When to worry about diarrhea

[Kayeff]

Hi everyone

so, I just got home and saw my cat use the litter box that I just cleaned. He had a pretty good amount of diarrhea (think the standard size bowel movement but liquid). He seems to be his usual self, playing with toys when we toss them and he just took a few bites of food.

my question is, when is it time to call the vet? After one more case of diarrhea? Or now? Obviously if his behavior changes I’ll call immediately. But just wondering if one trip is cause to call. Also, what could be the cause? We haven’t changed his food, we also have two other cats who aren’t having diarrhea.

Thanks

 

[verna davies]

There are many causes for diarrhea, food change (which is ruled out), worms, he could have eaten something off the floor, too many treats. Make sure he is drinking, they can become dehydrated. It often takes a few days for an upset tummy to settle so I would keep an eye on him over the next 24 hours. Plain pumpkin is good, pkain unsweetened.

How Long Does It Take for Pumpkin to Stop Diarrhea in Cats?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Echo V verna davies !! Feeby occasionally has a runny stool incident, and then it returns to normal - most times I have no idea why. But, one occasion isn't a real cause for concern. Repeat incidents, as well as other signs of not feeling well are the things you want to keep an eye on!

 

[Kayeff]

There are many causes for diarrhea, food change (which is ruled out), worms, he could have eaten something off the floor, too many treats. Make sure he is drinking, they can become dehydrated. It often takes a few days for an upset tummy to settle so I would keep an eye on him over the next 24 hours. Plain pumpkin is good, pkain unsweetened.

How Long Does It Take for Pumpkin to Stop Diarrhea in Cats?

Hi. Echo V verna davies !! Feeby occasionally has a runny stool incident, and then it returns to normal - most times I have no idea why. But, one occasion isn't a real cause for concern. Repeat incidents, as well as other signs of not feeling well are the things you want to keep an eye on!

my fiancée said he saw him use the litter box yesterday and it was normal. He’s also the one who gives treats. I always tell him not to overdo it because our cats all have a tendency to eat too fast and too much then throw up. So maybe that’s it. So far he’s only had one trip to the litter box and it wasn’t off in color or anything, just pretty liquidy. I’ll definitely keep an eye on him and the litter box. Hopefully it’s just an upset stomach and nothing serious.

 

[verna davies]

Let us know how he's doing.

 

[Kayeff]

I just wanted to add that his stomach is also making gurgling noises. They’re not incredibly loud, but I just heard them when I was laying down close to his stomach. Does anyone know if this is usual for cats with an upset stomach?

 

[verna davies]

It could well be his digestive systems reacting to the upset tummy, its quite normal.

 

[di and bob]

Too many treats definitely makes my cats throw up and have diarrhea. As does trying to change to an all meat food. They all threw up all day! Those things must be too 'rich' for them!

 

[MissClouseau]

I just wanted to add that his stomach is also making gurgling noises. They’re not incredibly loud, but I just heard them when I was laying down close to his stomach. Does anyone know if this is usual for cats with an upset stomach?

That’s usually the sound of flatulence/digestion. It’s the same as humans; it could be because of an upset stomach but it could also be because of swallowing air or eating too much.

 

[daftcat75]

Semantics pet peeve of mine.

Diarrhea and loose/watery stools are not the same thing.

Diarrhea is increased volume and increased frequency, usually with a sense of urgency too. Diarrhea needs to be treated like a primary condition and stopped quickly to prevent dehydration. If your cat normally poops once or twice a day, diarrhea would be three or four or more in a day. Or it could extend over multiple days. The increased frequency, increased volume, and lost moisture can spell trouble fast.

Loose/watery stools are just that. The frequency is normal or slightly faster than normal. The volume may be slightly larger as the moisture isn't reclaimed in the colon. Loose stools are usually secondary to something else and that something else needs to be determined and treated appropriately. Sometimes that something else is a one-off event that needs no treatment (ate something he shouldn't have.) Sometimes it's diet related (too many treats?) and changing the diet, resolves the loose stools. Constipation can cause loose stools too as the old impacted stuff blocks the new solids and only the liquids can squeeze past. Treating this like diarrhea would be a huge mistake.

Is it diarrhea? Saccharomyces boulardii is a great first fix for that.

My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?

Don't panic! Just as with people, healthy cats can suffer an “upset stomach” from time-to-time. We may not know the cause, and it doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the vet is in order. After...

www.foodfurlife.com

If it's loose stools, you have to look for the underlying cause and treat that. If it's a one-off, monitor him for lethargy, vomiting, or other "off" behaviors and talk with the vet if it persists for more than a couple of days.

 

[stephanietx]

If you feed him canned food, you can try mixing in a little bit of plain canned pumpkin or plain squash baby food. You can also give s. boullardi if it persists.

My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?

 

[Kayeff]

So, an update for everyone.

The first trip to the bathroom that caused me to write this post was completely watery. Since then, he’s gone twice, both time the consistency is a little thicker but still not like normal stool. It’s like thick soft serve ice cream kind of. It’s gotten better, he’s not going frequently (just once a day), and he’s his usual playful self.

Should I be concerned that the consistency isn’t back to normal?

 

[verna davies]

What are you feeding him? Is there any blood? Has there been any changes that could have caused him stress. When mine have this type of poop I add a pinch of psyllium to the food twice a day for 2/ 3 days and it usually clears.

 

[Kayeff]

What are you feeding him? Is there any blood? Has there been any changes that could have caused him stress. When mine have this type of poop I add a pinch of psyllium to the food twice a day for 2/ 3 days and it usually clears.

We’re feeding him his usual food, no changes there. There’s no blood, it’s a perfectly normal color, just a bit softer than normal (but much more formed than that first time). Honestly I can’t think of anything that would’ve caused him stress, there’s been no changes around the house. We’re also very careful to not let him eat any human food that could upset his stomach. which is why this situation confuses me.

 

[verna davies]

In your position I would wait another day or so as you said it is better than it was. If it's no better by monday, maybe phone your vet. Try to take a photo if it to show your vet exactly what it's like. Make sure he is drinking.