Cat Having Soft, Watery Poop

Jbrookat

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I am needing some advice regarding tummy issues with my kitties. I have 2 rescue kitties, Toffee and Mittens, who have been with us for about 6 weeks now. Both lived a hard life before they came to us, but they are the sweetest, most loving cats! They are around 1 year old (but possibly a little younger), spayed, and indoor only. They are littermates and they adore each other.

Somebody (not sure who) is having litter box issues, but I think it is more tummy troubles than behavior. Every morning for the last week or so, shortly after I feed them and clean out their litter boxes, one of the kitties is having very soft, near liquid poop on the carpet. They both use the litter boxes all the rest of the time (we have 3 boxes). And since it always happens right after I clean out the litter boxes (usually between 8 and 9 am), when the house is fairly quiet, I don't think it is due to them being persnickity about the litter or stressed out about noise. I think someone is just not making it to the box in time.

I took stool samples to our vet today and they are clear for parasites. And otherwise they are very healthy-they have great appetites, tons of energy, gleaming coats, and seem to be gaining weight. So I suspect the issue may be food related. Both of these kitties are hungry ALL the time and will absolutely try to eat "people food" at every opportunity, but we try to prevent that as much as possible. Mittens in particular will dive into trash cans if given the chance, so we try to be very diligent about taking out garbage, sweeping floors, etc. It's possible somebody has had a dietary indiscretion, but how long would soft poop from that go on?

I don't know what their early life was like, but I know they were surrendered and ate dry food only at the pound and with the rescue. I have since added wet food (2 Sheba Perfect portions per cat, per day) and, most recently, I switched them to a grain-free dry food (Redford Naturals Chicken Recipe) about 3-4 weeks ago, when the leftover food from the rescue ran out--that was Authority Chicken and Rice.

I am waiting on a call back from the vet to see what they advise, but I am curious if anyone here has experience with this? Do you think I ought to take out the wet food for a few days to see if that helps? This has been going on for a week or so, and we started wet food after they had been with us for just a few days, so I am not sure it's related, but maybe it would help? Or should I switch them back to a regular kibble and mix in the grain-free stuff slowly? Try a new protein? Add pumpkin to their diet? Help!!

Maybe I should also add that Mittens caught and ate a mouse last week. I was horrified and tried to get the mouse away from her before she ate it, but she growled at me like a wild beast so I let her keep it. Did that mess up her belly?

Thanks in advance. Here's a picture of my sweet kitties, curled up in a heart.
 

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FeebysOwner

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Hi. What a wonderful pic of those two - it's so cute that they are making the shape of a heart!!!

It would be helpful if you can determine which kitten is having the watery stool. Just so you know if it is both or just one. Since you checked fecal samples and there were no worms, eating the mouse probably is not an issue.

Just because they are littermates doesn't mean that both are having food issues.

Try and see if you can 'stalk' them and see if one or both are having the issue.
 
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Jbrookat

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I've had no success so far figuring out who is having the issues, mostly because it tends to happen the moment my back is turned to deal with one of my human children. I will keep trying though.

The vet never did call me back last night. But at the pet supplies store this morning, I talked to the manager, who is a "cat expert." She thinks that the kitty's belly is upset due to the fact that she's still young and young kitties sometimes have sensitive tummies. She recommended that I try some probiotics supplements to see if that helps. They were only $5, so I'm willing to try.

So now I need to determine who is the pooper, and then see if the probiotics help.

Here are the supplements.
 

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daftcat75

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Keep the wet in their diet. The moisture of the food doesn't dictate the moisture of the poop. In fact, it could very well be the dry that's causing the issue. Could you buy a bag of their old dry and try switching them back to that?

Carbohydrates are food for bacteria. The more carbs in their diet, the more food you give for the wrong bacteria in your cats' intestines. The probiotics will help some to restore that balance, but removing the food for the bad bacteria will help more. If you can reduce the amount of dry you feed them and replace those calories with wet, you may be able to get ahead of this.

I would start by switching them back to the old dry food and see if that helps.

Also look for some canned pumpkin or a pumpkin pouch or even a pumpkin food (Krista will only eat pumpkin if it's Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Tuna with Pumpkin) to help dry them up until you figure out the food. I believe Tiki Cat now has a Chicken with Pumpkin. Just to keep things simple, try to stick to the same protein in all their food until you have figured out which food is not working for them.
 

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I'm going to do an ingredient analysis and highlight the carbs, fruits/veggies (cats have no dietary requirements for fruits and vegetables), and other potentially irritating ingredients.

Looks like Authority has fewer inappropriate or potentially irritating ingredients.

Here's the Redford ingredients:

Chicken; Chicken Meal; Turkey Meal; Oatmeal; Pearled Barley; Brown Rice; Chicken Fat; Natural Flavor; Tomato Pomace; Flaxseed; Fish Meal; Salt; Choline Chloride; Fructooligosaccharide; Potassium Chloride; Dried Cranberries; Dried Kelp; Vitamin E Supplement; Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative); Taurine; Yucca Schidigera Extract; Zinc Methionine Complex; Zinc Sulfate; Niacin Supplement; Iron Proteinate; Ferrous Sulfate; Vitamin A Supplement; Copper Proteinate; Copper Sulfate; Thiamine Mononitrate; d-Calcium Pantothenate; Manganese Proteinate; Pyridoxine Hydrochloride; Riboflavin Supplement; Sodium Selenite; Vitamin D3 Supplement; Manganous Oxide; Vitamin B12 Supplement; Calcium Iodate; Folic Acid; Biotin; Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide (source of Iodine); Rosemary Extract.

And the Authority ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Ground Corn, Corn Protein Concentrate, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl -2-Polyphosphate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d -Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Potassium Chloride, Inulin, Choline Chloride, Salt, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Rosemary Extract.
 

She's a witch

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I took stool samples to our vet today and they are clear for parasites.
I wouldn’t rule out the IG parasites just yet: do you know what method for stool testing was used? It seems they did the fecal flotation test (since it's been done in a day) which not always shows all of the options. Furthermore, some cysts will not necessarily be visible in the diarrhea but in the firmer stool (giardia). I would ask vet for a better test, eg. PCR (that would need to be sent out to lab) to determine the patogen. I would specifically ask for giardia, coccidia and trichomonas foetus. It is expensive though.
 
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Jbrookat

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Thank you all so much!!

@Daftcat, Thank you so much for the dietary analysis! I am still fairly new at understanding cat nutrition, but I am trying. I can definitely grab some Authority tomorrow and see if switching back helps them. (I'll feel so guilty about switching them in the first place if that ends up being the reason. I only did it because I have a PSPlus nearby and not a PetSmart, but I can always order it online). I will also increase wet food in the meantime. I do have some plain canned pumpkin here at the house already. Could I just mix a little in with their wet food and see how that goes? They LOVE wet food, so I think they would eat it pretty readily.

She's a witch She's a witch yes, the vet did a flotation. I will remember that about the PCR! The stool sample I brought in was fairly loose, so it's possible that they missed the cysts.
 

daftcat75

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Canned pumpkin as long as it doesn’t have sugar or spices, just the pumpkin. Try 1/2 tsp a day into their wet. If they like it and it doesn’t make things worse, you can probably go to 1 tsp. There is a point where more is not better though.
 
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Jbrookat

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Ok, I know for certain now that Mittens is having issues. She just had diarrhea in the litter box. This was after 2 "portions" of Sheba (2.6 ounces) and a small amount of dry food from the puzzle feeder. All the food is chicken based.

I have given her two probiotic supplements (that is the recommended amount). I am also going to see if she will eat a little plain pumpkin.

She doesn't seem to feel bad at all. She is begging for more food right now.
 

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This sounds so much like the situation in my post from a few days ago! Perfectly normal otherwise, eating, playing, etc. FWIW, my two with problems are on those same digestive enzymes/probiotics, but mine is the powder version to sprinkle over wet food. They are getting that in the morning, and Pet Ultimates probiotics in the evening.

I also have been unable to determine a cause for the problem, after fecal tests, several anti-parasite meds, etc. But I will say I've at least been able to provide a little relief for the one who is currently experiencing diarrhea by mixing up some Metamucil powder (the unflavored, unsweetened one only) in water and giving it by syringe (because she wouldn't eat it mixed with wet food). I'm doing 1/4 tsp in about one or two tablespoons of water, mixed thoroughly, twice a day.

I still want to determine why this keeps happening to them and only them and not any of my other kitties, but in the meantime, I'm happy to be able to at least improve their comfort.

If you want to see the suggestions that have been made on my thread, it is here:
9 Mo. Old Former Ferals - On Again, Off Again Diarrhea

Best of luck!
 
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Jbrookat

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Thank you so much beckybjj! I did read your thread! I hope the Metamucil continues to help!

Just a quick update--I think *maybe* what we are doing is working. I woke up this morning and found a pile of cat poop on the floor in the usual spot, but it was soft, mushy, almost-formed poop rather than the watery stuff I have been seeing. So maybe the digestive enzymes and cutting back on the Redford dry food has helped! Fingers crossed!
 

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Yea! Congrats! Jury is still out on my kitties but I'm keeping a close eye on them and fortunately they are otherwise happy and playful.
 

daftcat75

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Just a heads up. Some cats tolerate digestive enzymes better than others. If yours looks like Krista below after enzyme supplementation, then enzymes probably aren’t for her either. I think the consensus is that if she looks like that, she probably doesn’t need the enzymes and is getting too much activity.
 

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Jbrookat

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Thank you so much! Daftcat, Krista has such a sweet face ❤ I hope she's feeling better now. How long after starting enzymes did she start to have trouble? So far, Mittens seems happy and playful. She has been chasing her sister around the house most of the morning.
 

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That happens after any meal with enzymes including, unfortunately, the EZ Complete premix to make raw meat nutritionally complete.
 

beckbjj

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The NaturVet enzymes are pretty much papaya (papain) and probiotics, so very different than what's in the EZComplete stuff. That pork pancreas business scares hell out of me.
 

daftcat75

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The NaturVet enzymes are pretty much papaya (papain) and probiotics, so very different than what's in the EZComplete stuff. That pork pancreas business scares hell out of me.
Doesn’t matter. Plant-based digestive enzymes are just as problematic for Krista. Digestive enzymes aren’t for every cat.
 
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Jbrookat

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I just wanted to update with great news!

Cutting out the Redford and adding digestive enzymes seems to have helped Mittens dramatically! We've had 2 days of normal cat poop in the litter box! I'm so excited!

We ended up switching both kitties over to Iams kibble instead of going back to the Authority. I was not able to get out to PetSmart and they were calling for a huge snowstorm here (which ended up being a total bust, hardly any snow at all). But I was hurrying around to get ready for the snow that wasn't, and so I just grabbed what I fed to my last cat, Libby, for years--Iams in the orange bag. I'm not an expert, but the ingredients look fairly similar to Authority, and so far, they like it and seem to be tolerating it well. There was no transition period whatsoever--when I tried mixing them on Sunday night, Mittens ate the Iams and left the Redford in the bowl, LOL. I know Iams isn't the greatest kibble, but at least it doesn't seem to irritate Mittens's little belly the way the Redford did. And they do still get their wet food in the evening.

I'm thinking to continue the digestive enzymes for a few more days, then slowly wean her off and see how it goes.

I hate that the Redford was so irritating to her little tummy. But I'm so grateful to all of you here for your advice and kind words!
 
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