Generally speaking, cats visit the litter box several times a day in order to answer the call of nature. Most of the time, the felines shall quietly take care of their business then leave without making a fuss. Hence, in the case your kitten cries when pooping, it's essential that you assume your pet is in trouble. Excessive vocalization tends to indicate underlying health issues that if left unsolved would put the health of cats at risk. "But what needs to be done if I notice my furball crying in the litter box?" you wonder to yourself.
If you don't know how to react to the crying of your kitten while it uses the litter box, this article is for you. Take a close look at the information to learn the best approach to the situation.
Is It Normal For A Kitten To Vocalize While Defecating
As mentioned above, cats like to poop in silence but young kittens (under 8-week-old) may let out a few meows in the litter box. The pets simply feel a bit finicky about the litter but have no worry as everything should turn out to be fine at the end.
On the other hand, if your kitten cries virtually every time it takes a poop, something must have gone wrong. Considering the fragile constitution of kittens, it's strongly recommended that you get to the bottom of the problem immediately. The longer you leave your furball as it is, the lower the chance of recovery. Because of that, don't delay once you suspect that the pet is currently unwell. The rule of thumb here is "better safe than sorry". When the well-being of your cat is on the line, it's impossible for you to be too careful.
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What Make Kittens Resort To Crying In The Litter Box
Different cats have different issues but if your kitten cries when pooping, there would be a couple of common causes. In most cases, it's a good idea to keep these potential culprits in mind.
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Lack Of Bowel Movements
Kittens tend to be licked around the belly by their mother to stimulate bowel movements. Without such stimulation, it's fairly difficult for kittens to urinate as well as defecate. That means if your kitten happens to be an orphan, it may have a hard time pooping without encouragements which explain the crying: it wants to poop but it's unable to excrete the feces. Fortunately, it's a breeze to make a kitten poop as all you need to do is to massage the belly of your fluffy friend. Use a warm piece of washcloth to catch the wastes.
The average cats run into constipation from time to time for a variety of reasons. Usually, the felines could recover on their own without outside help after a few days. Nonetheless, if your kitten is experiencing severe constipation, the pet might be unable to poop for extended periods of time. Needless to say, if that actually happens, the health of the pet shall suffer greatly. As they struggle to defecate, constipated cats inadvertently let out distressing meows which is a clear sight of pooping difficulty.
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Pseudocoprostasis (Also Known As Fecal Mat)
It's common knowledge among cat parents that the felines simply love grooming their coat. Your kitten may spend hours after hour licking all over its fur without feeling bored. But while cats have a reputation for being extremely flexible, they still have a rather hard time grooming certain spots, especially around the rear end. As time pass by, furs near the anal of the pets become dull which develops into mat after a while. When matted hairs got mixed with feces, you have fecal mat, a pretty dangerous issue that would lead to the eventual blockage of the anus.
Considering the fact that most people keep cats as indoor pets nowadays, felines rarely get into bone-breaking accidents. Still, if your cat injures its pelvis bone, its daily activities (including defecating) shall change significantly due to the pain. That is why if your kitten cries when pooping, it's a good idea to check the pet for bruises. In light cases, people could help the felines recover by restricting the mobility of the pets for a few weeks. On the other hand, outside intervention (surgery) may be necessary in the case the extent of the damage is substantial.
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Recall Of Unpleasant Memories
Cats have excellent memory if they face something they don't like at specific locations, the experience would likely haunt them for a long time. Well, the same rule applies to the litter box: if your otherwise healthy kitten cries when pooping then it must have rather unpleasing memories of its toilet in the past. In that scenario, it's up to you to erase the stigma that your fluffy friend holds against the usage of litter box using encouragement. Most of the time, the pet should come to realize that everything is fine.
Getting Your Furball To The Vets: Always A Safe Bet
While informed pet owners could deduce what is going on, it's the veterinarians that have the final say regarding the condition of the felines. Therefore, it's widely advised that you immediately schedule an examination for your fluffy friend at the local veterinary clinic. By conducting a series of tests, the vets shall be able to determine if your pet is suffering from illness. Needless to say, until you obtain clearance from veterinarians, it's essential to refrain from giving your fluffy friend medications.
Note: In the case you receive drugs for your kitten, remember to follow instructions of the vets at all times. You need to find a secure place to store cat-specific medicine so as to minimize the risk of misuse. Additionally, check through the expiration dates on the label as the last thing you want to do is to give your sick kitten expired medicine.
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