Giving Mineral Oil to My Cat - Answered by Dr. Van Lienden

Hi -

It's been recommended that I give my cat about 1tbsp of mineral oil daily to help her with consitpation. Since I have 5 cats that all eat out of the same dishes can I give it to her by mouth? I can give it to her by syringe. I know it is a semi laxitave and don't want to have my other 4 cats running to the litter tray:p

~M

I would give it by syringe. I would also give canned food too, if you aren't already.

If mineral oil doesn't work for your cat (it didn't work for mine and I was never very comfortable giving it), try unflavoured, unsweetened Metamucil (available at pharmacies), a quarter of a teaspoon mixed in with his (wet) food every day.
The minute I see my cat is having problems, I start him on Metamucil for a few days and it always does the trick. The minute he's regular again, I stop. The more his own system is left to function 'normally', the better.
Agree with LR, wet food is best for kitties with bowel issues. Make sure he drinks plenty of water,

Thanks. I'll try the Mineral Oil first. If that doesn't help, I can try the Metamucil.

I was giving a partial can of wet food to them in the morning and at night, but stopped it because a lot of them were gaining to much weight. If I started Lucky back on partial wet food again, I'd have to fight off the others lol.

Is there something else I could put the Metamucil in that I could give to her besides the wet food?


~M

Not really, for humans they recommend one teaspoon or more of Metamucil in a full glass of water and it has to be downed all at once. Can you not feed him in another room?

Why don`t you try the hairball remedy stuff. It`s made with mineral oil and most cats are supposed to like the taste:thumbs up although some I`ve had didn`t.:yuck: But if you smear it by their mouth or on their paws they will lick it off.:D

Metamucil is for human, not animal, consumption and the label contains the following warning " taking this product without adequate fluid may cause it to swell and block your throat or esophagus and may cause choking. Do not take Metamucil if you have difficulty swallowing. If you have chest pain, vomiting, or difficulty in swallowing or breathing after taking the product, seek immediate medical attention." For that reason it is not recommended for or given to animals.

Mineral oil is a light oil and because of that it can be easily inhaled into the respiratory tract where it stays. It never becomes assimilated into the body and the body can never get rid of it because of its mineral base. Instead, the immune system tries to isolate it by forming inflammatory granulomas.

Also this,

"Just having mineral oil around is a liability . If mineral oil is ingested, it will absorb (and essentially rob) vitamins from the intestinal tract – especially oil-soluble vitamins A, D and E. as well as beta-carotene, calcium, phosphorus and potassium and the blood coagulant Vitamin K. This could lead to nutritional deficiencies and other complications.

Ingested mineral oil also can impair lung function, a condition known as lipoid pneumonia (New England Journal of Medicine 1998; 339:1947-1948)."

http://www.thestork.biz/mineraloil.html


If your cat is constipated, either a teaspoon or two of olive oil or a tablespoon(level) of canned pumpkin will help to correct this. Olive oil is a heavier oil and both canned pumpkin and olive oil are safe because they do not have a mineral or chemical base.

Mineral oil is baby oil, right? I've heard all that about baby oil.

Yeah Prin, it's the same thing. Just baby oil has fragrance.

I've also read in multiple places that mineral oil ingested in animals is really bad news.

Yeah- ok. As it evaporates, it gets inhaled and it coats the lungs and causes suffocation... I'd stick to all-Bran.;)

Okay, you guys, how come the hairball remedy stuff is alright to give if it is made with mineral oil?:confused:

I definitely wouldn`t give Metamucil or mineral oil directly out of the bottle because of the dangers involved but I don`t see what`s wrong with the hairball stuff.:confused:

Actually, I was told to give my cat one tablespoon of mineral oil a day by my vet. Why would a vet tell you to give a cat mineral oil if it's not good for it?

I have tried giving my cat the hairball remedy stuff to no avail. So far the mineral oil isn't helping so I may try the pumpkin next. I've tried giving her the olive oil and she doesn't like it.

I do have a question. Since my cat is constipated, how will fiber help other than bulking up her stool? I checked her stool this morning and it was a little stiff. If it's stiff won't the fiber just bulk it up more? I think she needs something to soften her stool or will the fiber do that too?

Thanks
~M

There are two "ranges" of fiber. One end causes the colon to slow down and the other causes it to speed up. Bran, corn and oatmeal cause it to speed up and beet pulp and tomato pomace (in dog food) cause it to slow down. You want the fast kind for constipation.

Fibre is basically anything insoluble (doesn't dissolve in water), so the more of it, the bulkier the stool, but if it creates a sort of intolerance reaction, it'll speed things up..

I went and got a can of pumpkin and tried to give a little to Lucky and she turned her nose up at it. I tried to heat it up a little and she still turned her nose up at it. I tried to put some on her lips to make her take a taste of it. Sometimes, that will help. Nope. Is there something I can put into the pumpkin to maybe entice her to eat it?

~M

I honestly would not worry about the cats getting fat from eating canned food,I believe that's a myth and in a case like yours I definitely would feed her canned.
My 3 cats each get a tablespoon of canned twice a day and they are certainly not fat,they free-feed on good quality dry.
It's also easier to mix any kind of meds they might need.
I would also think a dish for each cat would be better,otherwise you don't know who is eating,or how much.
When it comes to nutrition,the vet does not always know much..

I did some research on cat food. Right now the food that I'm giving them only has 4.1% fiber. I found a different brand that has twice that amount. So, I may try that. It's Iams regular dry cat food.

I was giving them dry food and canned. I have one cat who is about 15lbs. She is getting heavy, and she's on the small boned side. Lucky is around 13lbs. But the rest of them are about 9lbs/ 8lbs. So two of them I have to watch what they eat, and since stopping the canned food, I've noticed those two taking some weight off. It's hard to give more food to othe other cats and try to make sure the other's don't get so much because they all eat out of the same bowls and they are left out all the time. I have one cat who is extremely picky about when she eats. So, I have to leave some out for her.

~M

Be very careful when giving mineral oil by mouth; if it ever gets into your feline's lungs, then significant medical problems are the consequence, even death is a possibility.

Why not add something like pumpkin mash (found in your grocery store, in a can and used to make pies) to everyone's food. It won't make your cats incontinent, it isn't messy, and many cats enjoy the taste. A tablespoon per cat per meal is usually sufficient.

Dr. Van Lienden

Dr. Raymond Van Lienden DVM
The Animal Clinic of Clifton
12702 Chapel Road, Clifton
Virginia, U.S.A. 20124
703-802-0490

Can we give our cat Platago Ovato (Psyllium), mixed in with his wet meals as high fiber to try and move the blockages?
What else could you recommend for us to try and solve this big problem?

I DO use metamucil for my Quincy...Those who have heard the story before, Quince was paralysed in the lower limbs and as he got over that, a small amount of neuro deficit was left and was the cause of a great deal of contsipation where enemas, lactulose, probiotics and other remedies just did not work long term. He had to be manually evacuated 3 times and that many anesthetics just isn't good either! My vet was starting to consider radical colon surgery so I was motivated to make something work!
He is doing great now but I do have to maintain him on prepulsid twice a day, lactulose, twice a day and I give him a quarter tesapon of metamucil every morning in his breakfast meal. I DO HOWEVER, MIX AT LEAST 25CC OF WATER INTO HIS FOOD WHEN HE GETS IT. I have spoiled this guy rotten, and he eats the food from a spoon I feed it to him with. That way I know, he gets the full dosage, and no one else is getting the metamucil. I also wait about an hour before giving him his other meds in the morning as metamucil can coat the meds and prevent absorption when given at the same time. I also mix his lactulose with an additional 10cc of water each time, so increasing his fluid intake also helps the chronic constipation with him.
I had heard about mineral oil, but was always afraid of kitty moving or jerking and ending up aspirating the stuff. It scared me so I avoided it.
Good luck. :cat:

Can we give our cat Platago Ovato (Psyllium), mixed in with his wet meals as high fiber to try and move the blockages?
What else could you recommend for us to try and solve this big problem?

Metamucil is psyllium fibre.

What else could you recommend for us to try and solve this big problem?

Slippery elm bark powder is another option to try. It's a mucilaginous soluble fibre that soothes the digestive tract, helping with both constipation and diarrhea. Here is more info: http://www.littlebigcat.com/?action=library&act=show&item=slipperyelm

And some info on constipation: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=constipatedcats

Slippery elm bark powder is another option to try. It's a mucilaginous soluble fibre that soothes the digestive tract, helping with both constipation and diarrhea. Here is more info: http://www.littlebigcat.com/?action=library&act=show&item=slipperyelm

And some info on constipation: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=constipatedcats

Bonita, SCM is really correct with the slippery elm bark. I used it too, and at one point was mixing a capsule of it, the slippery elm bark (he is a very big cat) into his breakfast "soup" along witht the metamucil. It is one natural product that is really inexpensive and does work wonders!
Siily me to forget that one. :headslap:

Mineral oil interfers with nutrient absorbtion and puts your cat at risk for
pneumonia due to aspiration.

Sorry to be slightly off topic but as I was reading all the posts I have to say
@quincymycat Quincy's so lucky to have you. Couldn't be in better hands. When I was reading all your will to find something that works and the discipline to do it :lovestruck: that's pure wub heh

I give Scully hairball remedy twice a week because she used to throw up a lot and it has worked. Keeps her pooping and the vomiting frequency went down a lot.

I have a similar story about my cat Simon. He died 2 months ago of kidney failure at 22 yrs. When he was about 14 he started getting constipated and had to take him to the vet for enemas. He already ate wet food. Eventually the vet recommended metamucil. That worked fine. For the occasional flare ups when i needed a quick fix, the vet recommended 1/8 tsp of Miralax. He said it was safe. It worked great and Simon's coat was beautiful and he lived another 8 years with the metamucil use.

Recently, when I was looking at kitties to adopt (I now have a new one), the site described a kitty that did not have control of his bowels. The cause was surgery to address constipation. The owners previously tried all kinds of "natural" (non scientific reviewed) homeopathic cures like massage, acupuncture etc... They did not try metamusil or Miralax which makes me sick to think the kitty could have been OK if they had and avoided all of those other home remedies and surgery.

In my search for a kitty I also came across another kitty that had constipation issues and they have it under control with 1/8 tsp of Miralax/day in the wet food.

Please, all you cat lovers, never consider surgery to correct constipation.


I DO use metamucil for my Quincy...Those who have heard the story before, Quince was paralysed in the lower limbs and as he got over that, a small amount of neuro deficit was left and was the cause of a great deal of contsipation where enemas, lactulose, probiotics and other remedies just did not work long term. He had to be manually evacuated 3 times and that many anesthetics just isn't good either! My vet was starting to consider radical colon surgery so I was motivated to make something work!
He is doing great now but I do have to maintain him on prepulsid twice a day, lactulose, twice a day and I give him a quarter tesapon of metamucil every morning in his breakfast meal. I DO HOWEVER, MIX AT LEAST 25CC OF WATER INTO HIS FOOD WHEN HE GETS IT. I have spoiled this guy rotten, and he eats the food from a spoon I feed it to him with. That way I know, he gets the full dosage, and no one else is getting the metamucil. I also wait about an hour before giving him his other meds in the morning as metamucil can coat the meds and prevent absorption when given at the same time. I also mix his lactulose with an additional 10cc of water each time, so increasing his fluid intake also helps the chronic constipation with him.
I had heard about mineral oil, but was always afraid of kitty moving or jerking and ending up aspirating the stuff. It scared me so I avoided it.
Good luck. :cat:

I'm horrified re number of tblspns of mineral oil you were advised. Give None! I only gave approx. 1/2 tspn of Paraffin oil & my cat got Lung Aspiration from taking a breath while drinking it in milk. With food isn't any better. They eventually get absesses or pneumonia & threat of death. They need antibiotics. Metamucil is made of Psyllium husks which can be bought in cereal isles supermarkets. 1 tspn. with food. It swells so needs fluid in mix. Bran should be safe. See www.merckmanuals.com/pneumonia in cats. I know Cayenne Pepper is safe for cats. It is good for ulcers & for numbing any pain. Absesses in lungs have resulted even 5 mths after, I'm sure.

Rainbow has a very good question - mineral oil in hairball remedy is OK? I just mixed a tsp. of mineral oil into my constipated cats wet food BEFORE I read down further the dangers of it. Now, I'm scared to death - he's an old cat, 14 yo. Luckily, he didn't lick his bowl completely clean. I'm definitely going to try the olive oil next - seems more natural. He LOVES cheese - will have to start cutting him back!

DPNY, another good short-term solution for occasional constipation is pure pumpkin (not the type with spices in it for pie--it should say 100% pure pumpkin on the can). Start small--it usually doesn't take a lot--maybe a 1/2 to 1 tsp.

As for the mineral oil, your cat will probably be okay. Not every cat that gets mineral oil, aspirates it to cause problems. Just keep an eye on your old boy and see a vet if anything concerns you.

Brushing a cat will help cut down on fur balls a lot , especially if the cat has long fur. It's best to start doing this when the cat is a kitten , it will also get the cat use to being touch all over.