My constipated cat. Help!

[natalia]

My cat is constipated and it hasn’t been the first time. A few weeks ago I took my cat to the vet which he took x-rays and saw that he had a large size stool inside this colon and an abnormal kidney which seems to be functioning normally. He is a little on the larger side of his weight, he used to be an outdoor cat until I moved about a month ago, he eats dry food which I have just switched to wet. Also, In the past my cat had fractured this pelvis and so I think this might be another big factor to why he gets constipated. When he was taken for a few nights the vet gave him an enema a day =4 , IV’s, pain killers, and provided me with amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium for a week. What the Doc did was break the stool into pieces by placing his hand under his colon which took 4 days for my cat to actually have a bowl movement.
So last night my cat was having the same contractions as he did the first time he was constipated, so I gave him wet food drenched in olive oil, dripped water into his mouth, and made him run around a little in the house. So at night he ended up having 2 bowl movements! Thank God! And in the morning one more time and it was nice and soft. I hate when this happens, I feel like this is going to keep happening to him. I don’t really know what to do, I called my doc and I’m going to be picking up a stool softener for him. But as of that I’m planning on giving wet food with olive oil, buying canned pumpkin and maybe some powdered Metamucil.

If anyone has been in my situation please help, I don’t want this to happen again. Its too much pain and strain for my cat. Any help will help.

[rainbow]

I am sorry to hear about your poor kitty.

Slippery elm bark is great to help with constipation. Here is some information about it....

http://www.littlebigcat.com/?action=...em=slipperyelm

Will he chase a laser light at all? They are good for cats that need to be exercised.

[Khari]

I have a girl cat that has had constipation issues for a long long time - usually about every three months. We are over a really bad episode (I hope). She had major constipation for the last couple of weeks. I finally took her to the vet again because she would strain so hard that she would throw up. The vet put her under for about ten minutes and completely cleaned her out. He also gave her an anema (while she was under) and popped one of her anal glands. This is a new vet and my old vet never cleaned her out. The new vet said that there was a huge blockage at the front of her anal opening that seems to have been there for quite some time. We now have her on Lactulose (a stool softner) and 100% pure pumpkin. It took her about 3 days after her fiasco at the vet to actually have a stool. But since Tuesday she has been pretty regular. I had tried slippery elm for 4 days before I took her to the vet with no response. I may try it again because I am thinking nothing really would have worked because she was so blocked up....The vet had also given me a stool softner called melaxicam.

Sounds like your cat got stressed out from the move??? My vet says that alot of cats that get stressed will get constipated. He thinks that my cat is a little worry wart

[badger]

I have a big, somewhat portly tabby with a history of constipation. He's never needed an enema, but lactulose, pumpkin (which he won't eat ) and Metamucil have all been on the menu. He's been fine for a long time now. My cats do eat quality kibble, but they also get canned morning and night (and sometimes in between). An all-canned diet is optimal, so their gut is well hydrated.

Even if the problem is structural (megacolon), it can still often be managed by keeping tabs on the situation and acting quickly. This sometimes means lurking around the litter box .

I never use any remedy for longer than necessary. You want their systems to function normally; the remedy is a kick-start (excluding really severe cases which may require prolonged treatment. But even then, try to get whatever dose and/or frequency down to a minimum, while still remaining effective).

So since he won't eat pumpkin, Badger gets two or three days of Metamucil mixed into his wet food - maybe a half-teaspoon - and when things get rolling again, I stop. Lactulose I reserve for when nothing else works (he hates the taste).

I would say don't panic, watch his diet and his litterbox activity and if he seems to be straining, dose him (one remedy at a time). All other things being equal (no fever, no loss of appetite, no blood in his stool), it is more a management problem. Or, maybe in your cat's case, it's a one-off? Time will tell.

[tweety]

hi
you said that the vet see an abnormal kidney, but to say that he is functionning normally did he done the test to see if it's everything was ok? like a blood test? a urinary test? Because sometimes problems about kidney is related of problems of constipation. how old is your cat? give us some details please and maybe ask your vet about that??

[natalia]

My cat is about 6 years old. The reason for the x-ray was to see how large the stool was inside his colon, that is when my vet noticed that this kidney was abnormal, but it seems to be alright because my vet didn’t mention anything about his kidney and said if there was a problem with it he would let me know.

3 nights ago I bought canned pumpkin and have been mixing it with my cats wet food, he doesn’t really enjoy eating it and neither does my other cat who has no health concerns. I’m planning on giving the canned pumpkin with all meals today and for tomorrow just in the morning and night with the wet food and in between giving them the dry food which they enjoy eating.

Let me know if I should try something else, feed the pumpkin in a different way, or anything.... advice on this would be greatly appreciate!

[Love4himies]

There is a cat food called Almo Natural which has a flavour Chicken and Pumpkin canned. Global here in Kingston ON sells it.

http://www.almonature.co.uk/cat_prod...=2&id=97&lng=3

[Ann'sFabFelines]

Originally Posted by natalia

My cat is about 6 years old. The reason for the x-ray was to see how large the stool was inside his colon, that is when my vet noticed that this kidney was abnormal, but it seems to be alright because my vet didn’t mention anything about his kidney and said if there was a problem with it he would let me know.

3 nights ago I bought canned pumpkin and have been mixing it with my cats wet food, he doesn’t really enjoy eating it and neither does my other cat who has no health concerns. I’m planning on giving the canned pumpkin with all meals today and for tomorrow just in the morning and night with the wet food and in between giving them the dry food which they enjoy eating.

Let me know if I should try something else, feed the pumpkin in a different way, or anything.... advice on this would be greatly appreciate!

Hi Natalia,

My 9 year old male cat, Pip, has had chronic constipation issues for 2+ years. I have had him on stool softeners and medications such as Cisapride and Dulcolax. He has had enemas by the vet and has had to be sedated several times to remove impacted feces. Kitty Lax and other hairball pastes work if he doesn't flip all of it off of his paws and nose. My latest trick is to put the hairball paste into an EZ dose medicine syringe and squirt it into his mouth. I think if he gets enough in his system each day, it should do the trick. I have to sit on the floor with Pip facing me. I put one leg over his body so that he can't escape during this process. So far, it seems to be working. Any hairball paste that contains mineral oil should work. Try this and let me know if it works for your kitty.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Ann'sFabFelines

My latest trick is to put the hairball paste into an EZ dose medicine syringe and squirt it into his mouth. ...... Any hairball paste that contains mineral oil should work.

I'd strongly advise not squirting anything with mineral oil into a cat's mouth. If they were to accidently aspirate some, it will cause lipoid pneumonia. Chronic use also interferes with nutrient absorption in the intestinal tract, and can result in an inflammatory response as the cat's body attempts to get rid of this petroleum by-product. There are much safer options.

[natalia]

Thanks for your input sugarcatmom, I don’t think I will be using Metamucil right now, just gonna stick to what I’m doing for now and observe my kitty. But that was really good to know that I gotta add lots of H20 to it.

As of the Slipper Elm Bark, where can I find this? Is it a liquid, tab, or ointment? What size should I get? And how much and frequently should I be administering it? Sorry I’m asking a lot of questions it’s just that I have never heard of this? Also, I have an Aloe Vera plant in my house, can I actually cut a piece of the plant and mix the liquid from inside it into the food? Or I no way!?

Thanks for all your help People..

[Ann'sFabFelines]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

I'd strongly advise not squirting anything with mineral oil into a cat's mouth. If they were to accidently aspirate some, it will cause lipoid pneumonia. Chronic use also interferes with nutrient absorption in the intestinal tract, and can result in an inflammatory response as the cat's body attempts to get rid of this petroleum by-product. There are much safer options.

Thank you, sugarcatmom, for the info about the issue with mineral oil. It looks like I will be purchasing some of the Vetbasis hairball gel to use instead of the hairball products containing mineral oil. I think that Pip will tend to take this over other things like pumpkin or slippery elm bark.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by natalia

My cat is constipated and it hasn’t been the first time.

How old is your cat? Has he had any recent blood work and a urinalysis?

Originally Posted by natalia

He is a little on the larger side of his weight, he used to be an outdoor cat until I moved about a month ago, he eats dry food which I have just switched to wet.

Hopefully switching to wet will help. Try also adding a few extra tsps of warm water. A dry-only diet tends to be dehydrating, which can cause constipation on in some cats. The wet should also help with some weight loss.

Originally Posted by natalia

Also, In the past my cat had fractured this pelvis and so I think this might be another big factor to why he gets constipated.

This could be huge factor.: http://www.best-cat-art.com/feline-constipation.html

The main causes of feline constipation include dietary problems; foreign (or environmental) bodies that cannot be expelled easily from the body (such as fur, bones, string, etc.); bowel movements that are painful and are the direct result of a rectal or anal disease; obstructions such as tumors or old pelvic fractures, and neurological causes such as spinal cord damage, paralysis, and megacolon.

Originally Posted by natalia

I don’t really know what to do, I called my doc and I’m going to be picking up a stool softener for him. But as of that I’m planning on giving wet food with olive oil, buying canned pumpkin and maybe some powdered Metamucil.

I caution the use of Metamucil, which can be pretty harsh for some cats. You absolutely must add plenty of extra water with it or you risk making the problem worse. Slippery elm bark is usually a better, gentler choice (although you still have to add some water).

Something else that might be worth trying is aloe vera juice (with no sodium benzoate as a preservative - Lily of the Desert inner leaf juice is a good choice). 5-10 drops mixed in with food twice a day is a reasonable dose. Also Vet's Best Cat lube and Vetbasis hairball gel are good preventative options.

Hope some of this helps!

ETA - here's another link that might have useful info: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body...megacolon.html

[loriacatlady]

This is my 1st post here. My name is Lori I have an 11 yr old male cat that was diagnosed with megacolon around a year ago. Lately it's been getting harder to treat, he is on Cisipride 3x a day which does not seem to be as a effective as it used to be.....he can go days without pooping. Right before Thanksgiving he had to be knocked out and manually cleaned out by the vet.....this past week he was there 2x & had 2 enemas (Mon & Thurs). The vet says he should go no longer than 1-2 days without a bowel movement....not only is it stressfull on my cat & myself to do this to him but my pocketbook can not keep up with this anymore. Medication costs about $100 a month & enemas even MORE. I see there are alot of you that have gone through this here & am looking for any help or advice I can get, I am at the end of my ropes here, I just don't know what to do anymore, surgery has been suggested but it is very costly, there is no guarantee that it will cure him & I don't think I want to put him through such major surgery, leaving only one other option, putting him to sleep....just the thought sends me into tears....I would appreciate any feedback

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by loriacatlady

This is my 1st post here. My name is Lori I have an 11 yr old male cat that was diagnosed with megacolon around a year ago.

Hi Lori, welcome to the board. I'm sorry to hear that you're kitty has megacolon, it is such a frustrating condition to deal with. What does your cat eat?

[loriacatlady]

Originally Posted by sugarcatmom

Hi Lori, welcome to the board. I'm sorry to hear that you're kitty has megacolon, it is such a frustrating condition to deal with. What does your cat eat?

It is very frustrating, It makes me cry.......he eats Iams in the can & some Purina One Naturals(dry)(it says it's easy to digest) I limit him the dry food, but he loves that the most.....he is a very picky eater....I also let him have some cold cuts(turkey,chicken,roast beef) I use the cold cuts mainly to hide his pills in(he's a sweetie but when it comes to taking pills not so sweet) I also sometimes hide his pill in a blob of cream cheese, eventually he catches on to me no matter what I do. I love this cat soooo much this is killing me........

[Khari]

The vet says he should go no longer than 1-2 days without a bowel movement....not only is it stressfull on my cat & myself to do this to him but my pocketbook can not keep up with this anymore.

Please do not do anything as drastic as putting your cat to sleep b/c of the mega colon. Please check out this group for support http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/

3 weeks ago my vet put my cat under a mild anasthesia, applied an anema and cleaned out a huge blockage. Although my cat has constipation issues (not a megacolon that I am aware of) and she has stools every 3-4days. The vet says this is okay as long as she is not straining, in pain, throwing up, and the stools are not super hard. He is happy as long as the stools are abundant when she does have a stool. But he has told me that if she goes to 5 days without a stool than I have to bring her in. I have lost many hours of sleep worrying about her but I am coming to terms with the fact that she is normal in every other aspect except her pooping habits. I also am starting to believe that maybe some cats are just more speradic in their bowel movements.

Is your cat straining or in pain after 2 days with no bowel movement? If not, than maybe it is time to find another vet. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. I would not be able to afford taking my cat in to the vet every couple of days either. This has never been an option with my vet. He has told me to call him when I get concerned and he will make the decision if I should bring her in or not. He also told me that the stool softner "Lactulose" can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. I save 5-6 times the amount I would spend paying for this at a vets office.

[loriacatlady]

Originally Posted by Khari

Please do not do anything as drastic as putting your cat to sleep b/c of the mega colon. Please check out this group for support http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/

3 weeks ago my vet put my cat under a mild anasthesia, applied an anema and cleaned out a huge blockage. Although my cat has constipation issues (not a megacolon that I am aware of) and she has stools every 3-4days. The vet says this is okay as long as she is not straining, in pain, throwing up, and the stools are not super hard. He is happy as long as the stools are abundant when she does have a stool. But he has told me that if she goes to 5 days without a stool than I have to bring her in. I have lost many hours of sleep worrying about her but I am coming to terms with the fact that she is normal in every other aspect except her pooping habits. I also am starting to believe that maybe some cats are just more speradic in their bowel movements.

Is your cat straining or in pain after 2 days with no bowel movement? If not, than maybe it is time to find another vet. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. I would not be able to afford taking my cat in to the vet every couple of days either. This has never been an option with my vet. He has told me to call him when I get concerned and he will make the decision if I should bring her in or not. He also told me that the stool softner "Lactulose" can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. I save 5-6 times the amount I would spend paying for this at a vets office.

He sometimes will go every 4 days, if he goes longer than that he will vomit from straining..........I would say after 2 days he does strain a bit, sometimes I see him going in & out of the litter box numerous times but there will be nothing there....I have never heard him cry in pain, but you can see the look on his face(he looks mad) I have not had good luck with the Lactulose, he spits it out ,gags & has vomited from it....most of it has ended up being a sticky mess all over his fur......Not sure I can afford bringing him to another vet, but I have been feeling like I need another opinion, I for sure can not afford to bring him for enemas every 2-3 days...the cost is unreal.You mentioned the type of stool he does have(when he goes) they are very big,usually round & very hard.
Believe me I love this cat more than anything, I've had cats my whole life but I have a special bond with this one & vice versa.....the last thing I want to do is put him to sleep, I just wonder if I'm being selfish putting him through all this because I'm not ready to let him go.
Again about the Lactulose, you said I can get this over the counter? & if so what dosage do you give your cat? Thank you so much to evryone that has answered me.....I appreciate it more than you know.

[loriacatlady]

And thank you Khari for the link to yahoo....it's amazing just how many people & their cats are dealing with this.

[Khari]

the last thing I want to do is put him to sleep, I just wonder if I'm being selfish putting him through all this because I'm not ready to let him go.

I think the group on yahoo will be good for you....I am not experienced with megacolon but from what I know it is not deadly. It is something that can be controlled and tolerated by trying different remedies that will work for your cat. I am glad you have checked it out. Go in the archives and see what sort of advice you can find for your situation. Ask the group questions. They are willing to help....remember they have been where you are and can help you out

Again about the Lactulose, you said I can get this over the counter? & if so what dosage do you give your cat?

The vet gave me a 1cc syringe to give to her twice daily. Your cat may need more. Maybe call your vet first to see what he recommends...I am lucky because my cat likes the taste of lactulose so she will lick it right out of the syringe while I hold it. And she will also lick it off my hand. You may have to hold your cat and open his mouth and put the syringe slightly into his mouth. Thankfully it is not that much of a dose. I don't know if the lactulose has made her go more regular but I do know her poops are more spongey now and not as rock hard.

I know it is sad how many people have cats with megacolon and constipation issues...I am a firm believer that it is because of the commercial pet food that we are feeding our pets. But that is a whole other forum

[loriacatlady]

Originally Posted by Khari

I think the group on yahoo will be good for you....I am not experienced with megacolon but from what I know it is not deadly. It is something that can be controlled and tolerated by trying different remedies that will work for your cat. I am glad you have checked it out. Go in the archives and see what sort of advice you can find for your situation. Ask the group questions. They are willing to help....remember they have been where you are and can help you out



The vet gave me a 1cc syringe to give to her twice daily. Your cat may need more. Maybe call your vet first to see what he recommends...I am lucky because my cat likes the taste of lactulose so she will lick it right out of the syringe while I hold it. And she will also lick it off my hand. You may have to hold your cat and open his mouth and put the syringe slightly into his mouth. Thankfully it is not that much of a dose. I don't know if the lactulose has made her go more regular but I do know her poops are more spongey now and not as rock hard.

I know it is sad how many people have cats with megacolon and constipation issues...I am a firm believer that it is because of the commercial pet food that we are feeding our pets. But that is a whole other forum

I went to Rite Aid to see about the Lactulose & they said I needed a prescription.....so I went to the vet & she wrote me one, it is 11.00 at Rite Aid which is much less than the vet. Now she needs to get me 10mg Cisipride as he needs 30mg's a day & right now I'm giving him 2 5mg's 3x day....it's really tough. Hopefully I'll have the 10's by Monday.Anyway thanks for your help & I'll keep you posted.

[natalia]

Originally Posted by Khari

Please do not do anything as drastic as putting your cat to sleep b/c of the mega colon. Please check out this group for support http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline_Megacolon/

3 weeks ago my vet put my cat under a mild anasthesia, applied an anema and cleaned out a huge blockage. Although my cat has constipation issues (not a megacolon that I am aware of) and she has stools every 3-4days. The vet says this is okay as long as she is not straining, in pain, throwing up, and the stools are not super hard. He is happy as long as the stools are abundant when she does have a stool. But he has told me that if she goes to 5 days without a stool than I have to bring her in. I have lost many hours of sleep worrying about her but I am coming to terms with the fact that she is normal in every other aspect except her pooping habits. I also am starting to believe that maybe some cats are just more speradic in their bowel movements.

Is your cat straining or in pain after 2 days with no bowel movement? If not, than maybe it is time to find another vet. Get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. I would not be able to afford taking my cat in to the vet every couple of days either. This has never been an option with my vet. He has told me to call him when I get concerned and he will make the decision if I should bring her in or not. He also told me that the stool softner "Lactulose" can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy. I save 5-6 times the amount I would spend paying for this at a vets office.

My cat would start to strain within 2-3 days when he doesnt have a bowel movement.. As of right now, my cat is doing great!
I have been feeding him Only wet-food with some water and pumkin to it and also i am giving him a stool softener once a day of 2 mls. the vet though had said to give him 3mls 2-3 times daily. I don’t want my cat to end up relying on the stool softener, i just want it to be around when he needs that extra little help because I don’t want his muscles to become weakened from not being used as much. should i be giving the softener more frequently as the vet had said? or stick to what im doing now?? also, I paid $20 for a 200mg liquid bottle, is that a normal price range? or should i buy one from a pharmacy? and if so which brand should i look for? and specific ingredients i want and dont want?

So things are looking good for now... he's in no pain has a bowel movement a day, eats and drinks plenty...

Thank you for all your help!

[Khari]

I have been feeding him Only wet-food with some water and pumkin to it and also i am giving him a stool softener once a day of 2 mls. the vet though had said to give him 3mls 2-3 times daily. I don’t want my cat to end up relying on the stool softener, i just want it to be around when he needs that extra little help because I don’t want his muscles to become weakened from not being used as much. should i be giving the softener more frequently as the vet had said? or stick to what im doing now?? also, I paid $20 for a 200mg liquid bottle, is that a normal price range? or should i buy one from a pharmacy? and if so which brand should i look for? and specific ingredients i want and dont want?

So things are looking good for now... he's in no pain has a bowel movement a day, eats and drinks plenty...

Woohoo sounds like your cat is doing much better. Having a bowel movement everyday day is great. I am happy you are getting this under control. And it is good to know that if he starts to go less frequent that you can up the dose to see if it helps!

What is the name of the stool softner you are giving your cat?

[natalia]

Originally Posted by Khari

Woohoo sounds like your cat is doing much better. Having a bowel movement everyday day is great. I am happy you are getting this under control. And it is good to know that if he starts to go less frequent that you can up the dose to see if it helps!

What is the name of the stool softner you are giving your cat?

The stool softner is called Lactulose...

what do you think?

[CrazyCatLady13]

I'm suprised that your cat is still on Cisapride. Does your Vet realize that they discontinued it? I would check to see if your vet can give you a prescription of Lactulose/Enulose. Lactulose/Enulose is very surgary, so some cats don't like it. Make sure that if your cat spits any of it out, to wipe it off their fur very quickly with a warm rag. Otherwise, the hair that the stuff gets on will get stiff and break off. Cats should be on a predominately all wet food diet that has no grains in it. Dry food is mostly made up of sugar and carbs, so not only do they put on a ton of weight, they also ruin their teeth. Dry food also causes diabetes. IF you are going to continue to keep your cats on a dry food diet, choose one that is made up of mostly protein like Wellness Core no grains. It is 50% protein. If you have a houseful of cats, and can't afford the extra buck, you can try the Purina Naturals that is 38% protein. However, a no grain canned food is best. Another thing, any cat with megacolon should be on a strictly canned food no grain diet (wellness no grains turkey formula is best, turkey has the most moisture in any foods), you should always add water (filterd water) to their canned food. Cats love this because it makes it soupy/gravy like and it helps bring more moisture in their bodies. Cats mouths aren't designed to bring in all the water they need. Also, you can add a teaspoon of 100% natural olive oil to the soupy canned food concoction. It will allow the feces to pass through. Lastly, there is one more thing, there is a pill that your vet can prescribe for megacolon if all else fails. However, the above should work if you stick to it and are diligent. And all should be done together, unlike one person suggested above, you should be doing the Lactulose/Enulose, no grain canned water/olive diet, and you should also give him milk twice a week. Most cats system cannot digest milk, however cats with megacolon actually benefit from it.

I have 2 cats with megacolon and also work at a shelter. Hope this helps.


One last tip, never ever ever give a boy cat any type of food that is seafood!!!!! This causes crystals in their urine which can cause the cat to get blocked up (his uretha) and this can kill him. You should always feel your cats Chicken, Turkey, and Beef. Turkey being the best because it has the most moisture content in it.

Originally Posted by loriacatlady

This is my 1st post here. My name is Lori I have an 11 yr old male cat that was diagnosed with megacolon around a year ago. Lately it's been getting harder to treat, he is on Cisipride 3x a day which does not seem to be as a effective as it used to be.....he can go days without pooping. Right before Thanksgiving he had to be knocked out and manually cleaned out by the vet.....this past week he was there 2x & had 2 enemas (Mon & Thurs). The vet says he should go no longer than 1-2 days without a bowel movement....not only is it stressfull on my cat & myself to do this to him but my pocketbook can not keep up with this anymore. Medication costs about $100 a month & enemas even MORE. I see there are alot of you that have gone through this here & am looking for any help or advice I can get, I am at the end of my ropes here, I just don't know what to do anymore, surgery has been suggested but it is very costly, there is no guarantee that it will cure him & I don't think I want to put him through such major surgery, leaving only one other option, putting him to sleep....just the thought sends me into tears....I would appreciate any feedback

[Chris21711]

Originally Posted by CrazyCatLady13

I'm suprised that your cat is still on Cisapride. Does your Vet realize that they discontinued it? :

It has been discontinued for use in humans not animals.

[CrazyCatLady13]

Actually, Cisapride has been discontinued in Illinois even for animals. I know this because I had two cats with Megacolon.

[Khari]

Here in winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada it has not been taken off the shelves yet?

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by CrazyCatLady13

Actually, Cisapride has been discontinued in Illinois even for animals. I know this because I had two cats with Megacolon.

Cisapride is still available from compounding veterinary pharmacies. I don't know why Illinois would be any different than the rest of the world. From the Merck Veterinary Manual:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/in.../bc/190307.htm

Although availability is now restricted (see below), cisapride was especially useful in animals that experienced neurologic side effects from metoclopramide. It was also useful in managing gastric stasis, idiopathic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, and postoperative ileus in dogs and cats. Cisapride was especially useful in managing chronic constipation in cats with megacolon; in many cases, it alleviated or delayed the need for subtotal colectomy. ......

Initially, the only adverse effects reported in humans were increased defecation, headache, abdominal pain, and cramping and flatulence; cisapride appeared to be well tolerated in animals. As cisapride became widely used in the management of gastroesophageal reflux in humans, cases of heart rhythm disorders and deaths were reported to the FDA. These cardiac problems in humans were highly associated with concurrent drug therapy or specific underlying conditions. In veterinary medicine, adverse reactions to clinical use of cisapride have not been reported. But because of the cardiovascular side effects in humans, the manufacturer of cisapride voluntarily placed it under a limited-access program. Cisapride for animals can still be obtained through compounding veterinary pharmacies.

[Khari]

I'm suprised that your cat is still on Cisapride. Does your Vet realize that they discontinued it?

I brought this concern up with both my regular vet and my holistic vet because they were both talking about putting Lexus on cisapride. But they both said it was taken off the shelf for humans not for pets. At this point I do not have to put her on cisapride but in the future I feel good to know that cisapride helps alot! There were no adverse effects on Pets (thank goodness). It sounds like cisapride has been a life saver for many people with cats that have megacolon.

[psw9368]

My cat was diagnosed with the same problem, called mega colon. He was switched from dry to can or wet and he is on two meds. One is lactulose, which he hates but it is better than the alternative and the other med is a compound, quite pricey, called sisapride. They both do the trick. When the doc told me his colon could burst that convinced me to stay with the meds and stay away from food high in fiber. Too much fiber bulked him up. Good luck and I hope you figure out what is best for your cat.