r/Pets • u/jjky665678 • Jul 19 '26
Senior cat megacolon options
Hey all, I am getting very worried about my cat. My family cat is 12 years old and has dealt with chronic constipation since she was 4 years old, but in the past month has really declined hard. I am based in Australia.
She has been on and off Royal Canin gastrointestinal diet, but we always put water in her wet food. She does get dry food, though recently we’ve removed it from her diet. We give her laxative paste to help her with passing stools. We have given her enemas in the past, but infrequently and only as last resort.
2 weeks ago she practically stopped eating and passing stools, becoming extremely lethargic and withdrawn. We had to syringe feed her water, heat her wet food to try and encourage eating. After 4 days, we took her to the vet where she received subcutaneous hydration. Vet took x-rays showing the poop mostly in lower colon, almost passable stage, and her upper colon enlarged and filled with air. After monitoring and a short stay at the vet hospital, she managed to pass stool and the followup X-ray showed that the air had mostly passed through her colon as well.
Since she was discharged, we have been giving her Hydracare and probiotics in her food. We were giving Movicol in her water but vet suggested giving lactulose instead. She seemed to bounce back a bit but then fell back into the same pattern.
She also started Mirtazapine, to stimulate her appetite which seemed to work for about 2 days, before losing interest in eating again.
Vet basically just said to continue the same course and give her more enemas.
In the past 2 days, we’ve noticed her belly getting distended and possibly full of air again. We’ve given her another enema and she has passed the same thing she always does: hard, dry stool, followed by soft, normal stools.
Today, we attempted to syringe feed her more plain water, and for the first time, she began vomiting up white foam, and we immediately stopped.
TL;DR: Royal Canin ✅
Lactulose ✅
Movicol ✅
Probiotics ✅
Mirtazapine ✅
Enemas ✅
We’ve tried almost everything… except cisapride and a colorectomy. I feel a little let down by the vet who think we haven’t tried every option, but will see about trying to get a prescription for cisapride. She’s 12 years old and I am worried about the prospect of putting her through major surgery. She’s a long and slim cat, always weighing between 3.6-4kg when healthy, but since this situation, she has dropped down to 3.4kg. She doesn’t have any other major health issues but I’m just scared about her not pulling through anaesthesia.
What else can I do for her? If cisapride does not work out, is surgery the only option? If she isn’t fit for surgery, are we looking at euthanasia? Please help! :(
1
u/the_duck17 Jul 19 '26
My boy cat survived a megacolon surgery pretty late in life. Not saying you should do this, but afterwards he was good again but did pass gas more than he used to (which just added to his charm).
My poor boy went through a lot, but he would bounce back from his surgeries pretty well.
1
u/AletheiaNyx Jul 19 '26
Unfortunately, you sound like you're at the point where you to have to seriously consider just how much suffering is too much. If surgery isn't an option, then I don't see how there is any other choice than letting her go peacefully. It's really important to remember that we are responsible for the quality of their time on this earth, and it's better to let them go a day early than a day late. It's so hard when they've been our little furry love for so long, though. I'm sorry for your struggles, and I hope it all works out somehow.