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Constipation
In
Kittens

What should you do if a

kitten is all stopped up
and just won’t poop?
Constipation can occur in
kittens for many reasons,
so you’ll want to
determine the cause
while also taking
measures to alleviate
their discomfort and help
them pass stool. 
When to Worry
About
Constipation
It’s important to know that
kittens vary greatly in
how often they go to the
bathroom. While a kitten
should pee every few
hours, they may pass
stool anywhere from 1 to
6 times a day, depending
on the kitten’s age, care,
and GI health. 

Sometimes, a kitten may

even go 24 hours without
pooping. If this happens,
don’t panic—but do keep
an eye on them and focus
on trying to help them go
potty. If they haven’t
pooped in more than 48
hours, that’s when you’ll
definitely want to head to
a veterinarian for further
assistance. If the kitten
has any signs of
discomfort such as
straining, bloating, crying
in the litter box, lethargy,
or distension, veterinary
care should be sought.
Baby Kittens
Can’t Poop on
Their Own
It’s also important to
understand that neonatal
kittens—those under a
month of age—may not
be physically able to
poop without assistance.
Young kittens require
stimulation from their
mother’s tongue in order
to defecate. If orphaned,
they need to be gently
stimulated by a caregiver
before every meal. Use a
soft tissue or a baby wipe
to stimulate the kitten’s
anus in a circular motion,
continuing movement
until and while the kitten
is pooping. This will
signal to the kitten’s body
to push, and will
encourage them to have
a bowel movement.

Causes of
Constipation
 • Dietary issues such
as improper diet

• Parasites such as
roundworms

• Dehydration

• Blockages caused
by ingesting a
foreign body such
as a toy or feather

• Megacolon, a
condition causing a
dilated colon with
poor motility, and
the inability to
properly pass stool

• Congenital defects,
such as atresia ani,
that can make it
difficult or
impossible to
defecate

Left untreated,
constipation can cause
severe discomfort,
suppressed diet, and
even permanent damage
to the colon.

Treating
Constipation
To treat kittens with
constipation, caregivers
should first rule out
serious medical
conditions by getting a
physical exam and an x-
ray from a veterinarian.
Once it’s known that the
kitten isn’t suffering from
an underlying defect,
caregivers can help a
constipated kitten in the
following ways:

• If the kitten is a
bottle baby, make
sure that she is on a
proper kitten
formula and is not
fed home remedies,
cow’s milk, or other
milks. Ensure that
the formula is made
fresh, stored
properly, and isn’t
expired.

• Ensure that the

kitten has been fully
dewormed,
especially for
roundworms.

• Provide a probiotic
supplement. Kittens
 need good bacteria
to support overall
gut health!

• Keep the kitten

hydrated. Consider
adding an
electrolyte solution
to the kitten’s
formula if she’s a
bottle baby. If she’s
eating meat, try
mixing an extra
splash of water into
the food to increase
hydration.

• Keep the kitten

active and moving to
stimulate bowel
movement. Bicycle
the legs, gently
massage the tummy,
and encourage
walking to get things
moving.

• A soak in warm
water may be useful.
Fill the sink with
comfortably warm
water and place the
kitten into it with the
tummy and butt
submerged. You
 may find success if
you manually
stimulate the kitten’s
butt while
submerged, gently
rubbing the area to
encourage the body
to push.

• A kitten-safe laxative
supplement may be
useful. Powdered
Miralax is known to
be safe for cats, but
should be used
sparingly in kittens.
You can add just a
very small pinch into
the kitten’s food.
Note that an adult
cat recommended
dose is 1/8
teaspoon, so a kitten
dose should be
considerably smaller
—a very small pinch
of a few granules.

• A veterinarian may
prescribe a
prescription oral
medication such as
Lactulose.
 • In some cases, a
veterinarian may
suggest an enema.
Never perform an
enema at home
without training on
how to properly do
so. A veterinarian or
an experienced
caregiver can
perform an enema if
needed.

• In severe cases, a
medical professional
can also help
manually remove
blocked waste
through a process
called deobstipation.

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