Cat with soft stools: causes and solutions

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 21 January 2021
Update Date: 15 November 2024
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Diarrhea in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment
Video: Diarrhea in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Content

Gastrointestinal imbalances such as soft stools are one of the most common problems in the veterinarian's office. The characteristics of cat feces, such as color, consistency, odor and the presence of other elements such as mucus or blood, provide very important information about your pet's health.

Certain cases of cats with loose stools and gas or cats making loose stools with blood can resolve spontaneously without medical treatment, however other more serious cases can only be resolved if you seek veterinary advice and treatment. In this article by PeritoAnimal we will help you understand the possible causes and remedies for cats with soft stools.


Cat feces: characteristics

Most cats defecate at least once a day brown colored stools, well formed, with some odor but not too stinky, which are usually easy to collect.

An animal can have loose stools once or twice a day without considering diarrhea. Diarrhea, defined as increased frequency, volume and/or decreased consistency of the animal's stools, is a common condition in dogs and cats that you should not ignore. Learn more about diarrhea in cats in this article.

If your cat's feces are different than normal, if you have a cat with soft and smelly feces or gas and this problem persists for more than a day or two, you should take your pet to the vet so he can assess the situation before it gets worse.

Cat with soft stools: causes

Looking for a professional is very important at the time of diagnosis. There are many causes that can lead to decreased stool consistency and lead to soft stools:


fur balls

Cats can devote a third of their daily time to licking and washing themselves and it is quite normal that during this process they ingest their fur. When the hairs are ingested in excessive amounts they can become accumulate in stomach of the cat forming hairballs (trichobezoars) that are not digested or eliminated by the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause coughing, vomiting, loose stools or diarrhea.

cat food

Changing the type of food, the brand or just the taste of the usual food and without making the proper transition can cause a gastrointestinal disturbance. Changes in diet are one of the most common situations that cause gastrointestinal disorders, which include flatulence, vomiting, diarrhea or softer stools, and skin and hair problems.


If you want to add any ingredients or introduce a new feed other than usual, you should make a gradual transition between the old and new rations. For example, for a week you can put in more percentage of the old ration than the new (75% of the old and 25% of the new) for the first two days, followed by equal amounts of each ration (50-50%) for more two days and, at the end, a little of the old and more quantity of the new for another two days until only the new ration is provided, giving time to the animal's body to get used to the new diet.

Allergy or food intolerance

There are cases that, even with the correct transition between the old and the new diet, the introduction of a new ingredient can lead to the aforementioned gastrointestinal problems.

Certain foods can cause severe allergic reactions or food intolerances and it is very important to define which allergen your cat reacts to. A very common example of food intolerance is dairy products and their derivatives that cause loose stools, diarrhea, flatulence, vomiting and nausea.

Toxicity caused by herbs, plants, chemicals or drugs

Chemicals, drugs or certain toxic plants when ingested can cause severe reactions in the animal's body at both a local and a systemic level.

Certain foods such as onions or chocolate are toxic to cats, so it is very important that you know which foods are prohibited for cats to prevent something tragic from happening.

It's important to point out that if your cat is sick, you should never self-medicate the animal. Overdose or administration of drugs only for humans can cause the death of your pet.

weaning

Another example that can justify a kitten with soft feces is the type of food the animal regularly consumes. In the case of kittens, the period during lactation and after weaning, when most of the diet is liquid or wet, can cause softer than normal stools, due to the type of diet the animal is taking. This condition is normal and you should only be concerned when the puppy starts dry feed and remains with soft stools after a month of transition.

high temperatures

Excessive heat can cause the animal to have loose stools. On hotter days, try to keep your pet in a place with a mild temperature and sheltered from sunlight to avoid possible dehydration and other problems.

stressed cat

Stress is one of the factors that is often undervalued and that can affect various systems, completely altering the cat's routine. Watch for signs of pain, body posture, and behavior. Changing the diet, moving to a new home or a new member of the family (be it a child or a new animal) can cause diarrhea or loose stools in the cat. Check out the 5 symptoms of stress in cats here.

Strange body

Certain objects (such as yarn), small toys or bones are so popular with your cat that he will try to bite or ingest them. it can be resolved using endoscopy or surgery.
To avoid this type of problem it is necessary to avoid giving the animal chicken bones (which are very sharp), toys that can be easily swallowed or broken or small objects that are around the house.

intestinal worms

These parasites can cause loose stools or diarrhea, and in cases of severe infestation, you may have a cat with bloody loose stools, a cat with soft yellow stools, or a cat with live worms in the stool. That's why deworming with a dewormer for cats is so important.

Viral or bacterial diseases

Certain illnesses can lead to inflammation and/or infection of the stomach or intestine and cause loose stools. It is possible to prevent some illnesses if you adhere to your cat's vaccination protocol.

Nutritional deficiencies of vitamin B12

The lack of vitamin B12, essential for the health and proper functioning of the body, can affect several systems from the neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiac and gastrointestinal.

Tumors in intestines or other organs

It is very important to know that diarrhea that lasts more than two days can lead to other problems such as dehydration and tiredness, so if your cat's diarrhea lasts for more than a day or two, urgently consult the veterinarian to find out what is causing this problem.

hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism can also be one of the causes of cats with loose stools.

Cat with soft stools: diagnosis

Loose stools and diarrhea are the second most common symptom in the clinic of small companion animals and can represent a multitude of causes. For this reason, it is necessary for the veterinarian to gather as much information as possible to be able to rule out or include certain diagnoses.

First, the medical history must include:

  • Current status of internal and external deworming;
  • Vaccination protocol;
  • Previous illnesses;
  • Contact with other animals;
  • Type of food, frequency and extra food that you have access to or are offered;
  • The severity, evolution and characteristics of the feces: when they first appeared, duration and how often it happens, appearance of the feces (color, odor and consistency, presence of blood and mucus), if the animal has difficulty defecating;
  • Changes in appetite and behavior.

Then, a complete physical examination and necessary additional exams:

  • Blood and biochemical analyses;
  • Collection and analysis of urine and feces;
  • Radiography and ultrasound.

In the end, the veterinarian diagnoses and selects the most suitable treatment for your animal.

Cat with soft feces: what to do and how to prevent

The treatment of cats with loose stools will depend on what is causing them. Obviously some causes have to be resolved with specific medical therapy, but there are certain steps you can and should take:

  • Withdraw all the animal's food (but never water) for a few hours and introduce a diet suited to the cat's problem, usually a highly digestible diet. Heads up: never deprive the cat of food for more than 24 hours as it can develop other types of more serious problems.
  • Keep the hydrated cat. In addition to the fluid therapy that your veterinarian may apply, you should always give fresh, clean water.
  • Usually, if it is a case that develops into diarrhea, the veterinarian recommends a home remedy for cats with diarrhea that is based on a mild and easily digestible diet based on rice water or water. rice and shredded cooked chicken that will soothe your pet's digestive tract. Only after diarrhea or loose stools have been treated should you return to the normal feed, never forgetting to make a progressive transition between rice and chicken and feed.
  • keep a good hygiene of your cat and its environment. In cases of intestinal worms, they can be present in the feces and remain in the animal's environment. Therefore, it is important to clean the environment and the entire house after applying dewormer, to avoid reinfestation.
  • Avoid giving dairy products, especially cow's milk. Many cats are lactose intolerant just like humans.
  • Remove all toys, clothing, or small objects that the animal might ingest.
  • pay attention to diet changes. When starting the specific diet, you should ensure that you provide small daily meals several times a day and in the future without any sudden changes in diet or extra foods.
  • You should avoid sharing your food with your pet, however complicated it is and it is asking too much.
  • Don't let your cat have access to garbage, drugs and inappropriate food.
  • fulfill the vaccination schedule.

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.

If you want to read more articles similar to Cat with soft stools: causes and solutions, we recommend that you enter our Intestinal Problems section.