Little poops on the carpet and scooting marks

by Cyndy
(Calgary)

Just in the past two days my 8 year old female cat started leaving little dry poops on the carpet and what appears to be scoot marks along with them - brown skid marks?? Could this be constipation?

My thoughts: Yes, your cat might be suffering from constipation. Some other signs might be frequent but unsuccessful visits to the litter box, and yelping or howling while having a bowel movement. It may not be that severe, though.

It's fairly common for the hair to intertwine around the bowel movement to the point that things don't come quite all the way out. This is especially true in medium to long haired cats. Your cat may have some discomfort from this and try to dislodge it by dragging, or the skid marks may just be from your cat sitting down prior to dislodging.

There are some treatments, such as lactulose, that your vet may prescribe. Or, your vet may prescribe a commercially available hairball remedy or change in diet. Be aware that the available literature warns that long term constipation in cats can lead to serious bowel conditions, and long term use of laxative type remedies can deprive cats of nutrition. Your vet can explain the risks.

What a beautiful cat!