How Long Can Cats Hold Their Poop – Things To Know!

Cats are known to be one of the best pets to some people. However, some cats don’t poop that often, while some may poop a lot. But it’s essential to find whether it is natural or time to go to a vet. This pooping habit leaves us all with a simple but necessary question: how long can cats hold their poop?

Cats can hold their poop for 24 – 48 hours. Factors such as the age of your cat, its physical activity, the type of diet, and the amount of water it consumes can affect how long it can go without pooping.

So, down below, we have covered all these questions in a detailed but easy-to-grapple manner for you to understand your cat’s situation and help them out when needed. This article will cover everything like whether it is normal for your cat to hold poop, can they hold it overnight, and a lot more.

Is It Normal For Cats To Hold Their Poop

Yes, it’s normal for cats to hold their poop, but for a limited period. Every cat is unique in its way, and they have some particular habits too. Usually, normal and healthy cats tend to poop at least once every 24 hours.

If extended, it could go on for about two days but not more than that. 

As stated earlier too, this can vary according to your cat’s specifications and dietary habits. If your cat holds its poop, there can be several reasons behind that.

One of the most common reasons could be traveling. Cats are generally sick of traveling. They behave indifferently, and so does their bowel movement. While traveling, they either hold it ultimately or tend to poop a little less at times. 

Another reason could be your cat hasn’t been well fed and hydrated. There is also a possibility of less physical activity. All these can lead to constipation.

Hence, if the cat is constipated, it can hold its poop for about 48 hrs, and it’s entirely normal for them to do so.

Is It Safe For Cats To Hold Their Poop

It is safe for your cat to hold their poop for 1-2 days, although it means that your cat is constipated. Your cat needs to poop at least once in two days. On the other hand, if your cat is older, then this situation is common since older cats constipate more frequently. 

The critical step here is to get rid of constipation. Nobody wants it. It’s irritating, annoying, and leads to the feeling of bulkiness. The same happens with cats too.

If your cat is fed with dry food mostly, constipation is quite common. Hydration plays a very important role. Thus, you need to take care of it. Physical exercises play a crucial role too.

It’s altogether safe for cats to hold their poop, but constipation should be taken care of at the same time since it leads to reabsorption of water in the intestines, which makes this problem worse as the stools dry out even more, and it becomes difficult to pass them.

Can Cats Hold Their Poop Overnight

Definitely! Your cat can easily hold poop overnight, and it’s entirely safe for them to do that. Cats have better control over their bowel movement and even their bladder as compared to other pets. They won’t have any problem going without defecating over a limited period, like for the night. 

If she wants to poop at night, she’ll wake you up, and you can help her with the litter box. As long as this system works, there won’t be any problem.

If your cat is a heavy sleeper, she will hold her urge to poop at midnight. Younger cats may need to go pooping at night, but older cats usually don’t wake at midnight to pass the bowels. They tend to keep it as an early morning tradition even if they felt like pooping at the previous night itself. 

You can always keep a litter box in your room if your cat wants to poop at night. This won’t trouble your sleep in any way, but generally, it is seen that cats can easily hold their bowel movement overnight. So now, you can sleep even after locking the door! Don’t forget a litter box, though!

Issues Caused By Cats Holding Their Poop

If your cat is holding poop, she must be constipated, which leads to straining while trying to defecate, loss of appetite, stress, anxiety, and so on. All these are discussed in detail below:

Difficulty in Bowel Movement

If your cat has been constipated, which can happen due to many reasons(already mentioned above), she will face difficulties while using the litter box. She’ll show signs of distress and straining while trying to poop. 

You can see her crying while trying to poop, but she might not be able to. It is possible that even though she shows a little bowel movement, the stools will be dry and hard, and she will still be considered constipated.

Loss of Appetite

Since she is not pooping well, she won’t feel hungry or need to eat regularly. She’ll be eating a little or will altogether avoid food which is not a good sign. She can prefer water more than food, which will also lead to loss of muscles and weight over time.

Stress and Anxiety

Just as humans show annoyed nature when they are not feeling well, cats also do. If they hold their poop for a long time, they’ll be irritated and show signs of stress and anxiety, like sitting in a dark corner or hiding somewhere. Continuous efforts to poop can make her agitated, and she won’t be that friendly at times. She can be aggressive too.

Vomiting

This can happen when she isn’t using the litter box, but she is eating the same amount of food over time. She is more likely to puke since she isn’t digesting the food well, and her stomach has poop stuck. This will further leave her stressed.

Difficulty in Mobilization

Holding poop over time will surely make her feel bulkier and restrict her movements. You can easily see her sleeping or lying in a corner, most of the time. She won’t be that playful, and you can see her walking stiffly. She’ll face difficulty in jumping up. Try treating her with utmost kindness at that time since that is what she requires the most. And a vet, of course!

Why Hasn’t My Cat Pooped A Week

It is a sign of underlying health conditions like kidney diseases, diabetes, and others. It has already been mentioned that going without pooping for more than two days is a definite sign of constipation. This should not be taken lightly.

 If she hasn’t pooped for a week, this could indicate chronic diseases such as hyperthyroidism, ruptured anal sacs, an intestinal blockage, arthritis, a tumor, or something completely different. It could sometimes be a sign of an enlarged prostate gland or a side effect of some medications.

It is best to take her to a vet as soon as possible. Constipation, if taken lightly, could lead to severe dehydration, making the stools drier and challenging to remove. It could also lead to damage to the colon. If your cat has not pooped for a week, it could even be a sign of cancer. Instead of making wild guesses at your end, visit a vet on the third day itself. Don’t wait for an entire week to pass!

What Can I Give My Cat That Won’t Poop

You can increase the fiber content in her diet and reduce the number of dry food products. Increasing hydration should be given a priority when your cat is constipated. This will soften the feces and prevent straining while she tries to use the litter box. Other products that you can give your cat to make her poop are as follows:

Canned Foods: These are generally pureed and have a good amount of water content. This helps to relieve your cat and won’t cause constipation. Canned and pureed pumpkin is one of the finest and well-known substances to add to your cat’s diet. Giving this to her every two to three days will show results.

Ginger: By far, ginger is one of the topmost natural substances your cat will help her poop. Talk to your vet about adding a small amount of ginger once every two days so that she can get better. You can mix ginger with her daily meal.

Aloe Vera Juice: This is another natural remedy that you can try. Giving aloe vera juice to your cat will help her with better digestion and egestion. It is hydrating and a natural herb. Talk to your vet beforehand, and you can easily use this remedy to bring her pooping cycle back on track.

Stool Softeners: You can always go with over-the-counter stool softeners for your cat after consulting with your vet. Considering your vet is necessary so that there are no side effects. There are several laxatives available in the market. Lactulose is one of the well-known amongst them.

Probiotics: These increase the number of good bacteria in the intestines. It helps in maintaining good gut health. This, in turn, leads to good digestion and proper, smooth stool movement. You can even add probiotics to your cat’s daily diet. These rarely have any adverse effects on cats. Consult your vet, though!

How Do I Know My Cat Has A Blockage

Your cat will show several symptoms like vomiting, not eating food, difficulty moving, straining, or crying while passing stools. If you think these symptoms are typical, you are entirely wrong because these indicate intestinal blockages. 

Intestinal blockages will decline the cat’s health with each passing day. A blockage may be partial or complete.

Vomiting, constipation, and whimpering while trying to poop are some of the most common signs. The other symptoms include weakness, abdominal pain and swelling, feverish conditions or cold body temperature, and unwillingness to lie down. Your cat can display one or a combination of symptoms.

Blockages generally occur due to tumors, lack of grooming, twisting of intestines, hernia, or polyps. If your cat has eaten some foreign substance, then this could also lead to blockages.

In some instances, an endoscopy can be performed to determine a blockage and how serious it is. If it doesn’t work, then surgery is another option to remove blockages. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for a complete recovery. So try to visit a vet as soon as possible.

How Can I Stimulate My Cat To Have A Bowel Movement

You can make a few dietary changes or take the help of endoscopy or other methods. Dietary changes such as adding fiber-rich foods will help. A fiber-planned diet by a vet can be followed to have a smooth bowel movement. 

You can take the help of natural laxatives, such as adding coconut oil to your cat’s food. Switch to over-the-counter laxatives when necessary.

Increasing hydration plays a crucial role in stimulating bowel movement. You can even add milk to her daily diet, which helps in softening of stools.

Physical exercises are essential for a healthy gut and regular bowel movement. Encourage your cat to exercise regularly. Play with her to ensure plenty of movement.

You can even perform a small wet towel therapy to stimulate bowel movement in young kittens. Take a towel and wet it in warm water. Make sure the water isn’t too hot.

Now, put it gently around your cat’s genitals to stimulate the bowel movement. Usually, this is done by a mother cat, but if she isn’t around, you need to take care of the kitten with this warm towel method.

In more severe conditions, you can always contact your vet for further guidance or enemas if required.

Things To Consider

You should never ignore even a slight change in your cat’s behavior when it comes to passing bowels. At times, it could be a sign of constipation, diarrhea, or other severe problems. Never try to give a massage yourself to stimulate bowel movement. Do this under the supervision of a vet only.

The general thumb rule says that if your cat has difficulty in passing bowels, and she hasn’t pooped even once in 48 hours, then take her to a vet at the earliest. Never try any medicines or even laxatives without a vet’s consultation.