If our cat cannot defecate or urinate, we should go to our veterinarian. To maintain its he alth, it is essential that the cat eliminates urine and feces because, otherwise, toxic substances would accumulate in the body, causing serious alterations. Therefore, if we notice that one day our cat does not use the litter box, we should contact our veterinarian.
In this article on our site we will explain the most common situations in which this happens so that you can understand a little better why your cat cannot defecate or urinate.
Why can't my kitten defecate or urinate?
First we are going to deal with the case of baby cats that do not defecate or urinate. Kittens less than 3-4 weeks do not know how to feed themselves. In addition, they are cats that cannot defecate or urinate without help Therefore, they should be with their mother and, if we find one abandoned, we will be the ones to dispense the necessary maternal care. Thus, in addition to feeding them with a bottle, after each feeding we will have to rub their genitals with a moistened gauze pad or cotton, imitating their mother's tongue. This massage is what makes the kitten urinate and defecate. For more details, don't miss our article "How to help a kitten to defecate".
How many days can a baby cat go without defecating or urinating?
If we take care of one of these little ones we can have the doubt of how many days the baby cat can go without defecating. The answer is none If we observe that after several feedings, after the massage, the kitten still does not urinate or defecate, we should contact the veterinarian. In such small cats, any alteration can be fatal.
Why can't my adult cat defecate or urinate?
If a cat cannot defecate or urinate, it is likely that he is not eating or drinking. This picture, if it lasts more than a day, is indicating the existence of a serious he alth problem that should be treated by the veterinarian.
There are many pathologies that cause anorexia, dehydration and apathy. A cat may stop urinating when it has a urinary problem, such as a urinary infection, a kidney failure, kidney stones , etc. Likewise, problems such as obstructions can prevent defecation. But, there are also psychological circumstances that explain why a cat does not poop or pee. For example, stress may actually inhibit elimination in cats. Thus, if we have just adopted him and we find that he is very scared, we should know that it may be normal for the litter box to remain clean.
How long can a cat go without urinating or defecating?
In these cases we may wonder how many days a cat can go without urinating or defecating. The answer is no more than 24 hours In this way, if your cat hasn't urinated or defecated for two days, you should immediately go to the vet because it's too long.
My cat urinates or defecates a little, why?
An adult cat it is usual to urinate 2-3 times a day and defecate 1- 2 If we notice that our cat suddenly urinates only once a day or stops defecating, it may be that the cat cannot defecate or urinate because it is drinking and eating less or eating the wrong food. In these cases we must pay attention to the following aspects:
- The cat may be drinking little, so we should encourage him to drink, for example, by putting more and larger water bowls because they are more comfortable, using fountains, since moving water attracts them and, above all, always offering clean and fresh water. See our article "Why isn't my cat drinking water" for more information.
- wet food also helps your cat consume more fluids.
- Changes in the amount of water ingested or urine eliminated are a good reason to do a blood and urine test, since the cat could be suffering from a systemic disease.
- The food must be of good quality, taking into account the nutritional needs of the cat, with an adequate fiber content to promote intestinal transit.
- A cat with constipation may benefit from the laxative effects of m alt or olive oil, but if it always shows difficulty defecating or stops doing it, we must notify the veterinarian.
- If the elimination is altered by the stress that a cat may suffer when arriving at a new home, we must try to keep it in a small place, we will address it at all times with calm, soft voice and without forcing the contact. We can use calming hormones to try to relax him. Once it adapts, we can expand the space, but if we see that the days go by and the cat is still very scared, it is not eating or drinking or if, of course, it does not urinate, we should go to the vet and contact an expert in behavior or feline ethologist.
