Content
Does your cat have diarrhea? The first thing you should do is try to find out the cause of this stomach upset: if your food has been altered, if he has ingested any new ingredients or if he has eaten any plant or herb, etc. If the diarrhea lasts longer than 24 hours and you don't know what the cause might be, it is essential that you take the cat to the vet so he can examine you and administer treatment. It is essential that NEVER medicate you yourself with medications you've used in the past, as the reasons for the current change may be different, and the medication given may be even worse than the disease itself,
In this article by PeritoAnimal, you will find out everything about diarrhea in cats: the possible causes, the symptoms that your pet may have, the diet to follow, etc. Read on and learn to take care of your cat at times like this.
Causes of diarrhea in cats
Any change in the cat's diet can cause an upset stomach that causes diarrhea and discomfort in the animal. Some of the most common causes are:
- have eaten toxic cat food: Onions, chocolate or sausages can be toxic to a cat. For this reason, it is important to know the prohibited foods for cats and take care of their health.
- harmful plants to your health: as well as food, there are also some plants that are not good for cats (apple trees, poinsettias, eucalyptus, tulips, sago palm, ivy, etc).
- Eat spoiled food: many cats usually approach the liquor to eat some food scraps. Food can be spoiled or rotten.
- Change in your diet: if you have changed your ration or if you have introduced new foods in your diet, it is possible that your cat's stomach is not assimilating them well, which could be the cause.
- Changes in your routine: Cats are creatures of habit. If you have moved house or have introduced a new pet into the household, it is possible that the cat has become stressed and therefore has diarrhea.
- have some virus or disease that causes the onset of diarrhea or inflammation of the intestine. Diarrhea can also be a symptom of another illness, so it is essential to take your pet to the vet.
Symptoms of diarrhea in cats
You can detect that the cat is suffering from diarrhea because you notice that its stools are more fluid and frequent than usual. But that's not the only symptom that can determine your cat has diarrhea. The diarrhea is also accompanied by other signs, such as the following:
- Abundant flatulence
- Weight loss and anorexia, that is, who does not feel like eating
- Fever and general malaise
- Nausea and vomiting
- Appearance of blood in the stool: In this case, it is vital that you take it immediately to a specialist as the animal may have internal bleeding.
If you notice any of these symptoms, do not medicate the animal on your own. Not knowing what kind of diarrhea the cat has and its true cause, medicating it can further unbalance its intestinal flora, making the diarrhea worse. It is important that, if you want to give the animal some medicine, consult a veterinarian's opinion first.
Feeding a cat with diarrhea
When you detect diarrhea in your cat, the first thing you should do is stop feeding it for at least 12 hours. The fasting period is essential for the intestinal cells to regenerate and the bacterial flora to properly regenerate (it is responsible for absorbing nutrients from food). Bear in mind that the usual rations we give to animals do not allow the flora to recover and, therefore, do not correct the imbalance.
During these 12 hours, you cannot feed the animal but it is important that you give him water otherwise you may suffer from dehydration due to diarrhea. When the fasting period has ended, you should introduce food into your diet, little by little, always following the rules of a gentle diet so that the cat's stomach is not affected. So, the best ingredients you can give your cat are:
- Boneless chicken cooked without salt or seasoning
- Cooked white rice (never whole!) without salt
- unsalted baked potato
- Cooked white fish, also unsalted
During the 48 or 72 hours after the first diarrhea, the cat will have to follow these gentle diet guidelines and, little by little, it can give new ingredients for its stomach to recover. Also, we recommend that you give small portions and the divide into different meals per day. Thus, digestion will be easier and your pet will feel better.
Afterwards, you can start to offer your usual food, always taking into account the basic guidelines for your cat to have good digestive health. In PeritoAnimal we explain everything about feeding the cat.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.