment is unsuccessful, surgery may be recommended but this is uncommon. Surgical treatment involves removal of most of the colon called a partial or sub-total colectomy.
As long as a constipated cat receives their daily medications as prescribed by the veterinarian, cats do well. The long-term outlook varies according to the cause of the constipation; however, the vast majority of cats can be adequately managed without surgery and resume normal, healthy lives. It is imperative that you stay in close communication with your veterinarian about what treatments are successful and which are failing so that you can continue to be guided on further steps to ensure the best possible management of the problem.
Written by Ingrid Johnson, CCBC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant of Fundamentally Feline
Scratching is a normal feline behavior; even declawed cats need to scratch! To avoid accidents and to keep your furniture safe, you need to understand why your cat scratches and what she needs to fill her scratching requirements.
Paws Whiskers & Claws does not declaw! We know that it is unnecessary, and we prefer to educate our clients about feline scratching and how to stop inappropriate scratching behavior.
There are many reasons why a cat scratches, including:
Cats may also play or threaten with a swipe of their paws. Play swatting withother cats seldom leads to injuries; usually their claws are retracted during play, and cats are well protected by their thick skin and coat. When play does get a little rough, cats will usually sort out their differences, though sometimes it may escalate to inter-cat aggression that can lead to injuries that require veterinary attention.
With a basic understanding of cat behavior and a little bit of effort, it is possible to prevent or avoid scratching problems.
The short answer is: you can’t. It is impractical and unfair to expect cats to stop scratching entirely. Cats that go outside may to do much of their scratching outdoors, but they will still need to scratch while indoors. Indoor cats require outlets for their scratching and marking behaviors.
Your goal should not be stopping the scratching behavior, but to focus it to appropriate items and areas. Building, designing or buying a scratching post or cat condos, providing appropriate play toys, and keeping the cat away from potential problem areas will usually deal with most scratching problems.
Think about why the cat is doing what she’s doing. For example, owners may feel frustrated when their cats begin to climb furniture. Remember that kittens can’t leap the way adult cats do, so they use their needle-sharp claws to climb. This is not intentionally destructive, and you can prevent it by providing an option. For example, if your kitten climbs the bedding to get up on your bed, place a low stool next to the bed so she can take two short leaps instead of climbing. The same is true as your cat gets older and her stiff joints keep her from jumping as she used to.
You have to address 1) where your cat needs to scratch and 2) what your cat needs to scratch.
Your cat wants to mark your belongings (and in effect, mark you) as part of her territory, so place scratching pads and posts in areas where you spend a lot of your time.
Cats also like to scratch and stretch after waking from a nap, so place a post or cat tree close to the cat’s favorite napping spots. Don’t expect the cat to walk across the house or down the stairs to use a scratching post when there’s a perfectly good chair right across the room!
Most pet store scratching posts are simply inadequate: too short, too unsteady, covered with the wrong material… You will save money in the long run by investing in a quality scratching post rather than buying two or three (or more) posts that aren’t suitable.
A vertical post should be at least 30 inches high: tall enough for the cat to scratch while standing on her hind legs with the forelegs extended. It must be sturdy, with a wide base, so that it does not wobble or topple over easily.
Stability plays a big role in determining whether a cat will use a particular scratcher. For example, the scratchers made to hang over a doorknob are unstable; consequently many cats won’t use them. You can instead take that scratcher, cut off the hanging loop, and lay it on the floor for use as a horizontal scratcher (more about those below).
The post covering is important! Store-bought scratching posts are usually covered with carpet pieces which won’t help your cat remove the outer nail sheaths. You can’t expect the cat to know the difference between the carpet on the post (OK to scratch) and the carpet on the floor (off-limits). The best covering is sisal fabric; the next-best option is tightly wound sisal rope. A carpet-covered post may be an acceptable option in addition to a sisal post.
Remember that scratching is also a marking behavior and cats want to leave a visual mark. Her tattered scratching post may not look good to you, but to your cat, it’s perfect. Don’t rush to replace or re-cover it!
Some cats prefer a horizontal or slanted surface rather than a post. If you don’t provide an appealing scratching option, then the back of your sofa may look awfully inviting! Consider getting a sisal-covered scratching pad or corrugated cardboard scratcher, which can lie flat on the floor or slanted at an angle.
Some cats prefer to scratch on a piece of bare wood. Many cat trees offer wood or sisal-covered surfaces for scratching.
First, remember what we said about location! Your cat wants to mark in areas of the home that you both use often, not in the spare bedroom or the dark dusty basement. You may need to start by placing the post in a prominent area (such as the corner of the sofa) until she begins using the post. Then you can slowly (very slowly, over days or weeks!) inch the post toward a less obtrusive location.
Make the post and the surrounding area a fun and interesting place for your cat. Provide things that appeal to cats, such as perches to climb on, hideaways to snuggle in to, and toys dangling from ropes or attached to springs. Place a few play toys, treats, or even the food bowl in the area to help to keep the cat occupied. Place a toy or treat on top of the post; she’ll find that reward when she climbs the post. Entice her to chase a toy or laser light that you run up the post.
You can rub catnip on the post, or spray it with catnip tea. (Place some catnip in a small container with water and heat it in the microwave for a minute; then put the catnip tea in a spray bottle.)
Give your cat a food reward when you see her use the post. You can rake your fingernails along the post to make scratching noises. You may try to show the cat what you want by taking her to the post and gently rubbing her paws on it in a scratching manner, but do not try this with a fearful or anxious cat.
Unless you live in a very small space, you probably need to provide multiple scratching posts in various areas of your home. If you have multiple cats, you definitely need multiple posts!
Remember that your cat is clearly showing you where she needs to mark! It’s your job to find a way to meet her needs and your own. This may take a little time, effort, and strategy!
If the cat continues to use one or two pieces of furniture, consider placing a scratching post directly in front of the furniture that is being scratched, or placing a cat condo near the area. Take a good look at the surfaces of the scratched furniture; since the cat clearly like that material, make sure that her scratching post is covered with a similar texture. Some scratching posts are designed to wrap around the corners of a sofa, armchair or wall, such as the Cataround (www.cataround.com).
It may help to place additional scratching posts or cat condos in appropriate areas. Be sure to keep the cat’s claws trimmed!
Feliway is a synthetic product that mimics feline facial pheromones and aids in curbing destructive scratching. (It’s also used to treat aggression and inappropriate elimination.) It is available in a spray or as an electric diffuser; to deter destructive scratching, we find the spray to more effective. Apply it daily to the area that you do not want the cat to scratch. The spray dissipates over a 24-hour period, just as natural scent marking does, which is why you need to reapply daily. We’d be happy to discuss use of this product with you.
Don’t punish your cat for doing what is most natural to her! Punishment will just make her fearful of you, and can lead the cat to scratch when you aren’t around to see her.
The idea is to train the cat not to scratch certain surfaces and areas, even in your absence. Help the cat learn to use the post by making other surfaces less desirable. For example, if your cat likes to scratch on the end of the sofa, cover it with a material that she doesn’t like to scratch, such as plastic, aluminum foil, or double-sided tape.
Cayenne pepper can be an effective deterrent; it’s harmless, but can cause sneezing. It is easy to apply and clean up. Citrus-based scents or ginger can deter some cats.
You may consider indirect, non-physical punishment if you can remain out of sight. That allows your cat to learn that inappropriate scratching brings unpleasant results, even when you aren’t there. You can booby-trap problem areas so that scratching (or even approaching) the area is unpleasant for the cat. For example, use a motion detector with an audible alarm, or stack a few plastic cups that will topple if your cat scratches in the wrong place.
Of course, no deterrent will work unless you provide the cat with an alternative scratching area that is appealing and well placed.
There are many reasons why cats scratch. By being considerate of her needs and conscious of your decisions, you can provide her with appealing and appropriate places that meet her need to scratch, and she’ll leave your furniture alone. There is never a need to declaw a cat to eliminate inappropriate scratching behavior!
Written by Ingrid Johnson, CCBC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant of Fundamentally Feline Photos property of Ingrid Johnson
Written by Ingrid Johnson, CCBC Certified Cat Behavior Consultant of Fundamentally Feline Photos property of Ingrid Johnson
