Megacolon and chronic constipation in cats cause significant discomfort and welfare impact, requiring long-term dietary, pharmacological and sometimes surgical management.
Megacolon causes significant ongoing discomfort - the sensation of being unable to defaecate despite effort, progressive abdominal distension and ultimately obstipation requiring emergency veterinary intervention. Medical management that maintains regular defaecation prevents this suffering. For cats where medical management fails, surgical colectomy provides effective long-term relief, dramatically improving quality of life.