"Murphy", a twelve year old castrated domestic short haired feline, presented to the Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery Service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals on June 15, 2004 for evaluation of a complaint of chronic constipation. Murphy's first episode of constipation was in October of 2002. Murphy's local veterinarian initially managed his constipation with medical management and dietary changes. In December of 2003, Murphy developed severe fecal impactions which required nearly weekly enemas. Murphy has been hospitalized at his referring veterinarian's since June first of 2004 because he was unable to defecate on his own and required daily enemas and numerous deobstipation procedures. Murphy was referred to Cornell for a surgical consultation. During physical examination numerous large, hard fecal balls were palpated in Murphy's dilated descending colon. Radiographs revealed the presence of a megacolon. Diagnostics, including a CBC, chemistry panel and abdominal radiographs, lead to idiopathic megacolon as a diagnosis of exclusion. The surgical option of subtotal colectomy and possible complications of the procedure were presented to Murphy's owner who elected to pursue the surgery for Murphy. A subtotal colectomy with preservation of the ileocecal junction was performed. Two days following his surgery Murphy passed several soft, but formed bowel movements (his first in three weeks). Histopathology of Murphy's excised colon identified no abnormalities in smooth muscle or myenteric or submucosal nerve plexuses. The histopathologic morphologic diagnosis confirmed the clinical diagnosis of idiopathic megacolon.