I am still learning the ways of my new kitty. She is wonderful. but

[Paper Roses]

I feel she might have a problem and I don't know what to do about it.

When she uses her litter box, she 'poops' in a form like large rabbit pellets. Some must be very uncomfortable for her to pass. Can this be her normal way of doing things or is she constipated and needs some kind of special food to get her to where things seem normal?

She was a shelter kitty and was used to a different diet. I have had her for 2 weeks. Do you think she just needs some more time to get used to the food I'm giving her?
Thanks for any advice.
PR

[emilyg]

1. Get her to lick a bit of

olive oil from your fingers.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. A little canned pumpkin in the food might help.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I always give a little Vaseline when my cat may be constipated.

It also helps with hairballs. I started using Vaseline after finding that the expensive product Laxatone was mostly Vaseline. And it works even better to soften stool.

[Paper Roses]

4. Did you just plop a little bit in the kitty's mouth? About how much?

I tried the olive oil hint earlier in this thread. No go on that one. Actually, I mixed a tiny bit in her food. She took one sniff and walked away.

[Curmudgeoness]

5. There are two ways I have been told to do it.

Either just put a dab on the front paw and the cat will lick it off, or put some on your finger and stick it in the cat's mouth where it will stick. I use the second way myself, just scraping it inside the side of the mouth or on the roof of the mouth. A warning, don't use too much since that can be spit out, and it will make a mess, because you know cats---they don't spit in a convenient place. I use about a pea to lima bean sized dab. My sister actually had a cat that loved it and would lick it off of her finger, so you might try this first. I never had luck with that, but you never know. Good luck.