Bowel Issues

[Lukasmom]

Ive been trying to resolve bowel issues with my 7 year old part Maine Coon, Lukas for about a year now. He has intermittent diarrhea, most of the time he will have normal stool and then diarrhea right afterwards. He is fine otherwise, eating and playing well but seems agitated for a few minutes whenever he has to poop. Can anybody else relate or resolve this problem. I have given him probiotics Proviable DC and also Sacc Bouu on and off but this problem returns. He is on urinary prescription food for a past struvite problem and sometimes i will give him a few days of Royal Canin gastrointestinal wet food which helps but this problem returns. Could it be more a constipation issue from hairballs since he is so furry? Thanks for help :-)

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! His being agitated when he has to poop is concerning. Have you had him in to a vet?

Are you grooming him as much as possible?

 

[Lukasmom]

Hi, yes he’s been to the vet a few times over the past year and they’ve done a quick analysis of stool, put him on metro, his labs are always good so they think it may be IBD. This problem seems to come and go (some days its ok) so it’s been frustrating trying to manage. I do groom him but not everyday. Maybe trying that could help? Just wondering if anybody has dealt with a similar thing.

 

[di and bob]

Get one of those 'Furminators' for long haired cats. They take out an AMAZING amount of hair in a short time. Make sure he is drinking lots of water too, set bowls around the house to entice him. Search around for a good probiotic, there are many on the market. He may be allergic to something in his diet too. You might want to change brands. Wish you all the best!

 

[Jem]

I had a cat who had chronic diarrhea for years. We tried EVERYTHING. But when he was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease, and we switched him to the kidney specific diet (wet and dry and different brands and flavors that we alternate with), his diarrhea stopped....completely. Kidney Disease food has low phosphorus and lower protein, although one of the brands of food does have increased protein. (due to more recent research that supports that it's more the phosphorus not the protein that causes problems with kidneys).
I'm not suggesting your cat has Kidney Disease, but could be reacting to too much phosphorus in the food. That is the only thing I can think of as to why our's pooping issues stopped with the change of food. There are some low phosphorus foods out there that are not "kidney diets" or prescription either. I would first ask your vet if your cat needs to stay on the struvite food. Some cats with urinary issues can be managed simply by feeding a WET food ONLY diet. And there are acidifiers that can be added to the food to ensure the crystals don't return.
I also wanted to add that one of my cats also had struvite crystals, and unfortunately HAD to be on the struvite crystal food, so I asked the vet if my other cats could eat it also to make my life a bit easier. When my cat with the pooping issues ate it, he could NOT handle it AT ALL. It made his pooping much worse.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
This might help;
Inflammatory Bowel Disease In Cats

And there's a website that could also help;
IBDKitties – Helping Save Lives…One Paw at a Time

 

[Lukasmom]

Thank you all for your advice! Jem, my Lukas also has/had a struvite problem and actually needed emergency surgery for it 3 years ago...that is why he was put on the UR diet. It is mainly wet food with some UR kibble during the day. Doesn't look like there is much fiber in it though?? Could this be the problem too...just to add some fiber? Sometimes I switch to the Royal Canin gastrointestinal wet food and it clears up for a few days but I put him back on the UR food because this is what the vet says he needs...

 

[Jem]

Could this be the problem too...just to add some fiber?[/QUOTE

Will your kitty eat pumpkin? (plain, not pie filling, no spices) I would often add a teaspoon to my other cat's wet food for some extra fiber. He would get constipated easily, and was also on struvite crystal food. Although he never had diarrhea, I do know that sometimes diarrhea can indicate constipation. I also wonder if giving him some hairball paste everyday would resolve this for good, if in fact hairballs are the issue. You can get that at any pet store.
In a pinch, if hairballs are the problem, you can put some petroleum jelly on his paw for him to lick off, it acts as a lubricant in the digestive tract to push things thru. This is not something I would do on a regular basis, but it is safe and effective, again, in a pinch.

 

[Lukasmom]

Hi Jem, I've never tried the pumpkin. Is there a brand you that you or somebody could recommend in Canada? I do have the the paste and have started giving it to him again this week. It recommended twice a day for the first 4 days and 3 times a week after that. I've also been grooming him every day now too...hoping that all these things will make a difference! I sometimes think it's more of a constipation than straight diarrhea problem as well. The amount of hair he must swallow is incredible...

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! there's Libby's 100% pure pumpkin, if that's available where you are, but I think the brand isn't as important as making sure the ingredient list literally states pumpkin - and nothing else, no spices, no salt or sodium

 

[Lukasmom]

Thanks, Furballsmom! Will check it out :-)

 

[Lukasmom]

I found a 100% pumpkin puree (not pie filling.) I guess this is the right stuff? Do you know if it’s ok for a cat with struvites to take this?

 

[Furballsmom]

Do you know if it’s ok for a cat with struvites to take this?

Although the product has been puree'd it will still provide some benefits for your baby.
Can you double-check with your vet just to be sure and on the safe side?

 

[Jem]

Mine did fine with it, he had struvite crystals also. My vet never had a problem with me giving it to him.
And I would recommend that you open the can and portion it off in mini air tight containers (condiment size) and freeze what you are not using. If it's a big can (that's all I could ever find) you'll never get thru it all before it goes bad.
When it thaws, it separates a bit (not nice and smooth anymore) but it's still good, just mix it up well.

 

[Lukasmom]

Thank you both!! I also recently ordered some slippery elm powder that I read a lot of positive about for gastro issues. Any experience with this?