Can canned cat food constipate my cat?

Question

I've always given my cat fancy feast canned food and happened to give her another kind--seems she's going to the bathroom better---is it possible that kind constipates her? she does have some trouble with hairballs too--and can you really give an animal metamucil everyday in their food? I heard this but wouldn't think it would be good for them. Thx!

Answer 1

Fancy Feast is really a terrible cat food. I don't know what you switched her to and maybe it is better.

Try Natural Balance, Eagle Pack, Wellness, Lick Your Chops. Those are high quality canned foods. Cat have a much shorter intestinal tract (maybe 1/3) than humans do and shouldn't need a fiber supplement to help their bowels function normally. My cats who eat those canned foods don't have hairballs either. If the meat is high quality and human-grade (not by-product) there is plenty of stomach acid to digest the meat and any hair the cat ingests from grooming. Felines in zoos who have a diet of raw meat do NOT have hairballs.

Answer 2

When a cat becomes constipated, there is virtually nothing you can give by mouth that will clear the blockage (a lot of silly, old time home remedies have been posted). It must be removed from the other end, either by manipulation, enema, or, in severe cases, surgery. The solution is to prevent constipation. This could be caused by the diet. It could also be caused by dehydration. Sometimes, cats are prescribed Lactulose to be added to food which will keep the stool moist and alow it to pass normally. In other cases, the muscles in the colon don't do their job properly (megacolon). Sometimes, prescription medications will help.

Answer 3

Usually its the dry food that constipates as canned food has water in it. Make sure she has FRESH water all the time. Could be the swallowed hair is the problem. Brush the cat regularly. Give her hairball meds and I like using canned pumpkin...sometimes they will lick it from your finger. I don't know about the metamucil...better ask a vet.

Answer 4

My cats eat wet canned food primarily. No constipation problems. I think maybe your kitty is having a hairball episode and that is making her constipated. Mix a little canned mashed squash into the wet food. That should help.

Answer 5

Cats are carnivores and they are designed to eat whole raw dead animals.

They have an incredible hunting instinct, and they actually enjoy the activity.

If your cat were getting a species appropriate diet, none of this would be an issue.

They weren't designed for cooked food, preservatives, additives or fillers.

Answer 6

allright cats should have wet and dry food in their diet. having all of one or the other can result in too high or too low pH level in the cats urine, which causes many many other problems. like "old cat lady" said...premium quality and holistic brands dont have fillers and extra junk in them that cats do not need. i recomend eagle pack or wellness. i feed mine eagle pack. im a label reader, and if you know what all those foreign or non foreign names mean you'd stop buying it. if the first ingredient is "chicken" not "chicken meal" it means that they have raw un dehydrated chicken.....that means more water less good stuff. the meal means its dehydrated, so you get little or no water and the maximum amount of protein and the good stuff for your buck. oh and by-products usually mean beaks, tails, fur, feet, nails....junk. so stick with ultra premium, holistic cat food. you can not go wrong

Answer 7

Dry Food Is Best.

Answer 8

We give our kitty canned Iams and she seems to do ok. Although when she poops it really stinks. I have to leave the room. I didn't something that little and cute could make something that smelly.

Answer 9

pay a vet to find out or you.

Answer 10

no......it will make them **** everywhere