Your animal seems to have symptoms of constipation. This usually means your pet  is straining or has difficulty passing faeces - and what comes out is hard and dry.

Constipation can have several causes, such as hard-to-digest feed ( bone fragments, large amounts of fibre in the food), lack of fluid, less feed intake or diseases that cause the intestines and bowel emptying not to function normally.

Sometimes the symptoms can be caused by a pain in the back, abdomen or rectum that causes your pet to feel discomfort when it has to position to defecate.

Symptoms of constipation can also be confused with symptoms seen during urinary tract disease. Cystitis symptoms are particularly common in cats and may show as spending a lot of time crouched in the litter tray or prolonged straining elsewhere. Male cats can be prone to a blockage of the bladder which may look like constipation in the early stages.
Blocked bladder is a severe emergency so male cats that are straining should be seen by a vet as soon as possible

Some types of diarrhoea, for instance colitis, may result in straining and an increased frequency of defecation and give the appearance of constipation

If your animal shows symptoms of constipation or appears to have difficulty  - or pain - when defecating - we recommend that you request a physical examination for your pet from a veterinarian so that they can identify the problem accurately and recommend the optimal treatment. Do not give laxatives until you are sure of the cause of your animal's discomfort.

Please book an urgent appointment with your usual veterinary surgery or another available veterinarian.

 I hope your pet gets better soon. You are always welcome to contact us for a follow-up if you feel concerned.