Medical management of constipation in the cat

Constipation is a common disease of the domestic cat. Anecdotal speculation and case reports cite numerous possible causes of constipation; however, most cases have no known cause and are termed idiopathic. Appropriate medical management of idiopathic constipation should be tailored to each patient, as the severity of disease can vary widely. Medical therapy may include maintaining hydration, enemas, laxatives, motility modifying medications, pain control medications, dietary changes, and manual extraction of feces. This paper will review information on feline constipation by highlighting the case report of a 13 year old spayed female cat who presented to Cornell University Hospital for Animals in June 2008 with recurrent constipation