Strange Grey-ish Diarrhea

[kate187]

Hi everyone.

I have a boy called Bishop who I rescued in September. He is around 14/15 years old. He's been in good health while I've had him, apart from a URI that keeps coming and going.

So I got back from work today to find a cow pat of very loose poo (not watery but definitely not normal) in the litter tray, and one near it on the floor. It was smelly but not massively more so than normal. When I picked it up I noticed that it looked sort of mid/dark grey inside, mixed up with the brown. It had kind of a clay-ish texture (sorry for the gross image!).

Apart from that he seems fine, I haven't given him his normal wet food this evening and he's been sat by the bowl crying for it, and having some of his dry food. He doesn't seem lethargic or out of sorts. The last few days I have been thinking the URI might be re-emerging a bit as he's coughed a few times and keeps swallowing hard, as though he's swallowing phlegm.

If it happens again I'll take him to the vet but any ideas/thoughts/advice in the meantime?

Kate

 

[kate187]

Oh, also I am trying to transition him onto grain-free dry food. He has dry food available as well as wet food pouches for main meals. I have been doing a very slow transition so I can't see that being the problem- he's been having it for around a week and it's still only 25% of the dry food, if that (still using up the other stuff).

 

[Furballsmom]

Not to worry about gross we can handle it I think I'd go back to the normal wet food for a bit and see if things don't improve. Oh, by the way just a thought, is the litter you're using dusty?

 

[kate187]

He's on the normal wet food, it's the dry food I've been changing to grain-free. And yes actually, the litter is pretty dusty.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

If he has not been to a vet in the last 2-6 months, I would take him to a vet anyway and not wait for the poo issue to happen again.

 

[kate187]

He was at the vets early December for blood/urine analysis.

 

[alzycat]

Is he on any medications? My cat was on an antibiotic that actually turned her stool grey.

 

[kate187]

Is he on any medications? My cat was on an antibiotic that actually turned her stool grey.

Nope, no medications.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

He was at the vets early December for blood/urine analysis.

Any indications of liver issues?

 

[kate187]

Any indications of liver issues?

Nope. Apparently there was one result that was slightly borderline (something about urine being a bit dilute I think?) but they tested it in Sept and Dec and there was no change, so they said to bring him in after 3-5 months for another check.

 

[kate187]

Should I give him his usual wet food before bed tonight? He hasn't had wet since 8am, only bits of dry. He's desperate for food!

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm thinking maybe there's something in the new dry that's not agreeing with his system. A way to test that would be to stop with it for a bit. Anyway, I've had some luck cutting down on litter dust with a combination of a corncob litter and a clumping litter. Hang in there!

 

[Furballsmom]

Regarding his wet food, I believe yes

 

[kate187]

I'm thinking maybe there's something in the new dry that's not agreeing with his system. A way to test that would be to stop with it for a bit. Anyway, I've had some luck cutting down on litter dust with a combination of a corncob litter and a clumping litter. Hang in there!

That would be typical, just when I buy him expensive healthy grain-free food! But yes ideally it's just that and he's ok.

 

[kate187]

I'm thinking maybe there's something in the new dry that's not agreeing with his system. A way to test that would be to stop with it for a bit. Anyway, I've had some luck cutting down on litter dust with a combination of a corncob litter and a clumping litter. Hang in there!

Is there reason to believe the litter could have caused this?

 

[Furballsmom]

I was just thinking that the dust might be irritating his respiratory system.

 

[kate187]

I was just thinking that the dust might be irritating his respiratory system.

Yes true. I'll look into a change of litter. Thanks for all the help, will update tomorrow. For now I'll go and feed my yowling cat!

 

[kate187]

As of this morning no poops at all, he seems fine and has eaten all his food.

 

[kate187]

All fine up until midday today when he had diarrhea again. Good news I guess is it seems a more normal colour today? He's still acting fine and has been hungry etc. I rang the vet and they say as he is fine in himself I should feed him a bland diet of chicken/fish/scrambled egg for 24-48 hours, and contact them if he gets worse. Was hoping cos it had been 24-36 hours that he was fine now

 

[Furballsmom]

Hang in there!