What To Do When My Kitten Has Diarrhea

Treatments & How Nutrition Impacts Diarrhea

Treating diarrhea depends on its underlying cause. There are many available treatments for diarrhea that may be recommended by your vet depending on a variety of factors. However, nutrition plays a key role in managing this condition.

Nutrition plays a significant role in a healthy cat stool. Poor nutrition may lead to chronic diarrhea, so an assessment of your cat’s nutrition will be conducted by your vet. They may recommend switching cat foods as a course of treatment. A lower-fat food or food richer in complex carbohydrates and digestible complex carbohydrates with added fiber may be recommended.

Chronic cases of diarrhea are typically treated with special meal plans alongside medications. In many cases, your veterinarian will recommend nutritional therapy for the rest of the cat’s life to help maintain proper digestion for conditions that cannot be outright cured. Your vet may recommend a therapeutic cat food that is specially formulated to help with digestion and diarrhea. Many cases of chronic GI disease in cats respond well to a highly digestible food with added prebiotic fibers. This category of GI disease is called ‘food-responsive enteropathy.

In cases where food allergies are a concern, a series of nutritional trials may be necessary to determine the cat’s ideal meal plan. Hydrolyzed foods or novel protein foods are commonly recommended for these cats.

Why Does My Kitten Have Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is a symptom of dozens of feline illnesses. We have listed the common reasons behind runny stool:

If you have a skinny kitten with diarrhoea, you should get their stool checked in a lab for a complete digestive health assessment.

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Treating A Cat With Diarrhea

There are a few different things that you can try when treating your cat’s diarrhea at home. One of them is changing her diet . Cat food often includes dyes and other artificial ingredients, which may make your cat’s gut have to work harder to process them. Switching to a more natural brand can help clear up the current trouble and prevent future bouts. Watch out, though — changing foods can also cause intestinal upsets, so do it gradually.

You may also consider giving your cat a bland home-cooked diet until the diarrhea subsides. Two parts cooked white rice mixed with one part boiled hamburger or chicken is easy to digest. Some cats balk at rice, so you can use plain mashed potatoes instead. Rice-based cat foods are also available at most pet supply stores.

Sometimes a 12 to 24 hour fast is enough to calm things down. If nothing at all goes in , there’s nothing to process and the diarrhea should go away. When you resume feeding, begin with the bland rice mixture, then slowly mix in regular food, reducing the amount of the rice mixture until the cat is back on a normal diet.

A bulk-forming laxative such as Metamucil seems to have a normalizing effect on cats with diarrhea. If your cat’s stools are still a little soft during or after a couple of days of the bland diet, try adding about a half-teaspoon of the Metamucil laxative to each of his or her meals for a day or two.

Originally Published: May 20, 2011

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My Cat Has Chronic Diarrhea Will It Get Better

Chronic diarrhea that has been present longer than two to three weeks may prove more difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. Even extensive work-up does not always provide a definitive answer to the problem. However, in most cases a thorough clinical work-up, including food trials, can result in successful management of the diarrhea.

Kitten Diarrhea And Vomiting

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Kitten diarrhea andvomiting is not normal in young cats. Because young kittens don’t havethe resilience that older cats do, these symptoms are a very clearmessage that something is not right. Even if the cause of the diarrheaand vomiting is not life-threatening, dehydration from the conditioncan be. Any time a kitten is persistently vomiting or experiencingstomach upset, it should be cause for alarm.

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Change Your Cats Food

There is no need to withhold food from cats who have diarrhea. In fact, doing so can hinder the intestinal tracts ability to heal itself and put cats at risk for a potentially fatal type of liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. It is best to simplify your cats diet, however. Eliminate any treats or table scraps and focus only on the core, nutritionally-complete cat food that you offer every day.

If you have recently changed your cats diet, go back to what you were previously feeding and see if your cats diarrhea resolves. One or more of the ingredients in the new food may not agree with your cat. Even if you are feeding the same brand and type of food as before but have just opened up a new batch, it might be worth buying a new bag or case from a different lot number to rule out the possibility of contamination.

More chronic adverse reactions to food can develop at any timea cat may have been eating the same food for years or recently been switched to something new. Many cats with food intolerances or allergies will experience relief from their symptoms when they eat a hypoallergenic or low-antigen diet. The best low-antigen foods are only available through veterinarians, but over-the-counter options do work for some cats. Look for diets that are made from novel protein sources .

Cat Diarrhea: 5 Treatment Options You Should Try

What do you do when you find diarrhea in the litter boxor worse yet, when your cat doesnt quite make it to the litter box? An immediate call to the veterinarian might be in order, but sometimes you might want to try some home treatment first. Heres how to respond when your cat develops diarrhea.

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Tips For Cleaning Up Diarrhea

Wear gloves and use a good disinfectant to clean the litterbox or any other areas.

• Try to wash your cats bottom if it has become soiled. Using an antibacterial soap such as Dial is okay if you dont have an antibacterial dog/cat shampoo.
• If you can, collect a sample of stool. Its likely your vet will want to test it for common parasites.
• Be cautious if you have other cats or children. Occasionally diarrhea will be caused by an infection that can be passed on to others. Practice strict hygiene and keep them separated if possible.

Pokud M Koka Prjem: Kdy Jt K Veterini

Pokud se prjem vaí koky po 24 hodinách nezlepí, vezmte ji k veterinái. Pokud se objeví následující píznaky, doporuuje se okamitá návtva veterináe:

• Zmny v chování: jako je apatie, agresivita, zvýená odtaitost nebo neobvyklá pipoutanost
• Neobvyklé chování pi defekaci, jako je hlasité moukání, zbsilé vyskakování nebo neistota mimo bednu
• Tký a astý prjem
• Slizká stolice nebo krev ve stolici
• Dalí píznaky prjmu, jako je zvracení
• horeka

Pozor! Prjem u starých koek, koat nebo chronicky nemocných koek je vdy naléhavý. Neváhejte a okamit zajdte k veterinái. Toté platí, pokud se obáváte otravy u své koky.

Silný prjem u koek odvádí z tla zvíete tolik tekutin, e je nutný písun elektrolyt. V tomto pípad vám veteriná me dát práek obsahující elektrolyty, které mete koce vmíchat do pitné vody nebo krmiva.

Pokud vaí koce hrozí dehydratace, veteriná me také podat infuze, aby rychle kompenzoval ztrátu tekutin.

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Veterinary Treatment Of Vomiting And Diarrhea

If your cat is very ill or dehydrated, he may need to be hospitalized.

• Your cat may be given intravenous fluids to correct dehydration and replace lost electrolytes .
• Blood tests may be performed to check red and white blood cell levels, as well as internal organ function.
• Other diagnostics may be performed to determine the cause of your cats vomiting or diarrhea. These include x-rays or ultrasound of the abdomen, stool analysis, and tests for diseases like pancreatitis.
• Symptomatic treatments will likely continue when your cat is ready to go home.
• A bland diet that requires minimal digestion will likely be prescribed.
• Your cat may go home with prescriptions for anti-nausea medication, antacids, pain relief, and probiotics to replace normal gut bacteria.

Food Intolerances & Food Allergies

Food intolerances and food allergies can also cause diarrhea in cats. Pet parents may not realize that, like people, their feline can develop allergies.

In many cases, food intolerances and food allergies is at the root of chronic diarrhea, which occurs intermittently over long periods of time.

Interestingly, allergies in cats can develop when the cat is fed the same food for too long.

Feeding your feline the same protein every day may, over time, cause gut inflammation and lead to food allergies. Finding new ways to switch up your cats food is a wonderful way to prevent GI inflammation, thus preventing allergies and cat diarrhea.

A telltale sign that your cat may have allergies is overall good health, except for the allergy.

Are your cats energy levels normal? Is your cat at a healthy weight? Does diarrhea occur intermittently without a major life change?

You may want to consider the possibility of food allergies and switch their food. Again, make this change gradually!

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Preventing Vomiting And Diarrhea

• Avoid feeding fatty, salty, or spicy foods
• Introduce diet changes slowly, over 5-7 days, to allow the intestinal bacteria to adjust.
• During times of stress, it may be helpful to use a soothing pheromone spray or plug-in adapter
• Speak to your vet about calming supplements or anxiety medication if your pet is easily stressed.
• Consider feeding a probiotic supplement if your pet is prescribed antibiotics. Always ask the advice of a vet before giving your pet supplements or medication.
• If your cat catches birds or rodents, your vet may recommend routine fecal exams to see if deworming medication is necessary.
• Roundwormsare extremely common in kittens. Your vet will recommend deworming your new kitten with an appropriate dewormer.
• Ask your vet or make an appointment with one of the FirstVet vets to discuss deworming your kitten or cat.
• Vaccinating your cat against feline parvovirus is extremely important. Kittens should be vaccinated starting at 6-8 weeks, then every 3 weeks until 16-18 weeks of age. Adult boosters will be needed to maintain immunity. Prevention of this disease is VERY important. Feline parvovirus is extremely contagious and can cause fatalities, especially in young kittens.

Lactose Intolerance From Cows Milk

Many new kitten owners think that kittens should drink milk. This is a common cause of diarrhea in kittens as they are unable to digest the lactose in the milk. If you want to give your kitten milk, purchase the cat milk available from most supermarkets.

Treatment:

This should resolve once the kitten is no longer allowed cows milk. If you do want to give your kitten milk, stick lactose-free milk for cats available in supermarkets and pet stores.

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What Is Cat Diarrhea

Unfortunately, diarrhea is a universal problem for all mammals. As we know its no picnic, and Im sure cats agree. Its sad to see your cat in discomfort or pain from diarrhea, so what exactly is going on? Is cat diarrhea anything more than loose feces? Allow us to explain this messy subject.

Like humans, your cats digestive tract is built up of different sections. Their colon is the last part of their gastrointestinal tract. Food material that enters the colon has been largely digested meaning, its pretty much fecal matter. Part of the colons job is to absorb vital fluids from feces and further process waste for elimination.

Essentially, if your cats colon absorbs enough liquid, then their feces will come out solid and healthy. If they dont absorb enough water, then the feces will have a higher volume of liquid and it will come out wet or loose . Diarrhea tends to happen when the body tries to expel fecal matter too quickly.

Although diarrhea comes from the colon , it doesnt necessarily mean something is wrong with the colon. It could be from a number of things, paying attention to what type of diarrhea your cat has could prove useful for you or your veterinarian.

How Do You Treat A Cat With Diarrhea

Unlike vomiting, diarrhea doesnt require the cat owner to withhold food for an extended period of time. In fact, withholding food during this time can actually do more harm than good and can put your cat at risk of developing a fatal type of liver disease known as hepatic lipidosis. Additionally, keep your cat hydrated with water.

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How To Help A Kitten With Diarrhea: Your First Steps

ByCatherine Barnette DVMpublished 1 December 21

Its important to know how to help a kitten with diarrhea, whether your kitten is leaving watery stool or having accidents around your home find out how to help them!

When your newly-adopted kitten suddenly begins having loose stools, its important to know how to help a kitten with diarrhea. Some cases of kitten diarrhea can be very mild your kitten may have slightly soft stool that resolves within a day or two without any specific treatment. In other cases, however, kitten diarrhea can be severe. Prolonged or watery diarrhea can lead to significant dehydration, as well as other negative impacts. The severity of your kittens diarrhea, as well as your kittens overall health and medical history, will help determine what happens next.

Shelter Cats And Diarrhea

In animal shelters, cats with diarrhea typically arent adopted out as quickly as healthy animals and are therefore more vulnerable to euthanasia. Read: this shelter cat with chronic diarrhea found a forever home and a solution to her digestive problems.

Because chronic diarrhea is such a serious problem for cats at animal rescues and shelters, we help support these organizations by offering product discounts and by periodically donating microbiome tests and supplements.

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Whats Normal When It Comes To Kitty Poo

To say it in plain Englishordinary is the ideal. In the following table, well break down the changes you can expect to see in your kitten’s poo, depending on the development phase they’re in:

My litterbox smells funky, or did you try that horrendous perfume again, hooman?

Tips For Stopping Your Cats Diarrhea

Whether the cause of your cats diarrhea has been identified or is still under investigation, there may be several ways you can help your cat feel better. Here are some tips:

Avoid medications. Never give your cat any human anti-diarrheal medication, since many of these are toxic or fatal to cats. Avoid antibiotics unless theyre absolutely necessary, since most antibiotics can worsen or cause diarrhea. If your cat has a bacterial infection and your veterinarian determines that antibiotics are necessary, you can support your cats gut health during and after the course of medication.

Feed the right diet. Check with your veterinarian before making any changes to your cats diet. If your cats usual food is high in carbohydrates, ask about gradually adding more protein. Make sure youre feeding a high-quality, cat-appropriate diet. Its probably best to eliminate treats and any other extras until the diarrhea has been resolved. And always provide your cat with plenty of fresh water.

Dont withhold food. Fasting your cat for a few hours is often recommended for vomiting, but its unlikely to help diarrhea.

Add fiber and prebiotics. Adding certain sources of fiber to your cats foodparticularly the prebiotic fibers inulin and psylliumcan improve diarrhea both by absorbing excess water in the intestines and by providing food for beneficial bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. Always start with a very small amount of any fiber.

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What Do Vets Give Kittens Or Cats For Diarrhea Treatments Include:

• Switching their food. If youve recently changed their brand or flavor of food, an ingredient in the new food could be upsetting them. Consider switching back to their old food and phasing the new food in gradually, or switching them to a highly digestible diet.

• Since diarrhea causes dehydration, make sure that your cat always has access to fresh, clean water. You can also mix water in with canned food to increase their hydration.

• Some types of diarrhea will respond to fiber supplementation, such as canned pumpkin or Metamucil. Both can be mixed into your cats food.

• If internal parasites are causing diarrhea, your vet will recommend a deworming medicine and schedule.

• If your cat has irritable bowel disease, your vet will recommend treating it with a special diet, vitamins, or medication.

If your cat has diarrhea, it may just be the result of an upset stomach and will pass within a day. If you have a kitten, elderly cat, or witness diarrhea lasting longer than 24 to 48 hours, then you should call your vet, especially if its accompanied by fever, vomiting, or loss of appetite.

Always err on the side of caution and call your vet if youre unsure about your pets health.