Cat diarrhea can lead to dehydration
What Are The Causes

Cat diarrhea can result from a simple upset stomach which resolves itself in no time and is nothing to worry about. But knowing the difference between a simple upset stomach or a serious illness is important for your cats health.

As cat owners, I would imagine we all have experience of this. It is a common aspect of the ups and downs of cat health, and thankfully there is often little to worry about.

But if cat diarrhea continues, it can become a serious cause for concern, and it can also be a symptom of an underlying disease. So we need to know when we should get them to the vet for some professional cat care.

Diarrhea means that your cat is passing loose, watery faeces.

This means that it is loosing fluids, and along with that fluid, they are also loosing vital nutrients such as salts and sugars called 'electrolytes'.

This is why it is important to deal effectively with cat diarrhea.

If it is allowed to continue, your cat can quickly become dangerously ill from dehydration. This is especially the case if your cat is not drinking water, or if it is vomiting at the same time.

Signs associated with cat diarrhea that we should watch out for:

• Frequently passing loose, watery faeces.
• Blood or mucus in the faeces.
• Faeces staining around bottom / cat keeps excessively cleaning around bottom.
• Bad smell.
• High fever.
• Change in appetite.
• Dehydration.
• Abdominal pain, tenderness or swelling
• Weight loss.
• Tiredness and lethargy.
• Vomiting, or any other signs of poor cat health.

What possible causes are there for cat diarrhea?

There can be many simple causes for an episode of diarrhea such as a sudden change of diet, or your cat eating food that is bad, indigestible, or too rich for it.

Many cats cannot digest the lactose that is in cows milk and as a result get diarrhea after drinking it. You can buy specially formulated cat milk instead, or just give them clean water to drink.

A recent shock or stress can lead to an upset stomach as well, such as a change of home or a new pet or family member arriving.

Such causes will usually resolve themselves with time or have common sense remedies.

Other causes that need a trip to the vets include:

• Intestinal and stomach parasites or viruses
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Fungal or bacterial infections
• Hyperthyroidism or other hormonal disorder
• Disease of the pancreas
• Bowel or intestinal cancer
• Feline leukaemia virus
• Feline immunodeficiency virus

There are many others, so if the reason is not obvious and the diarrhea does not clear up quickly, always consult your vet.

Continued - Feline Diarrhea Treatments

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