Diarrhea in Cats: Causes, Types & Treatment

Diarrhea in cats can be a disease or a symptom of a disease, and indoor cats are the most susceptible, according to veterinarians. The most common cause is improper diet: feeding the cat overly spiced, overly fatty foods, or excessive milk or cream can, in some specific cases, lead to diarrhea.

Below, we will extensively present the causes of diarrhea in cats, the types of diarrhea, the methods used by veterinarians to diagnose it, and what you can do for your cat in such cases.

• What are the causes
• Types of diarrhea in cats
• How to treat your cat's diarrhea
• What methods will the vet use to determine the cause

What are the causes

As mentioned above, the most common cause is an inappropriate diet, but the range of causes of diarrhea in cats is much broader.

• Diet-related causes

Changes in a cat's diet can occasionally lead to diarrhea. For example, switching from prepared foods to a natural diet may not agree with them, and the body may react with diarrhea. Also included here are food intolerances or allergies (to fats, dairy, gluten, etc.), ingestion of materials with the potential to trigger diarrhea (such as pieces of fabric or plastic), and ingestion of toxins (poisons or some plants that can be toxic to cats).

• Various diseases

Diarrhea can also be triggered by certain diseases such as pancreatitis, various liver diseases, kidney diseases, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and, occasionally, more serious diseases such as cancer. In other words, in this case, we are talking about diarrhea as a symptom and not diarrhea as a disease itself.

• Parasites, inflammation, and other abnormalities

Diarrhea can also be triggered by a series of parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, giardia, coccidia, as well as various intestinal inflammations and colitis. Also, under "physiological anomalies," we can mention intestinal obstructions, intestinal cancer, and pancreatic insufficiency (all of which can lead to diarrhea).

• Viruses and bacteria

According to veterinarians, feline fever and coronavirus can also be trigger factors. Also, regarding bacteria, Salmonella is mentioned in specialized manuals as one of the causes of diarrhea. Contamination of the cat with this bacterium can occur through contact with rodents, bird feces, raw meat or meat that has been cooked rare, and also through contact with food scraps or commercial preparations that have been contaminated with Salmonella during the preparation process.

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Types of diarrhea in cats

Veterinarians classify diarrhea according to two criteria: duration and severity. Thus, based on these two elements, we distinguish the following types of diarrhea:

• Acute diarrhea

Acute diarrhea is common in felines, has a very rapid onset, and lasts for about a week. It can be caused by food intolerance, a viral infection, or intestinal parasites. Another cause could be a sudden change in the cat's diet or dairy products (most cats are lactose intolerant). Occasionally, even a stressful event can become a trigger (e.g., the cat is moved to another home).

• Chronic diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea lasts for more than three weeks and is usually caused by various food allergies, intestinal parasites, intestinal inflammation, pancreatic disorders, or hyperthyroidism. It is good to know that diarrhea can be considered chronic if it persists for three weeks or more, and also if there is a relapse shortly after it has been treated.

• Small intestine diarrhea

According to veterinarians, this type of diarrhea is extremely liquid, and the smell is very strong. Also, the amounts of feces eliminated are usually large, and the cat will frequently pass gas. This type of diarrhea is not accompanied by blood and is generally caused by food allergies, intestinal inflammation, hyperthyroidism, or pancreatic insufficiency. It is very important that when you notice diarrhea in the litter box, you check if the cat has also eliminated urine. In some cases, if the feline has a blockage in urine production, it can die.

• Large intestine diarrhea

Large intestine diarrhea is described by veterinarians as being very liquid and explosive, meaning it is eliminated in short bursts. This type of diarrhea is also called "colitis" and can occasionally include traces of blood and mucus. Also, it is good to know that among the symptoms is vomiting: sometimes the cat will vomit from the effort of eliminating feces. The causes of colitis are due to various intestinal inflammations, as well as protozoan infections or other parasites. Cats can also show signs of colitis when suffering from constipation, so it is very important that the cat is taken to the vet for thorough investigations.

• Mild diarrhea

This type of diarrhea is the only one on this list that can be treated at home. However, there are many situations where diarrhea can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition, and therefore you should not avoid the veterinarian's office. In addition, if left untreated, diarrhea can have negative effects on the cat's health, potentially leading to drastic weight loss and malnutrition.

How you can treat your cat's diarrhea

The first thing you can do after realizing your cat has diarrhea is to take her to the vet to make sure the diarrhea isn't a symptom of a more serious illness. The second thing you can do is to rigorously follow the treatment prescribed by the doctor. Also, if it's an isolated case, meaning the feline doesn't have a medical history marked by episodes of diarrhea, then you can try, as a first step, to take some measures to help her recover. For example, if you know you recently changed her food, then stop the new diet and go back to the old one.

Another good idea would be to feed the cat small, easily digestible portions of chicken or beef-based foods, after blending them (with water). You could also add a probiotic, which can be helpful in such cases. This diet should be tried for at least 48 hours after the onset of diarrhea, after which, if the diarrhea persists, the feline should be taken to the vet. Also, it is very important not to try to give her diarrhea medication recommended for humans unless the vet has advised you to do so. Medications intended for humans can, in some cases, be toxic to animals and can even lead to death.

Other things you can do, but not before consulting your veterinarian:

• Keep your cat away from solid food. Unfortunately, it is essential to keep your cat away from solid foods on the first day of diarrhea onset. No matter what kind of food you give her, it will not help her digestive tract recover, so the best thing to do is to prohibit any type of solid food on the first day.
• Give her plenty of fluids. You can compensate for the temporary ban on solid food with liquids. Instinctively, the cat will always seek to drink water anyway, so all you have to do is make sure her bowl is always full.
• Once the diet period is over, start feeding her properly. Throughout the diarrhea, the cat's entire digestive and excretory system will be weakened, so you should make sure that the food you give her is easily digestible. In this regard, it would be preferable to choose foods that do not contain salt, sugar, and fat. One idea might be to initially try offering her chicken boiled in broth and a little rice.
• Monitor recovery and try to gradually introduce cat food into the diet. Dietary treatment for diarrhea in cats involves easily digestible food, which will be divided into small portions throughout the day. Ideally, this cat food should contain protein, easily digestible fats, as well as an optimal dose of electrolytes (especially potassium, calcium) and the necessary nutrients for the regeneration of intestinal tissue and for reducing possible inflammation.

If the above steps do not help, you must take the feline to the vet.

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What methods the vet will use to determine the cause

If you're wondering how the vet will determine the cause of diarrhea, it's good to know that, initially, they will perform a physical examination of the feline and ask you a series of questions to figure out if it's mild, acute, or chronic diarrhea. You'll also be asked about the feline's diet and asked for information about the type and color of the stool to help the vet narrow down possible causes.

Among the tests the vet may perform are:

• Complete Blood Count (to check various aspects related to possible infections and inflammations);
• Biochemical profile (to check if the feline has liver, kidney, pancreatic diseases, or hyperthyroidism);
• Urinalysis (to check hydration levels and kidney function);
• Fecal tests (to detect the presence of possible parasitic, bacterial infections, etc.);
• Various other tests to help check thyroid function (especially in middle-aged and older cats);
• X-rays (to check for possible intestinal blockages, presence of foreign bodies, tumors, and so on);
• Ultrasound (like X-rays, ultrasounds are used to detect possible tumors, intestinal blockages, and generally to check the condition of internal organs);
• Endoscopy and biopsy;
• Colonoscopy and biopsy.

As I mentioned at the beginning, even if it's mild diarrhea, the cat should still be taken to the vet. On the other hand, the feline must be seen by a vet if you notice that the diarrhea is accompanied by symptoms such as:

• Loss of appetite;
• Lethargy;
• Visible pain/discomfort;
• Blood in stool;
• Vomiting;
• If it's a cat under one year old/a very old cat, whom chronic or acute diarrhea could debilitate, especially if the cat also suffers from other conditions.

Photo source: Shutterstock

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