Nina, I noticed your question in the Ask The Professor Forum so curious to see what David has to say. I thought I would give you my two cents (from my veterinary brain). This is a pretty common issue in cats in general but esp older cats. I have moved away from using Miralax long term - it does seem to work wonders in the short term but I also don't like the idea of using it for a prolonged period. There are a few things that I would recommend: - you can use psyllium husk instead - most cats tolerate about 1/8-1/4 tsp twice daily (mixed with food and some additional water) - start low and increase gradually to the recommended dose to avoid stomach upset/diarrhea - OR there is a product called Fiber Boost by Grey Wolfe that has lots of great stuff for gut health along with fiber - consider blood and urine testing to check kidney values and urine concentration - many cats get constipated due to low level chronic dehydration. Often in older cats kidney disease (among other things) contributes to this - if they are eating kibble - try eliminating it and just feeding canned food only - kibble is too high in carbohydrates for most cats and can cause a variety of health issues, canned food should produce smaller/easier to pass stools, also helps with hydration due to increased moisture content - I don't have any experience using Senna leaf - I think it is more of a stimulant laxative? so might work a bit differently then miralax or psyllium Dana

Hi Dana and Nina, Just thought I'd chime in to say that ground psyllium husk added to wet food, with quite a lot of extra water mixed in, worked wonders for my 15 y/o cat who tended toward dry, small stools his entire life. I only wish we'd started using it earlier in his life (started around 14 years). His poops almost immediately became larger and easier to pass. Thanks, Dana, for sharing your valuable two cents. I hope the kitty feels better soon, Nina! Lisa

That's great Nina! I love when simple things work!

Oops Lisa, not Nina, lol

OH!!! I'm so grateful that both of you added in your experiences and knowledge!! I just saw your comments! :) Dana, Thank you for your veterinary expertise! I didn't want to ask you but really wanted to hear what you would do. THANK YOU! I will definitely try it out psyllium husks for them. Our vet did recommend taking away the kibble but we have 2 younger cats (3 yo) that love the kibble... We may have to remove it though. Lisa, Thank you for your input! I love to hear that your kitty is feeling better and I can totally make the canned food more watery with the psyllium husks! I'll let you both know what happens to those 2 older kitties. Kindly, Nina