Feline diarrhea may be accompanied by not eating and vomiting bile. If a cat has diarrhea for too long, the chances of dehydration and even depression are high. The causes of feline diarrhea are many, including a blockage, colitis, allergies and/or food intolerances, infection, intestinal parasites, kidney disease, liver disease, a sudden change in diet, pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Minor Feline Diarrhea Cases
You can attempt some treatments for diarrhea at home if you believe the diarrhea is not related to a more severe condition. For example, for an intestinal yeast infection, add plain yogurt to the cat's diet for two to three days. If you think the diarrhea is the result of a food allergy or an intolerance to a certain food, change the cat's diet.
Serious Feline Diarrhea Cases
If your cat's diarrhea does not clear up on its own within two days, the cat should be checked at the vet, unless you notice other symptoms that may be related to kidney disease or other severe diseases. If you notice diarrhea with lethargy, fever, vomiting, excessive thirst, weight loss, loss of appetite, and/or dehydration, you should take the cat to the vet immediately.
A bacterial or viral infection can cause diarrhea. If the cat has a bacterial infection, it will need antibiotics to clear it up. With viral infections, the cat's recovery is based on the cat's immune system, as vets cannot cure viral infections. Viral infections include feline AIDS and feline leukemia. These viral diseases last for the cat's lifetime, and the cat will need constant treatment and feline medication.
Parasites will also cause diarrhea. The vet will prescribe wormer for the cat. Some intestinal parasites in cats are transferable to humans, and they will also cause diarrhea in humans. If the cat has diarrhea because of a blockage, surgery may be your only option. If you suspect your cat has a blockage, get it to the vet immediately.
If the diarrhea is caused by another larger medical illness, such as hypothyroidism, liver disease or kidney disease, the underlying problem must be treated first. Often, clearing up the underlying problem also clears up the diarrhea.
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