Why Do Cats Frequently Develop Diarrhea?

This vet-approved guide provides information on the causes, symptoms, and remedies for cat diarrhea. Common reasons for diarrhea in cats include sudden changes in diet, dietary indiscretion, food allergies, viral or bacterial infections, parasitic infections, or as a side effect of medication. Diarrhea can result from the faster movement of fecal material through the intestine combined with decreased absorption of water, nutrients, and electrolytes. Common causes include intestinal obstruction, toxins ingestion, organ failure, pancreatitis, diabetes, colitis, parasites, viral infections, stress or anxiety, intestinal cancer, diet changes, and parasites.

Infections, such as viral or bacterial infections, can also cause diarrhea, especially in younger cats. Dietary indiscretion or diet change can also cause diarrhea. Parasites can irritate the cat’s gastrointestinal system, causing various types of diarrhea involving the small and/or large bowels. Common causes include intestinal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and intestinal parasites.

In addition to toxins, anxiety or stress, bacterial infections, diet changes, colitis, and eating garbage or spoiled food can also contribute to cat diarrhea. It is crucial to consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

How to make cat poop more solid?

Make sure you’re not feeding your cat or kitten any dairy products or allowing them to eat table scraps. Add fiber to their diet to help firm up stool. Try feeding your kitty one teaspoon to one tablespoon of plain, pureed pumpkin.

Common causes of diarrhea in cats include parasites, infections and more. Learn what you can do to help treat it at home and when they may need to see a vet.

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Should I be worried if my cat’s poop is soft?

Mushy or Soft Cat Poop: Soft or mushy cat poop often indicates an upset stomach. This is often related to a sudden diet change, but it can have other causes. If the condition is ongoing or your cat develops other symptoms, call your vet for advice.

Hard or Dry Cat Poop: Hard, dry cat poop that resembles pebbles typically indicates constipation, often caused by dehydration or a lack of fiber in the diet. If the condition is ongoing, consult with your vet for the best course of treatment.

Why is my cat’s poop so soft all the time?

Mushy or Soft Cat Poop: Soft or mushy cat poop often indicates an upset stomach. This is often related to a sudden diet change, but it can have other causes. If the condition is ongoing or your cat develops other symptoms, call your vet for advice.

Hard or Dry Cat Poop: Hard, dry cat poop that resembles pebbles typically indicates constipation, often caused by dehydration or a lack of fiber in the diet. If the condition is ongoing, consult with your vet for the best course of treatment.

Can dry food cause diarrhea in cats?

Can changing a cat’s food cause diarrhoea?. When your cat has been eating the same food for a long time, any adjustments to their diet can have side effects, including diarrhoea and vomiting. If you have recently changed your cat’s food and they have diarrhoea, try going back to their previous food to see if they improve. Cats’ stomachs can be sensitive to certain types of food, and some ingredients may not agree with them. Examples of diets that may cause your cat to have diarrhoea include raw cat food or a BARF diet, or a diet higher in fibre. Cats can also be sensitive to cow’s milk, which in some cases causes diarrhoea.

Even swapping from dry to wet food or vice versa can upset a cat’s stomach. Take the time to research different brands and types before you decide to change your cat’s diet. As a general rule, meats like turkey and chicken are easy to digest, especially when combined with rice or wheat.

How to safely change a cat’s diet. If you are keen to change your brand or type of cat food, you need to do this slowly and safely. Start by adding a small quantity of the new food to the old food, and gradually increase the percentage of new food until your cat is happily eating it with no side effects. Depending on how fussy your cat is, this process can sometimes take a week or so. Be patient and don’t be tempted to rush your cat. If your cat does have an upset stomach at first, ensure they have plenty of fresh water to drink.

If your cat turns their nose up at the new food and refuses to eat it, you should rethink your decision. If cats go without food for a certain amount of time, they risk developing hepatic lipidosis, which can be fatal.

Can dry cat food cause diarrhea?

Can changing a cat’s food cause diarrhoea?. When your cat has been eating the same food for a long time, any adjustments to their diet can have side effects, including diarrhoea and vomiting. If you have recently changed your cat’s food and they have diarrhoea, try going back to their previous food to see if they improve. Cats’ stomachs can be sensitive to certain types of food, and some ingredients may not agree with them. Examples of diets that may cause your cat to have diarrhoea include raw cat food or a BARF diet, or a diet higher in fibre. Cats can also be sensitive to cow’s milk, which in some cases causes diarrhoea.

Even swapping from dry to wet food or vice versa can upset a cat’s stomach. Take the time to research different brands and types before you decide to change your cat’s diet. As a general rule, meats like turkey and chicken are easy to digest, especially when combined with rice or wheat.

How to safely change a cat’s diet. If you are keen to change your brand or type of cat food, you need to do this slowly and safely. Start by adding a small quantity of the new food to the old food, and gradually increase the percentage of new food until your cat is happily eating it with no side effects. Depending on how fussy your cat is, this process can sometimes take a week or so. Be patient and don’t be tempted to rush your cat. If your cat does have an upset stomach at first, ensure they have plenty of fresh water to drink.

If your cat turns their nose up at the new food and refuses to eat it, you should rethink your decision. If cats go without food for a certain amount of time, they risk developing hepatic lipidosis, which can be fatal.

Why is my cat’s poop runny and smelly?

Very smelly stools usually mean that something’s out of balance in the digestive system. This can range from not tolerating the diet well to inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, liver disease, parasites, stress, or other systemic disease.

Metallic smells usually indicate that iron is in the stool, which can be a sign of blood in the stool.

Is it normal for cats to have loose stools but seem fine?

When To Contact Your Vet. If your cat has a single episode of diarrhea and is otherwise acting normal, it is likely not a cause for concern. Monitor your cat’s bowel movements to see if things clear up. More than 2 episodes could indicate a problem, so it’s a good idea to call your vet if your cat has two or more bouts of diarrhea.

If your kitty is straining to pass a stool but only passing small amounts of watery diarrhea, they could be experiencing a painful blockage due to the ingestion of a foreign object such as a hairball. This is a very serious concern and needs veterinary attention right away, contact your vet or head to the nearest emergency animal hospital for care.

Recurring bouts of diarrhea over a short period of time could be a sign of a very serious health issue, particularly if your cat is very old, very young, or has a compromised immune system. Contact your vet right away if your kitty is experiencing repeated episodes of diarrhea.

Why does my cat keep leaking diarrhea?

Cats can lose control of their bowel movements for a variety of reasons. There is either an issue with storage of feces or with the sphincter itself. Sometimes these problems are related to underlying inflammatory medical conditions, wounds or trauma, cancer, or age-related degeneration.

References. Cave, N. Chapter 31: Adverse Food Reactions. ScienceDirect. 2013.

Dr. Melissa Boldan graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. She initially practiced mixed animal…

What does unhealthy cat poop look like?

Small, hard balls of poop are considered abnormal and unhealthy because they can be an indicator of constipation. This is a serious issue for cats because it may indicate problematic health concerns like neurological or metabolic conditions or a colon obstruction, notes International Cat Care.

How do I stop my cat’s diarrhea?

Cat Diarrhea Treatment PlanChange Your Cat’s Food. There is no need to withhold food from cats who have diarrhea. … Fiber. Some types of cat diarrhea get better with a low-fiber (highly digestible) diet. … Encourage Water and Electrolyte Intake. … Probiotics. … Anti-Diarrheal Medications.

When To Go To the Veterinarian for Cat Diarrhea. Evaluate the severity of your cat’s diarrhea and their overall condition when trying to decide if they should see a veterinarian.

If your cat has relatively mild diarrhea and isn’t showing other symptoms, try some at-home treatment first.

Your cat is young, old, or has an underlying health problem that could make them vulnerable to the effects of dehydration.

Why does my cat constantly have diarrhea?

In most cases, any abnormality in defecation in an adult cat—if not clearly attributable to a dietary problem—is likely to be directly associated with the gastrointestinal tract and will most often be attributable to an inflammatory, infectious, or neoplastic disorder. But extended or recurrent bouts of diarrhea may also indicate a serious underlying condition whose sources are external to the intestinal tract, such as a hyperactive thyroid gland, a disease of the kidney or liver, a neurologic abnormality, a viral infection, an immune system abnormality, feline distemper (panleukopenia), or lymphoma, a tumor that develops in an animal’s lymph nodes.

Diagnosing an excretory system disorder and identifying the specific cause will depend largely on the specific cat’s age and the intensity of the clinical signs. If the diarrhea persists for longer than a day or two and the cat is also showing systemic signs, such as poor appetite, lethargy, or vomiting, you should seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

While there are many medications and other therapies available that may effectively relieve feline diarrhea, it is most important for a veterinarian to examine an affected animal as soon as the clinical signs are noticed, as some over the counter medications can be harmful to cats.”