Cat Health: Cat Diarrhea

Cat diarrhea can be a sign of a serious digestive problem or illness, and it is unpleasant to clean up after a cat who is suffering from this condition. Diarrhea can be alarming to many cat owners. If your cat is suffering from diarrhea, which includes both loose stools as well as unusually frequent bowel movements, here is what you need to know about this condition. Cat diarrhea can be caused by a cat eating something that their digestion system cannot handle. Dairy products can irritate cats' stomachs, so if your cat has eaten any food containing milk, this could have triggered their diarrhea. Indoor cats could get diarrhea after eating a houseplant or coming into contact with a household chemical.

If you have an outdoor cat, it can be more difficult to determine what is causing your cat's digestive issues. Your cat could have gotten into a neighbor's garbage, or even come into contact with harmful pesticides. If your outdoor cat is defecating frequently or has loose, watery stools, you need to monitor your cat closely in order to determine if they should be taken to the vet. If your cat goes to the bathroom outside instead of using their litter box, consider making your outdoor cat stay inside for a day or two so that you can monitor their outputs, as well as their eating and drinking behaviors. A cat suffering from diarrhea may behave just like normal, or they might stop eating. Cats also indicate that they are in distress by ceasing their usual cleaning behaviors.

If your cat is not drinking enough water, or their diarrhea is severe, they could become dehydrated. Dehydration can cause serious damage to a cat's health, and symptoms of dehydration do not usually appear until the cat is severely dehydrated. If your cat is lethargic, has thick saliva, or an unusually fast heartbeat, seek veterinarian care for your cat immediately. Although most cases of cat diarrhea resolve themselves within a day or two, persistent diarrhea could be the sign of something serious and should not be ignored. Rarely, cat diarrhea can be caused by a serious health condition.

Cancer, kidney failure, liver problems, and diabetes can all cause diarrhea. Intestinal parasites could also be the culprit. If your cat's diarrhea persists for more than twenty-four hours or your cat's diarrhea appears bloody, seek assistance from your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to help determine what is causing your cat's diarrhea.