Cat Has Diarrhea, But Seems Fine: Do You Need to Worry?

Cat Has Diarrhea, But Seems Fine: Do You Need to Worry?

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Have you noticed that your cat has diarrhea but doesn’t seem to be upset at all? Should you call your veterinarian immediately in this kind of situation?

First of all, what exactly is diarrhea? Mutually, this condition is described as a rapid movement of material ingested through the intestine. This movement results in frequent repetitive bowel movements and occasionally excessive feces. The stool can be any color from brown to yellow, black to red, and can contain mucus as well. It could be as loose as water, or just a little softer than usual.

Cat Has Diarrhea, But Seems Fine: Do You Need to Worry?
Cat Has Diarrhea, But Seems Fine: Do You Need to Worry?

As humans, it is possible for our feline friend to suffer from diarrhea for many different reasons. Continue reading my article to learn more about diarrhea and cat remedies.

 

Why does my cat have diarrhea?

Usually, most cats will have an intestinal movement once or twice a day. An ideal healthy stool forms as a trunk or nugget. It’s usually firm, but not hard rock.

In addition to liquid or soft stools, there are several signs of diarrhea. Symptoms mainly depend on the intestine involved:

Small intestine – diarrhea will be large in volume for each movement. The color can be yellow or brown due to bile in the feces. There will be no mucus. If there is blood in the stool, the stool will be black, as it will have been stowageed by the time the body passes. Your cat can be flatulent and have bad breath. If your cat suffers from chronically small bowel diarrhea, you may lose considerable weight or body condition. This happens due to the fact that your body is not absorbing nutrients.
Large intestine – diarrhea will be normal in size but will be significantly more frequent than usual. Your cat may feel more urgent, and they strive to go, but they do not produce anything. There are often mucus in the large intestinal diarrhea, and if there is blood, it will be fresh and bright red blood. It is usually a normal color, and defecation can be painful. This could be seen as vocalizing while striating.
Mixed intestinal diarrhea – this type of diarrhea may have a mixture of symptoms of large and small intestinal diarrhea.

Once confirmed that your cat has diarrhea, it is important to identify some of the possible diarrhea factors:

  • Change in diet – a basic change in the brand or flavor of the food can cause diarrhea, especially if done suddenly. Consider switching back to old food and introducing food over a week. If it still causes diarrhea, then your cat may be intolerant to a specific ingredient in that food.
  • Intolerance to dairy products or other foods – cats can not digest dairy products well, as they do not have the specific enzyme to do it. If you gave your cat all dairy products and caused diarrhea, follow the remedy Home section detailed below. Other foods can also cause an intolerance, which can only be elaborated through a process of elimination.
  • Eating spoiled food – spoiled food can simply be rotten, or it can be filled with bacteria. Most cats will be able to overcome initial diarrhea with a period of starvation to rest their bowels, but sometimes the infection will need help with a veterinarian’s medications.
  • Allergic reaction or inflammatory bowel disease – several cats will be prone to inflammatory bowel disease, as well as IBD in humans. That is when the intestine becomes inflamed due to an allergic reaction to a given food. This is normally a protein ingredient, such as chicken, meat, egg, etc. A vet will need to see a cat who has had an allergic reaction to contribute reduce inflammation with treatment and then discuss a new protein or hypoallergenic diet that may be suitable to prevent further irritation.
  • Bacterial or viral infection – infections like Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter may be collected from other cats and the environment. The extent of the infection may be mild to extremely severe, so that a veterinary visit may be necessary to treat it.
  • Internal parasites (roundworms, Coccidia, Giardia) – parasites should be regularly treated for every 3-6 months to avoid infections that can be purchased from pets or veterinary shops. Some parasites, such as coccidia and Giardia may be more resistant, so if the diarrhea is not cleaning, then the veterinarian will be able to look at these parasites with a stool sample. Keep in mind that many of these can also infect human beings, and therefore make sure to wash your hands regularly after touching your cat or stretcher.
  • Digestive tract Cancer – digestive tract cancer can infiltrate. This means that it is not necessarily a tumor, but rather a diffuse influx of cancerous cells into the intestinal wall. When this happens, the intestine cannot absorb water or nutrients effectively, and this can cause diarrhea. The most common intestinal cancer in cats is lymphoma. The veterinarian can perform a blood test or ultrasound to dispose of it.
  • Certain medications – some medications can cause diarrhea as a side effect. If your cat is taking any medications, discussing side effects with your veterinarian, how to stop the medication suddenly could be more harmful than diarrhea.
  • Hyperthyroidism – an overactive thyroid is a ordinary problem in older cats. This increases metabolism, which in turn increases bowel movement. Therefore, the food passes through the bowels at a faster rate, causing diarrhea.

 

It’s time to call the vet.

Now, when do you care and call your vet immediately? If your cat represents the following characteristics, call your veterinarian immediately:

  • The stools are black or wrapped, or have fresh blood. This is a sign of bleeding in the intestine.
  • The cat seems to be suffering.
  • The kitten has diarrhea and vomiting, but it acts normal. This ensures an immediate call to the vet more especially if the kitten has not completed its vaccinations. Kittens can be affected by the loss of nutrients and fluids much faster than adult cats.
  • The cat is experiencing fever, dehydration, and depression.
  • The cat has pale or yellow gums.
  • The cat swallowed something poisonous.
  • The cat’s throwing up.

Else, if your beloved cat has mild diarrhea, it’s not vomiting, it’s eating and drinking, and it usually looks good, so it makes sense that you try some treatment at home.

 

Early home remedies

Here are several simple home remedies you can do when your cat has diarrhea, but it mostly looks good:

Hungry your cat for 24 hours

It is important that the intestine is completely rested for 24 hours.

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This is greatest done by starving your cat if they are more than 6 months old. They may not be happy, but it’s in your best interest. If you are still a young kitten, then you should look for the Veterinary Council regarding diet, because they are more susceptible to developing low blood glucose during an intention period.

Encourage your cat on a soft diet

Start your cat on a soft diet after 24 hours of hunger, such as cooked chicken or cooked white fish and rice. Veterinarians also sell specific gastrointestinal foods, which is an excellent alternative if you don’t want to cook. This food can be purchased in the form of kibble or wet foods. A soft diet will allow your cat’s intestine to take a break when it is inflamed and trying to recover. This diet should continue until the symptoms reside unless your cat is six months old, and then you should seek the advice of your veterinarian because young cats have different nutritional needs.

Offer plenty of water

Diarrhea has more water than normal stool. This water loss can make dehydration quickly and therefore counteract water loss is important. To increase your water intake in a cat that doesn’t want to drink, you can add water to your food to get a meat flavor. Cats will enjoy lapping this after they finish their meal. In addition, cats enjoy drinking water on the move, and you can buy a cat water fountain online from many different resources.

Consider changes in diet

After diarrhea began to resolve, consider what might have recently changed with the normal diet. Have you changed your diet recently? Do you want it in terms of brand or taste? If you have done so, switch back to the previous one, as this may have caused a reaction. Frequent diarrhea due to dietary reasons may benefit from foods with higher fiber content. Fiber regulates the water content in the intestines and binds the stool.

 

Preventing diarrhea

However, as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a kilo of healing. Consider the following items to prevent your cat from experiencing this disorder:

Stick for a good diet

It may be problematic to switch to a new diet. When trying new foods, it is a good idea to mix a small amount in your cat’s regular meal over a period of one week.

Avoid dairy products

If you are a fan of yogurt, milk or ice cream, please refrain from sharing it with your cat. Your cat has enough lactase in your body that causes digestive problems. Without lactase, lactose in dairy products is not digested in the system. Consequently, lactose induces gas and diarrhea.

Remove the parasites

Routinely fight parasites. Worms like roundworms or tapeworms can be collected from hunting, sharing bowls and daily grooming. Worm treatment should be carried out every 3-6 months depending on whether the cat lives indoors or outdoors, and a pet multi-animal home.

Get the shots

To keep the anxiety in the bay, get the right vaccines. There are several diseases of cats that have diarrhea as a symptom. Protect your furry friend from more medical conditions by obtaining the necessary vaccines. Remember to increase them annually with your veterinarian to maintain your cat’s immunity.

Consider keeping Kitty in.

Internal cats have a longer life expectancy than an outdoor cat. With your cat staying inside, you are safe from toxins, dangers, other animals and illnesses. This is unsuitable for all cats as they like to explore and exercise, however, if you have a kitten that has not yet been introduced to go out, then you can consider it as a lifestyle option.


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