Reduced bowl movements after removing kibble

[Jessica McC]

Hi there,

I recently took my senior cats off of Kibble, and am slowly adding some raw food in with their canned food. The goal is to get them onto a more raw food diet in time, or whatever works best for them.

My issue is that both cats have greatly reduced their bowl movements... and I'm very worried.

Their kibble was a good brand, and was grain free, so I'm assuming their a missing the fiber from the kibble.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm going to get some pumpkin and chia seeds to try and stimulate their digestive track.

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Kibble is full of fiber and indigestible waste products (yes, even the better brands) that it produces a lot of poop. Canned and (even better) raw are much more digestible. Your cats are getting far more nutrition from a far lower volume of food. Smaller and (often) less odorous poops are the reward! So, no worries, this is a GOOD thing!

 

[Jessica McC]

Thanks @Dr. Jean ... it's been at least 2 days though since I've seen any poop in the litter box. Isn't that too long? What is a good frequency for them to be going #2 on a mostly wet / raw diet?

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Well, as we so often say... it depends!

Can you tell us more about the time frame involved? When did they last eat dry food? Are they eating their canned/raw well? If they aren't eating as much, it follows that not as much will come out. In that case, maybe the raw is not as appealing, go back to canned only or whatever they prefer. We always want kitties eating well!

What about their BEAMs? Are they acting normal? Have you noticed repeated trips to the litterbox, any straining, seeming discomfort if you touch around their tummies? Or, as happens sometimes with my kitty (and probably why he was abandoned to the streets after being declawed), might they have gone... elsewhere? Cats can develop very weird litterbox behaviors... two of mine shared one box for 15 years, until one day they didn't!

So, there are many factors to consider! Two days might not be a big deal... but it also might be a sign of trouble.

Let's touch base again (probably tomorrow, it's bedtime here!) before you add fiber... that is not always the best solution. (Physiologically speaking, cats have no need for fiber, but they can become dependent if they're used to a certain level.) Meantime, have a look at this article, which may give you some ideas.... Constipated Cats | Little Big Cat

 

[Jessica McC]

Thank you!

It seems like the reduced bowel movements have been happening since I started removing their kibble.
I've started tracking their BM's and it's now been 3 days since I've seen any in their litter boxes.

When did they last eat dry food?
They last ate some dry food yesterday... I put out a small handful.

Are they eating their canned/raw well?
Yes, they're eating their canned food, and the raw food when I mix it in with the wet normally.

What about their BEAMs? Are they acting normal? Have you noticed repeated trips to the litterbox, any straining, seeming discomfort if you touch around their tummies?
They seem in great physical health... both meet me at the door when I come home. Ask for food in the evenings and mornings and are behaving totally normally. When I touch both of their tummies yesterday, neither of them seemed in any way bothered by it.

Or, as happens sometimes with my kitty (and probably why he was abandoned to the streets after being declawed), might they have gone... elsewhere? Cats can develop very weird litterbox behaviors... two of mine shared one box for 15 years, until one day they didn't!
No, I've checked around and they haven't gone anywhere else.

So, there are many factors to consider! Two days might not be a big deal... but it also might be a sign of trouble.
Ok, yes it definitely different for them. They've never had this issue before. Although one of my cats has IBS and often goes outside of the litter, which is why I'm working on their diet in the first place.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Hi, so sorry it's so late getting back to you, it's been one of those days...

Anyway, how are things going? Any poop yet?

If not, a couple things:

- If you see any of the signs we talked about before (BEAM not as good, signs of discomfort, etc.) then it's probably time for a check-in or exam. You may want to give your regular/holistic vet a buzz, in case stronger measures are needed. Or, are you working with one of the HA! vets? Since they are older kitties we don't want to let things get too far astray.

- If not, and they are still behaving normally and eating well, the things I try first are fluids (by mouth or subcutaneously) and Vaseline. Dehydration can really boggle things up. Weirdly, Vaseline is quite safe because it can't be digested--it's totally inert in the body, it slides right down to the site of the problem, and very effectively moves around any blockages to "grease the skids" and escort whatever is there, out.

We'll await your progress report!

 

[Dr. Christina]

the BEAM evaluation is very important.
Update us, @Jessica McC with a poop report.

Do not go back to kibble!

Dr. Chambreau