Having a newborn kitten in your home is amazing. A cat this small is probably the most adorable thing you’ll ever see!
However, caring for a young kitten like this also comes with significant responsibilities. During this period, cats demand a great deal of our attention, devotion, and care.
If you notice your 4-week-old kitten hasn’t pooped in 2 days, you probably immediately got worried. Well, this is quite serious, and something you shouldn’t ignore.
However, you shouldn’t panic, either, but rather first try to figure out what could have caused this occurrence.
There's a valid explanation for this situation, along with some strategies to help your cat achieve regular bowel movements.
Reading the following sections will be beneficial for all novice owners caring for their young kittens.
Why Hasn’t Your Young Kitten Pooped In 2 Days?
Normally, you can expect a young kitten to poop once every day. If two days have passed, and you notice your kitten hasn’t pooped this long, it’s time you do something.
If you notice other signs in your kitten, such as crying or straining, the best would be to consult a veterinarian.
The first thing you should know in this situation is what might cause your 4-week-old kitten not to poop for 2 days.
1. Dehydration
Kittens should start drinking water on their own around 4 weeks of age. Until then, they receive everything they need to thrive from their mother’s milk.
However, many kittens will not be willing to drink water from their bowls when they are this young. It might take up to a couple of weeks for them to adjust to not nursing from their mother and start drinking water independently.
This is the reason why many young kittens become dehydrated, which causes them not to be able to defecate.
According to WebMD, some of the most common signs of dehydration in kittens are panting, sunken eyes, dry gums, and loss of energy.
Water intake is crucial for a cat’s health in general, and is especially important for her digestion and waste removal.
Therefore, you shouldn’t ignore your kitten not being able to poop, but rather take her to a veterinarian to examine her.
2. Stress
Your young kitten will need some time to get used to her new surroundings. Cats, in general, are averse to changes, and even the smallest new element in their environment can induce stress.
Small kittens are especially delicate and sensitive to changes, so, there might be many stressors around them – even things you don’t notice, such as loud noises, strangers in your house, or changing the place of their water bowl or litter box.
Stress can also cause constipation in kittens.
You should try to make your kitten’s routine as consistent as possible, and make her feel safe and protected in your home.
3. Gastrointestinal Obstruction
Another thing that might cause your kitten not to poop for 2 days is a gastrointestinal obstruction or blockage.
Young kittens might ingest different foreign bodies, such as hairballs, feathers, toys, ribbons, and so on.
This can cause a blockage in your kitten’s stomach or intestine, preventing her from pooping.
See Also: Why A Cat Hairball Looks Like Poop, And How To Help
4. Intestinal Parasites
A kitten having trouble with defecating could be dealing with intestinal parasites.
VCA Animal Hospitals explains how there are different types of intestinal parasites in kittens, such as roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms.
Tapeworms are usually the ones that lead to intestinal obstruction in kittens.
Except for constipation, you might also notice other signs in your kitten, such as vomiting, weight loss, a distended abdomen, and a dull coat.
If you suspect your kitten might have intestinal worms, it's advisable to take her to a veterinarian for assessment.
How To Help Your Kitten Poop?
There are some ways to help a cat with constipation, such as giving her canned pumpkin that’s high in fiber, or ground flaxseed which are also great aid for constipation.
However, this doesn’t apply to young kittens. I would like to remind you once more that you should definitely seek help from your veterinarian to be sure there isn’t an underlying disease in your kitten causing her not to be able to defecate.
Sarah Benjamin and Kenneth Drobatz [1] describe constipation as a common complaint in the cat population that can become a frustrating recurrent condition.
Therefore, you need to ask a veterinarian’s opinion if you notice your kitten isn’t pooping regularly.
If the vet confirms your kitten is fine, there are some things you can do to help her have normal bowel movements.
The most important thing is to keep your kitten hydrated. If she has started consuming dry food, consider adding some water to it to maintain her proper water intake.
You can also ask your vet for some advice on probiotic supplements, to make sure there is a healthy balance of intestinal flora in your kitten’s small and large intestines.
Additionally, gently massaging your kitten's stomach and encouraging a bit of physical activity can help stimulate regular bowel movements. When this is young, your kitten will definitely like to play with toys, and this is a great source of exercise for her.
If nothing seems to help, your veterinarian will prescribe some oral medications for your kitten to defecate.
Conclusion
Should you be worried if your 4-week-old kitten hasn’t pooped in 2 days?
Well, it's certainly a situation that warrants attention.
You can help your kitten poop by keeping it hydrated and active, as well as by gently massaging its little tummy.
However, I still recommend that you consult the veterinarian on this issue. He will examine your little kitten and check whether there is any health issue that’s preventing your kitten from defecating.
Maybe your kitten needs probiotics or even deworming, if the vet finds the obstruction happened due to intestinal worms.
To conclude – constipation can be very dangerous for young kittens, especially if left untreated.
References:
[1] Benjamin SE, Drobatz KJ. Retrospective evaluation of risk factors and treatment outcome predictors in cats presenting to the emergency room for constipation. J Feline Med Surg. 2020 Feb;22(2):153-160. DOI, Retrieved August 01, 2023.
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