What is considered a regular bowel movement?

[Khari]

Can I please get some insight into what is a normal bowel movement for cats. I hear different regularities and I get concerned. Some people say anything longer than 1-2 days is a real concern. Some say 3-4 days is fine. My cat had chronic diarrhea on commercial pet food for years. Since being on a mostly all raw diet his stools are back to normal. At first on the new diet he was going every 1 to 2 days. Now 4 months on a prey model diet - he sometimes does not go for 3 days. I am afraid for him that it will start to get longer. I give him a little bit more liver and fat to no avail. I have given him pumpkin, baby squash, baby peas with no luck in increasing the frequency. If I give him Laxatone this usually helps but I do not want him to become dependent on this. Can you guys tell me the frequency of your cats and if I am over reacting....thanks!

[sugarcatmom]

I think "normal" can vary with each cat. My cat eats about 50/50 raw and canned, and he usually goes once a day. Sometimes he skips a day and then goes twice the next day. I would probably get concerned if there was more than a couple days with no poop, but that's because it wouldn't be normal for him.

What is your cat's stool like? Does it appear to be overly hard and dry? Large or small? Any straining or pooping in places he shouldn't? Does it smell like normal feces or is it very foul? If all of these other factors are normal, than maybe every 3 days is fine for him.