Cat sometimes suffer from constipation and they often have digestive issues due to the ingestion of hairballs. Constipation is often a result of poor eating habits, lack of fiber in their diet, and lack of water intake while the latter is mainly due to their grooming habits. Many pet parents use Laxatone to help their feline get their stomach issues fixed.
How long does Laxatone for cats take to work?
Laxatone typically starts working withing five or six days and can take up to two weeks to have its full effect.
What is Laxatone and what are its benefits?
Laxatone is a medication and laxative to regulate a cat’s bowel movement. It is vet-recommended, helps in lubricating the digestive system, and aids in the digestion of hairballs to prevent constipation and nausea. It comes in tuna and malt flavoring and its ingredients include corn syrup, soybean oil, cane, molasses, water, gelatin by-products, white petrolatum USP, malt syrup, and light mineral oil NF.
Some popular variants of Laxatone include Vetoquinol Laxatone: Oral Hairball Lubricant Gel for Cats, and TOMLYN Laxatone Lubricant 4.25oz Tube- Tuna Flavored.
These are the benefits of Laxatone:
- It helps to get rid of hairballs and keeps them from forming.
- It provides the much-needed moisture to your cat’s gastrointestinal tract for easy passing of stool.
- It has a calming and relaxing effect on your cat because it contains chamomile extract that has soothing effects.
- It is appealing to cats because it comes in tuna and malt flavors and it is in gel form which makes it easy to administer as cats will happily lick it from a bowl or your hand.
What are the common causes and signs of feline constipation?
Aside from hairballs, lack of water intake, and improper nutrition, constipation may be due to the ingestion of small items. It may also be because of a blockage in the digestive tract, injury or illness. It may also be due to painful lesions such as a stricture, mass, or perianal disease.
The common signs and symptoms of feline constipation include bloating and flatulence, cramps and abdominal pain, infrequent bowel movement, hard and compacted stool that is painful to pass, and loss of appetite.
Natural remedies to ease constipation
If you intend to combine other methods aside from giving Laxatone to your cat, here are some helpful natural remedies to ease constipation:
- feed your cat with fiber-rich food like pumpkin, beets, broccoli, carrots, bananas, and apples
- give your cat wet canned food
- encourage your cat to drink more water
- regularly brush your cat to curb hairballs
- ensure that your cat gets enough physical exercise so that colon muscles will function well
Conclusion
Cats that are constipated suffer discomfort and may exhibit behavioral changes. The main culprit is often the ingestion of hairballs that create a blockage in the digestive and gastrointestinal tract of cats. However, there are also other reasons why a cat is constipated such as improper nutrition and lack of water intake. Laxatone can provide relief to feline constipation in as early as five to six days up to in two weeks.
Image: istockphoto.com / Egomet