Symptoms of Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Feline inflammatory bowel disease, an incurable condition that causes a cat's intestine to be infiltrated by inflammatory cells, is one of the most common gastrointestinal problems that a cat faces throughout its life. It is unclear how it is caused, but it's thought to occur either through inflammatory cells entering the intestines in response to an injury, parasitic or bacterial infestation, or a genetically inherited abnormality of the immune system. There are several symptoms you should watch for if you think your cat has feline IBD.

  1. Most Common Symptoms

    • Some of the most common symptoms associated with feline IBD are diarrhea and vomiting. This subsequently leads to weight loss, so even though it is not a direct symptom, it is a symptom caused by the other symptoms. Defecation may become more frequent with fewer feces each time the cat uses the litter box.

    Less Common Symptoms

    • In some cats, the response may be greater. This will cause depression (the cat will not play or respond to stimulus), lack of appetite, and increased body temperature resulting in fever. Sometimes the only signs a cat will show will be blood in the stool and weight loss, or even vomiting alone. Some will also stop using their litter box for defecation.

    Easily Misdiagnosed

    • As sometimes the only symptom a cat shows for feline IBD is vomiting, the disease can be misdiagnosed quite easily. The only way to know for certain whether your cat has the disease is to take it to the vet to be diagnosed. They will perform blood work, and in severe cases a biopsy of the gastrointestinal lining.