Many ailments cause diarrhea in cats. Some may be temporary and mild but others are chronic and require vet intervention. Diarrhea, no matter the cause, can be serious. Cats may dehydrate if it is severe or continues. If your cat develops watery stools, take her to a veterinarian; fluids will be replenished, and if necessary, the vet will run tests to determine the cause of the diarrhea.
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Features
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Watery stools and urgency plus frequency of bowel movements are typical signs of diarrhea in cats. If the urge comes suddenly, cats with diarrhea may not make it to the litter box in time. Consistency, color and presence or absence of blood in the diarrhea are important to note--this can help your veterinarian with a diagnosis.
Toxins and Physical Changes
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Cats poisoned by plants or chemicals may develop diarrhea. Substances include aspirin, insecticides and many common plants, including tulips. In these cases, other symptoms (tremors and vomiting are common ones) usually occur as well. Cats that may have ingested toxins should be taken for emergency treatment immediately; a delay of a few minutes can sometimes mean the difference between life and death
Physical change in the intestines is another cause of loose stool in cats. This change can be caused by tumors, foreign objects or other sources of inflammation in the bowels.
Bacterial or Viral Illness
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Like humans, cats can suffer from bacterial (or viral) illnesses that can cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. Antibiotics and anti-diarrhea medications (as suggested by your vet) may help the cat recover more quickly if bacteria is the cause.
Feline panleukopenia virus (also called feline distemper) causes bloody diarrhea. This disease is often fatal and you must take the cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Other cat viruses also may cause loose stool.
Organisms and Diseases
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Parasites, such as roundworm, and single-celled organisms, such as giardia, are often the cause of diarrhea in cats. If your cat has a roundworm infestation, you may actually see the worms in their stool. Other worms you may not notice. Your veterinarian can often determine whether or not a parasite is responsible for the diarrhea.
In addition, diarrhea may occur as a symptom of a chronic disease, such as liver disease.
Food Poisoning
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Cats can suffer from food poisoning, such as E coli, just as humans do. You can help prevent this by not feeding cats raw meat and by refrigerating opened and uneaten canned cat food.
Food Allergy or Intolerance
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For cats, food allergy more often shows up as skin irritation, rather than digestive problems; however, some cats may develop diarrhea due to a food allergy. Food intolerance (for instance, some cats are lactose intolerant) may also cause diarrhea.
Switching food is another possible cause of temporary diarrhea--pet food manufacturers often state on packages that you should switch your pet to new food gradually. Many cats will develop diarrhea if a switch is made too suddenly.
Considerations
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Cats with diarrhea should be kept separate from other cats in the home until treated and cured; many causes are transmittable to other cats.
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