Cat Diarrhea Problems

Minor Cases

• Every now and then, our feline friends suffer from a bout of diarrhea. Sometimes a sudden change of diet, or eating bad or indigestible food, or even milk, can cause a cat's stomach to rebel. While many people think that giving milk or cream to a cat is desirable, the lactose in them can cause diarrhea. Stress is another trigger for diarrhea in cats, so if you move into a different home or bring home a new family member, your cat may have a temporary digestion problem.

Serious Diarrhea

• If your cat is suffering from more than just a simple, minor case of diarrhea, he will appear visibly sick and will usually experience some of these other symptoms: vomiting, dehydration, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, high fever, lethargy, and bloody and/or watery diarrhea. The causes for this type of diarrhea can range from inflammatory bowel disease, to neoplasia, to fungal or bacterial infection, hyperthyroidism or loss of pancreatic function.

What to Do

• For minor cases, your cat may need treatment for worms or other intestinal parasites if the problem doesn't resolve itself within a couple of days. You should also watch her closely to make sure she is not becoming dehydrated. If your cat has a major case of diarrhea, your first step should be to take her to the vet to make sure she will get the treatment she needs.

Treatment

• One thing you can try is giving your cat a diet of bland food for a couple of days to try to settle his intestinal tract. Cooked chicken or boiled hamburger mixed with rice or potatoes are easy foods for your cat to digest. Stay away from dairy products. Again, make sure he stays hydrated. If you are worried about him losing electrolytes, try giving him a small bowl filled with a sports drink designed to replenish electrolytes. Or if he seems interested, feed him some banana to increase his potassium level.

Prevention/Solution

• If you plan to change your cat's brand of food, remember to mix the new food with the old at first to help ease the transition. Do not feed your cat based on what is on sale. Choose a high-quality brand of food and stick with it. Cats do not adjust well to frequent dietary changes. Keeping your cat indoors at all times is another good idea, not only for disease prevention, but also to increase your cat's life span. Indoor-only cats can live three times longer than cats allowed to roam.

Milk

• If you just can't resist giving milk to your cat, at least buy a lactose-free version for her. Without the lactose, she'll be better able to digest it, and you won't have to worry about diarrhea.

Stress

• If you have recently changed residences or added a new family member, the stress may be the cause of your cat's intestinal upset. Once the family settles into a routine, he should be fine. You can help by giving him his own quiet space and by continuing to show him the same attention and affection you have always given him.