Diarrhea is one of the most common health problems cats suffer. It’s not surprising when you consider just how many different types of illnesses and situations can cause it. Loose stools can be prompted by everything from a gastrointestinal infection to a sudden change in diet, stress, feline immunodeficiency virus, inflammatory bowel disease, and even certain types of cancer.
A cat’s age will often give a clue. Kittens, for instance, will frequently get diarrhea from intestinal parasites such as roundworms. An older cat, on the other hand, might be having diarrhea because of hyperthyroidism or perhaps lymphoma that has spread to the GI tract. But how do you know if it’s something that needs a doctor’s visit or will pass on its own? After all, not every cause of diarrhea requires a veterinarian’s attention.
Your role as home health aid
An occasional bout of diarrhea is no cause for concern. If your cat continues to have a good appetite and is acting like her usual self, it’s generally safe to wait two or three days to see if the problem resolves on its own, says Tufts veterinary internist Michael Stone, DVM. It might simply be that she ate more food than she’s used to, or had an unusually rich treat, or perhaps was infected with bacteria or a virus that her body was able to fight off without medical support. It could also be that she felt stressed. If young children visited your home and chased her (or even ran around quickly) or she just came home from a veterinary visit where she was subjected to the scents of unknown animals and people, her gastrointestinal tract could have gone into temporary overdrive.
If your cat is experiencing persistent diarrhea over the course of an entire day or day and a half, that’s not normal and requires veterinary attention — not just to find the root of the problem and treat it, but to stem the diarrhea itself. Watery stools left untreated can result in serious dehydration and life-threatening electrolyte imbalance.
Even a passing bout should prompt a vet visit if it is accompanied by any of the following:
-Loss of appetite
-Vomiting more than once or twice
-Straining or other signs of discomfort
-Listlessness
-Depressed behavior
If you’re on the fence — perhaps your cat seems like herself but not completely — call the doctor’s office and describe what you’re seeing. They may be able to help you figure out whether it’s urgent. Chances are you will be advised to come in because it’s hard to accurately assess a cat’s condition by phone. Heed the advice of the veterinarian and his or her staff. It’s definitely better to have “gone for nothing” and learn that everything’s okay than to take your chances and miss an opportunity to protect your pet from an illness.
There was one thing you left out. My kitty had one day of diarrhea and I would have missed the problem if I didn’t keep a very clean cat box. I noticed tiny drops of blood. I immediately made a vet appointment and discovered she had a bleeding stomach ulcer. The house next door was involved in construction. They were making a HUGE amount of noise and my supper sensitive kitty was thrown for a loop, A plug-in pheromone and a couple of days of meds plus talking with the construction guys to tone it down did the trick. I worry that those people who have the electronic cat boxes would never have seen what I saw or as soon as I saw it.
I agree with you about close watching of the litter boxes. So much health information about our cats is in there
I have noticed both of my indoor cats seem to lick/clean themselves a lot… is that a problem? I took one cat in last week for his physical and rabies, they found he had slight inflamed gums so they suggested to get Oral Cleansing Gel and Oratene water additive. I have put in their water the water additive and now they haven’t touch the water, had a problem getting the oral gel in his mouth but did and will continue that each day. Now I noticed that there has not been got to the bathroom, urine yes but not stools. Any suggestions on this problem.
Thanks Norma Bolton