Accepted Answer

Hello,

I'm sorry to hear your cat is having this trouble.

Older cats are more prone to develop certain medical conditions, like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and renal issues, and if your furry boy is having some trouble walking/jumping, and you notice increased drinking/urinating, this may be related to diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, a cardiac condition called cardiomyopathy, arthritis, or another neurological condition, so due to this new symptom and his seeming constipation, he really needs to be evaluated by the vet, and a routine geriatric blood panel needs to be done at this time. A fecal analysis is also a good idea, to find out what's causing his constipation.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyperthyroidism.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/diabetes.html
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/renal.html

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyp-cardio.html

Older cats are sometimes more prone to constipation, just like older humans, and yes, you had a great idea to change his food to canned (a quality canned food, of course, that contains no common allergens or artificial additives/preservatives, like Wellness or Felidae), as this will provide more moisture in his diet. The pumpkin is great--make sure it's plain canned pumpkin and don't choose pie filling by mistake. You can give him 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin mixed into a small amount of canned food, daily. Also, not tuna WATER, but the oil from canned tuna, salmon and/or sardines is a good addition to his diet, daily (about 1-2 ounces). I'd also recommend some commercial hairball remedies like Laxatone or Petromalt, available in major pet supply stores. Also, comb/brush him several times daily, to remove all excess fur, diminishing the amount he'll ingest during self-grooming.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/constipation.html

I'd worry about some sort of intestinal obstruction or impacted stool/hairballs, causing his straining in the litterbox and producing only a small hard b.m., so please try your best to have him evaluated, diagnosed and treated. The following organizations may help you pay for medical care for your furry boy:

American Animal Hospital Association
http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/home
" Through the AAHA Helping Pets Fund, veterinary care is possible for sick or injured pets even if they have been abandoned or if their owner is experiencing financial hardship."

Angels 4 Animals
http://www.angels4animals.org/
"Our services range from financial aid to complete treatment
to those pets and pet owners in need."

Care Credit
http://www.carecredit.com/
A credit card company for health care, including veterinary care.
"With a comprehensive range of plan options, for
treatment or procedure fees from $1 to over $25,000, we offer a plan
and a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every
budget."

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP)
http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/
"Seniors, People with disabilities, People who
have lost their job, Good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten - any of these folks may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion."

The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Prog ram is a nonprofit 501
(c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and
kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save
their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes.

God's Creatures Ministry
http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html
"This fund helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help."

Help-A-Pet
http://www.help-a-pet.org/home.html
"Our efforts focus on serving the elderly, the disabled, and the
working poor."

IMOM
http://www.imom.org/
"We are dedicated to insure that no
companion animal has to be euthanized simply because their caretaker
is financially challenged."

The Pet Fund
http://thepetfund.com/
"The Pet Fund is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit association that
provides financial assistance to owners of domestic animals who need
urgent veterinary care."
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I hope your kitty is feeling more comfortable, very soon!

Cher

Expert:	Jessesmom
Pos. Feedback:	99.7 %
Accepts:	7318
Answered:	10/2/2008

Feline Specialist Health/Behavior

Feline Healthcare and Behavior Specialist 40+ years Experience