Hi, is there anything that can be given to a cat that tends to get constipated sometimes?

Pumpkin - if you can get hold of some, fresh ideally, boiled then mash about half a teaspoon into food
Em x

Thanks for the advice, Em. I really don't know where I'm going to get hold of fresh pumpkin at this time of year, though. About as close as I can find is this pumpkin baby food: http://www.waitrose.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10317
Ingredients: Organic Pumpkin 30%, Water, Organic Carrots 22%, Organic Mango 17%, Organic Quinoa Flakes 5%
I don't know what quinoa flakes are or if they're safe for cats.

The thing is, if he gets constipated during the day, he'll moan for a few seconds after trying, but then goes back to his usual self. If he gets consipated during the night, though, he completely kicks off and scratches at the floor constantly to keep everyone awake. Clearly he's very uncomfortable when he gets like that, but I never know if to get up to be with him or tell him off...I mean, cats can pull every trick in the book to get attention and I don't want him to turn this into a game that he wants to play at 4am every morning!

He'll be at vets later this week for his boosters, so I'll mention it to them then, but I was hoping there was something I could give him now that would naturally help him along. He likes cream, but I don't give him much in case he gets the runs, would a teaspoon of that make him softer?

I believe sweet potato would be an alternative to pumpkin. Quinoa is a grain so shouldn't hurt, baby food is fine as long as it has no garlic or onion in it
When Maddy had bad constipation the vet gave her Katalax - I'm pretty sure this does not require a prescription so you could probably get hold of it today from your vet
Em x

Oh forgot to say perhaps a little tuna in sunflower oil might help too
Em x

Can you get some liquid paraffin, i have used that,and chemists sell it,
I bought some almo nature, for looseness, and applaws do chicken and pumpkin too, but it cost me a fortune as they are tiny tins,then the cat i got it for wouldnt touch it,so pumpkin is good for regulating the bowels, either way, but if she /he is constipated i would use liquid paraffin, or as Em suggested Katalax

Thanks for the help! I have some sweet potato in at the moment, so I'll boil and mash him a little cube of it to put in his food. Does a couple of mls of liquid paraffin mixed in his wet food once a day sound about the right amount? I don't want to give him too much!
I gave him a teaspoon of double cream yesterday and he had two poohs last night, so that seemed to help him a little, but I don't want to give him that every day or he'll turn into a little fatty.

If you think the sweet potato will help i would try that first, if it doesnt ,yes you could mix a little liquid paraffin in his food, i gave mine about half a teaspoonful, by mouth,and that did the trick

Thanks, Veejay. I've had him at vet today and she said I can carry on with liquid paraffin, but if it doesn't help I can try him on lactulose. She reckons that he may not be a big drinker so could need wet food with a higher water content, so I'm going to have to read-up on the cans I normally get him. He's not dehydrated or ill in any way, though, which is good. On the plus side, if the liquid paraffin helps to work his tummy out, at least I know he likes the stuff, as he went licking the syringe afterwards that I'd used to put it in his food!

Thats good that he likes the liquid paraffin, and your vet approves, i usually have some in, but i have only need to use it a couple of times,and cheaper than katalax too
I do think they need wet food as well as dry, mine have both, but i find the pouches seem to have more moisture than the tins