How to Get Rid of Diarrhea in Cats

Diarrhea is a fairly common illness in cats, but curing it is no simple task. From parasites to food allergies, there are several different causes of diarrhea that all require different treatments. If your cat develops diarrhea, there are some simple steps you can try at home to alleviate the condition. But always keep in mind that diarrhea can be a symptom of a larger medical issue, and your feline friend may need more thorough medical attention before it can return to good health.

Things You'll Need

  • Chicken
  • Hamburger
  • White rice
  • Hypo-allergenic cat food
  • Medicine dropper
  • Plain, unflavored yogurt
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Instructions

    • 1

      Look for obvious causes of the diarrhea. If you recently switched your cat's brand of food, this may have upset its digestive system. You may need to return to the previous brand of food, or try a hypo-allergenic brand. If your cat is an outdoor cat, it may have come into contact with a toxin, such as water contaminated with bacteria. You may want to keep you cat indoors for a couple days as it recovers, to prevent it from coming into contact again with the contaminant.

    • 2

      Switch your cat's diet. Assuming there are no obvious causes of the cat's diarrhea, you will need to move your cat to a bland diet while it recovers. Try a diet of white rice and boiled hamburger or chicken for a few days, and see if the cat's symptoms start to improve. Some cat owners also use plain, unflavored yogurt to help settle their cats' stomachs. A small amount before meals can sometimes be beneficial. Holistic veterinarian Dr. Carol Osborne claims she has had success feeding cats a mixture of yogurt, water and chicken broth.

    • 3

      Keep your cat hydrated. Your cat may or may not show much interest in food while it recovers from diarrhea, but you must ensure that your cat continues to drink water. With diarrhea, cats can become dehydrated very quickly. Your cat may be lethargic and showing little interest in its water dish. In this case, you will need to administer water to your cat with a medicine dropper.

    • 4

      Watch for more serious symptoms. Look for blood in your cat's stool, or any obvious signs of parasites, such as worms. If blood or parasites are present, you need to bring your cat to a veterinarian for a thorough examination and testing. Sometimes, the symptoms of a more serious condition will not be so obvious. If your cat's diarrhea does not clear up within a few days--or if it improves, but returns quickly--you need to make an appointment with a veterinarian. Expect the veterinarian to conduct some blood tests to make sure there is not organ disease or some other underlying medical condition that is causing the diarrhea.