Q: My 15 1/2 year old Norwegian Forest cat has kidney disease but is doing very well on (and is very happy with) the recipes from Andi Brown’s “Whole Pet Diet” supplemented with Vita-C, Vita-Mineral Mix and Dream Coat. However, he still has a problem with periodic and severe constipation.

Despite slowing down with age, he’s happy to run around playing with me and puts of with lots of petting and massage, so his circulation gets stimulated. I do brush him regularly, but as his coat is very thick and he’s a meticulous groomer, he still ingests quite a bit of hair, which doesn’t help. I just yesterday tried tripling the amount of pumpkin in the Spot’s Chicken Stew I made, so I’ll see how that goes – but at the same time, I don’t want to inadvertantly aggravate his kidney disease.

Is there anything else I can add, increase or even cut back on in his diet that will help his situation?

Thanks for your help and keep up the good work!

A: We love that you have been using the recipes for your cat! There are many natural remedies for constipation that you can try and will not adversely affect his kidney function.

• The most important thing you can do for him is to increase the amount of water he drinks each day (this will also be excellent for his kidney function!). Even though most cats with kidney disease drink large amounts of water, they are losing excessive amounts of this water in their urine and live in a perpetual state of mild dehydration–making constipation a very common finding in cats with kidney disease. You can add more water to the stew to make it more brothy. Many cats will drink more if a free flowing cat drinking fountain is used. Some cats are attracted to large amounts of water and placing several large bowls out in various perching locations will often increase water consumption. I lived with a cat with kidney disease for years and used to leave my bathroom sink on so there was a constant drip–he loved it and it helped maintain his hydration.

• Fiber — sounds like you are trying this approach already. If the additional pumpkin doesn’t work, there are other natural fiber sources (such as psyllium) that you can try.

• Probiotics — these live bacterial organisms promote intestinal health in many ways. All Halo dry cat foods have probiotics or you can purchase a probiotic supplement from your veterinarian.

• Electrolytes — many cats with kidney disease become depleted of certain electrolytes and minerals. Both potassium and magnesium are important for normal digestive tract function. Low levels of one (or both) can lead to severe constipation. Ask your veterinarian to check his levels and recommend a natural supplement if appropriate.

• Acupressure/acupuncture — ask your veterinarian for information on this traditional healing practice that involves the application of finger pressure or acupuncture needles to specific points on the body to facilitate ease of defecation.

• Exercise may be just what the doctor ordered! It has been shown that regular exercise reduces the severity and frequency of constipation. Try a laser pointer session or some interactive cat toys to get him off the couch.

• If all else fails, there are laxatives and other prescription medications that can facilitate easier movement of stool through the colon. If none of the other remedies work, ask your veterinarian for advice.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted.
Dr. Donna Spector

Click here to read complete article Natural Remedies for Constipation.

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 7th, 2009 at 10:00 am and is filed under Ask a Vet, Dr Donna Spector, Pet Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.