9 year old cat intermittent diarrhoea?

[Claire88]

Hi everyone! First time posting, long time lurker here!

May 9 year old cat has been healthy the majority of his life. He’s an indoor cat with a consistent routine and his food hasn’t changed.
Overnight on Friday he pooped next to one of his boxes. It was a normal poo and the box had one pee to be scooped. Every now and then it happens and it’s generally a one off, after we scoop the pee out it’s fine. We use nature’s best so it’s clumping and easy to scoop.

Then on Saturday morning, he was sick. Then around lunch on Saturday, he had one very small episode of diarrhea.

We held off on giving him lunch, gave him dinner as normal and his poops seemed totally back to normal Sunday - last night. Last night he had another episode of diarrhea. He’d done a totally normal poo at around 4pm yesterday too.

He’s eating like normal, and is down hanging out with us like normal, although I’d say he’s been a bit more excitable the last couple of days (wanting to fight play more and works up after a few pats to rolling on his back) but his mobility is fine. We do have a 2.5 year old toddler but he’s very gentle, never alone with cat, and I can’t think of anything toddler has eaten the last few days that cat could have got, or would have even caused upset. It’s all been cat safe.

We have a vet appointment at 5pm today but I was wondering if anyone had any insight? Anything we should be asking the vet to check?

thank you!

(picture of my happy spoiled cat child to say hello!)

 

[tabbytom]

Hi everyone! First time posting, long time lurker here!

May 9 year old cat has been healthy the majority of his life. He’s an indoor cat with a consistent routine and his food hasn’t changed.
Overnight on Friday he pooped next to one of his boxes. It was a normal poo and the box had one pee to be scooped. Every now and then it happens and it’s generally a one off, after we scoop the pee out it’s fine. We use nature’s best so it’s clumping and easy to scoop.

Then on Saturday morning, he was sick. Then around lunch on Saturday, he had one very small episode of diarrhea.

We held off on giving him lunch, gave him dinner as normal and his poops seemed totally back to normal Sunday - last night. Last night he had another episode of diarrhea. He’d done a totally normal poo at around 4pm yesterday too.

He’s eating like normal, and is down hanging out with us like normal, although I’d say he’s been a bit more excitable the last couple of days (wanting to fight play more and works up after a few pats to rolling on his back) but his mobility is fine. We do have a 2.5 year old toddler but he’s very gentle, never alone with cat, and I can’t think of anything toddler has eaten the last few days that cat could have got, or would have even caused upset. It’s all been cat safe.

We have a vet appointment at 5pm today but I was wondering if anyone had any insight? Anything we should be asking the vet to check?

thank you!

(picture of my happy spoiled cat child to say hello!)

ands welcome to TCS!

I see that you've popped into this thread 10-Year-Old Cat Struggling with Intermittent Diarrhea and maybe you could give it a read too and of course, if need to, get your cat to the vet for a professional advice.

 

[Alldara]

Hello Claire and welcome!

With a busy toddler running around he could have eaten something. Even if it's cat-safe, it could still not agree with your particular cat's digestion. If it continues past a couple days it's always best to bring a sample by your vets office, even if it's intermittent.

Otherwise how does the poops look? Formed but not too hard? Sounds backwards but if there's constipation in an older cat, diahreah can come out past the constipation until it passes.

 

[Claire88]

Hello Claire and welcome!

With a busy toddler running around he could have eaten something. Even if it's cat-safe, it could still not agree with your particular cat's digestion. If it continues past a couple days it's always best to bring a sample by your vets office, even if it's intermittent.

Otherwise how does the poops look? Formed but not too hard? Sounds backwards but if there's constipation in an older cat, diahreah can come out past the constipation until it passes.

Thank you!

That was probably my main concern, but as his poops went back to normal I assumed it was a mild upset tummy (even though he’s an indoor cat my toddler brings every virus known to man into the household and he hunts and eats every spider too!) but the bout last night worried me slightly as I thought it was over with.

I’m more stumped by the go-away-come-back nature of it.

He seems to be peeing normally - about twice a day - and outside of being more excitable he seems to be fine moving etc. He let me gently touch his stomach and he didn’t seem to react to it so assuming there’s no obvious sore bits.

Just hoping the vet has some ideas tonight!

 

[Claire88]

Hi all! An update and hoping someone has some input!

The vet appointment went ok - weight etc all stable, temperature ok. The vet spent a long time palpitating his abdomen and said “I can feel his intestines more than I’d like - nothing too concerning though”.

Afterwards he explained that cat GI troubles fall on a spectrum from things like IBD to lymphoma. Lymphoma! I was not expecting that word. The vet did say as his symptoms were mild, and he’s always been a bit of a sensitive tummy cat, he thinks something like lymphoma is ‘very unlikely’ and ‘way down the road’ of any concerns, but wants to try a food adjustment. I left with a list of foods and a parasite medication to be safe.

I’ve been left reeling. I wasn’t expecting to have a cancer mentioned at all. My baby cat! I feel like the vet truly doesn’t think it’s lymphoma, but was just giving me a run down of ‘if this doesn’t work then this comes next’ etc but I’m a bit traumatised! Cat is happy snoozing the couch ofc.

 

[fionasmom]

I have found that many doctors, human and veterinary, do present the spectrum of a condition; even the unlikely is mentioned. I have had two cats with actual SCL, and a few who were suggested to have it in the future even though they did not. I am in no way implying that you do not see a competent and compassionate vet.

Your vet did say it is very unlikely; if he thought that there was a much better chance of lymphoma he well knows that there are several way to go about diagnosing it and he did not suggest any. Even if it is "way down the road", most cases of intestinal lymphoma are treatable, and not that difficult to treat at that.

 

[Claire88]

I have found that many doctors, human and veterinary, do present the spectrum of a condition; even the unlikely is mentioned. I have had two cats with actual SCL, and a few who were suggested to have it in the future even though they did not. I am in no way implying that you do not see a competent and compassionate vet.

Your vet did say it is very unlikely; if he thought that there was a much better chance of lymphoma he well knows that there are several way to go about diagnosing it and he did not suggest any. Even if it is "way down the road", most cases of intestinal lymphoma are treatable, and not that difficult to treat at that.

Thank you so much for your reply! Was definitely a shock to the system!

Maybe I’m just in denial but I really didn’t think his symptoms were too concerning. He’s always been a bit of a ‘random vomit’ cat,and any changes to food etc have always upset his stomach. I suppose I really hoping he would just say ‘probably nothing, keep an eye on it’.

To hear his intestines were slightly thick has freaked me out. There’s a real, palpable issue! But I suppose I should take comfort in the fact that his weight is stable, his symptoms are mild, and will follow the vet’s recommendations.

The vet did mention that lymphoma is treatable and cats can live for years (when he saw my horrified face after I said ‘lymphoma?!’) and said ‘but I really do think that’s unlikely’. So I’m hoping he’s right.

 

[Claire88]

Hi all! Just wanted to do a quick update a week later!

We’ve did a diet tweak (introduced rabbit protein and slowly weaning over) but have had ZERO vomits or diarrhea! He’s his usual, active self, but I’d say he’s definitely a bit more settled. He spent the night curled up between my husband and I in bed snoozing away peacefully! I’ve also made a big effort to up his playtime so he’s getting really decent exercise every day to keep everything moving through as it should.

Thanks for everyone’s helpful replies. Hoping for another decade of healthy cat baby AT LEAST

 

[Alldara]

Yay!