How To Palpate a Cat For Constipation?

Knowing how a healthy vs. constipated cat’s stomach feels is useful for every caring owner who can’t stand watching their furry friend suffering.

Unfortunately, palpation has many contraindications, and incorrect technique may harm your cat, so you shouldn’t perform it on your own unless absolutely necessary.

The good news is that in healthy cats that don’t suffer from any conditions apart from constipation, palpation can also work as an effective treatment, stimulating bowel movements.

When is it Necessary To Palpate a Cat For Constipation

Palpation is an unpleasant process for a constipated cat, so the owner should attempt to identify the problem based on other symptoms first.

Sometimes, the signs of constipation in cats are apparent – for example, when the owner sees an empty litterbox for two days in a row. Most cats visit the litterbox at least twice a day.

However, the lack of feces in a litterbox may also indicate that a cat stopped eating. Owners can also notice their little friend excessively straining and crying in the litterbox.

However, pain may also be a symptom of other conditions, such as urinary tract infections and arthritis.

Sometimes, cats with constipation become lethargic, vomit, lose appetite, or try to hide from owners. The cat may visit the litterbox more frequently without any luck or avoid it entirely.

The problem is that most of these symptoms aren’t unique and may indicate other medical conditions. Furthermore, each cat’s reaction to constipation is unique, and your pet may not show all symptoms simultaneously.

If you suspect that your cat is constipated but aren’t sure, palpation can help make the right diagnosis to choose proper treatment. However, if your cat is showing most of the constipation signs and the diagnosis is apparent, palpation is unnecessary.

Palpation may also be necessary between vet visits if the constipation is chronic. However, the owner should only palpate their pet if the vet explicitly prescribes it because sometimes, a physical examination may harm the animal.

For example, palpation is prohibited for pregnant felines (only an experienced vet can perform a physical examination) or if the cat’s rib cage overlies the liver.

If your female feline is unspayed and you suspect she may be pregnant, never palpate the abdomen yourself because you may damage the fetus, causing miscarriage or stillbirth.

How Should a Healthy Cat’s Stomach Feel

To identify a digestion problem, you should first learn how a healthy cat’s stomach feels. If your cat admires a good belly rub, you may already know that the stomach should be soft and palpable. The cat shouldn’t feel any discomfort or pain.

However, there’s no need to hurry to a vet if your cat doesn’t like a belly rub. Hair follicles on the stomach are extra sensitive, so belly rubbing can be overstimulating.

For this reason, the primary factor in defining digestion issues is the abdomen feeling rather than the cat’s behavior. Still, the owner should watch out for behavior abnormalities and changes in petting preferences.

The cat’s stomach shouldn’t look bloated, but a moderate amount of soft fat is normal. Many owners are worried that their cat has a floppy belly, but the primordial pouch is common and harmless.

How To Define Constipation When Palpating

Now, to the main question – how do you diagnose constipation in a cat when palpating? Abnormal stomach feeling doesn’t yet indicate constipation but can be a sign of other health issues or pregnancy.

For example, if the back of the stomach feels hard, a cat may suffer from urinary tract obstruction, and tense abdominal pain can be caused by back pain.

First, learn how to palpate a cat correctly. Palpate with one hand, using a light but forceful touch, and move from the abdomen’s front to the back. The cat should stand rather than lie or sit.

Some cats tense stomach muscles even if they don’t feel pain. That’s a normal reaction, similar to how people tense their abs if someone touches them suddenly.

In normal circumstances, you should be able to palpate the kidneys, bladder, and intestines if they are full. The uterus should only be palpable in female felines during pregnancy or in the case of pyometra.

The intestines are what you should be interested in if you suspect constipation. They are located in the middle of a cat’s abdomen. Don’t push too hard – be gentle.

Pay attention to any indications of pain, lumps, bumps, swollen areas, or a tight-feeling abdomen. Constipated cats typically have a very hard or inflated abdomen resembling a water balloon.

However, if a cat has a bloated stomach but shows no other constipation symptoms, it may have simply overeaten.

If your cat shows signs of discomfort when you touch the back of its abdomen, right in front of the back legs, the cause of symptoms is likely not constipation but kidney problems or pyometra (in female felines).

Growths or masses may indicate tumors or cancer, so don’t postpone a vet visit. However, you won’t confuse growths with constipation because they feel soft.

While you’re doing a physical examination, you can also inspect the cat’s skin elasticity and coat condition for signs of dehydration. A loss of skin turgor and dull coat may signal dehydration, which is a common symptom of constipation.

Watch The Cat’s Reaction

Diagnosing constipation without veterinary education or prior experience can be tricky, but watching your cat’s reaction can help. While palpating, move from the abdomen’s front to the back slowly, constantly monitoring your cat’s behavior.

If your cat suddenly begins to hiss, growl, cry, or is aggressive, it feels discomfort. Some cats don’t express any aggression but begin to breathe rapidly or try to escape.

Take your cat’s personality into consideration. If your pet is typically patient and doesn’t mind you touching the stomach but suddenly begins to show aggression or anxiety signs, it may be in pain.

On the other hand, if your cat has always reacted negatively to you touching the stomach, meowing and attempts to escape may not be sufficient indicators of discomfort.

Palpation Dos & Don’ts

Cat abdomen palpation is a routine part of physical examination. Vets do it so effortlessly that palpating a cat may seem like a no-brainer. However, knowing how to palpate a cat correctly and what to avoid is crucial for inexperienced owners.

Don’t palpate your cat right after it has eaten because you may confuse bloating due to overeating with constipation. Do palpate your cat gently, without pressing on the abdomen.

One of the most common feline abdominal palpation mistakes is being unaware of the risks of such examination. You should be aware of the cases when palpation is prohibited and ensure your cat doesn’t suffer from conditions that could worsen due to palpation.

Don’t palpate a pregnant cat. You can suspect that your female feline is awaiting babies by increased sleeping time, swollen abdomen, and darkened nipples. Pregnant cats may occasionally vomit, which in combination with a swollen belly may resemble constipation.

Urinary obstruction in cats is life-threatening, and overly powerful palpation can cause the bladder to erupt, leading to a quick death.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of urinary obstruction in cats are very similar to constipation – straining in the litterbox, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and lethargy. One unique symptom is blood in the urine.

How To Make Abdomen Massage For Constipation

Feline abdominal palpation is used not solely as an examination method but also as treatment. Making an abdomen massage for a constipated cat is relatively straightforward, but you should first ensure your cat doesn’t have contraindications.

Start by creating a comfortable environment for your cat. Then, hold it belly-down, gripping gently but firmly under the chest to prevent it from escaping.

Place your hand on the cat’s stomach, hugging it from the bottom. Slowly and gently move your hand from the front to the back, as if you were petting your cat, but a bit more firmly.

Repeat the step about ten times, then start rubbing the cat’s stomach in gentle circular movements. Repeat another ten times.

Note that your goal isn’t pushing the masses out of your cat’s stomach but simulating natural intestine work, triggering bowel movements. Don’t rub the stomach too hard, and stop if you see signs of pain.

Preventing Constipation

Constipation is often a chronic problem, so caring owners should know how to prevent constipation in cats. Ensure that your cat always has access to water to prevent dehydration, the most common constipation cause.

If your cat eats solely dry food and often struggles to clear the digestive tract, switch to wet food and see whether the issue persists.

Another possible problem is the lack of fiber in a cat’s diet, so ensure it’s well-balanced. Administer extra fiber if necessary – boiled carrots, spinach, and wheat starch are excellent natural sources of fiber for cats.

Maintain your cat’s healthy weight and play with it regularly, even if it’s senior. Groom your cat frequently to prevent excessive hairball formation in the digestive tract.

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