Your cat may be lethargic, and have a painful abdomen and/or a fever. He may have no bowel movements, thick mucus in the rectum, vomiting, and lack of appetite. she may also adopt a hunched-up stance.
Has your cat recently ingested a small object or a poisonous substance? Has he been diagnosed with a hernia, an abdominal tumor, or intestinal parasites? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, your cat may have blocked bowels. This condition typically occurs when a small portion of the intestines becomes obstructed (most ofthen where the small and the large intestines meet, although it could occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract). The ailment can be traced to a severe gut-area inflammation, a foreign object, a hernia, a tumor, trichobezoars (hair balls) or parasites.
What To Do When Your Cat Has a Blocked Bowel
Take your cat to the vet immediately. If left untreated, a blocked bowel can kill the intestinal tissue and, eventually, the cat herself.
To reach a diagnosis, your vet will perform both plain and dye-contrast radiographs. If there is an obstruction, emergency surgery will clear the blockage and remove any dead tissue. Post-op care includes 2 days of intavenous feeding (requiring a hospital stay) and 1 week's worth of antibiotics. To produce a good bowel movement, replace half of your cat's regular amount of food with fresh raw meet (a natural laxative) and fresh raw vegetables (to provide bulk), and mix her food with either powdered psyllium (such as metamucil) or mineral oil 2 times a day. If these recommendations still do not produce a significant bowel movement, a fleet saline or mineral-oil enema can be given several times a day (your vet will teach you how) until one is produced. Enemas designed for humans should never be given to cats—they cause dehydration.
Preventing Bowel Block
Watch what your cat puts in her mouth. Pets should NEVER be given cooked bones from leftover meals from their human companions.While raw bones are easily digested and utilized for important calcium and minerals, cooked bonesare dangerous and can cause blockage and/or bowel perforation.