The Causes of Diarrhea in Cats and Tips to Cure It at Home – Diarrhea in cats is a case that we often encounter by veterinarians at the clinic. Diarrhea is a sign that the cat has digestive disorders, this causes nutrients and fluids not to be absorbed completely by the cat’s body. In chronic cases, the diarrhea will cause the cat to become thinner and end up malnourished. And in acute cases, cats often become weak and not as agile as usual.
Causes of Diarrhea in Cats
There are several causes of diarrhea in cats. Let’s discuss one by one!
1. Worms
Live worms as parasites, generally in the digestive tract of dogs and cats, are one of the causes of diarrhea in cats. Worms steal nutrients from your dogs and cats so no matter how much food they eat, they tend to look thin and bloated due to lack of nutrients due to worm parasite infestations.
In addition to stealing nutrients, worms also cause a decrease in the immune system of your dog and cat so that they are susceptible to diseases ranging from skin diseases to internal infections. Diarrhea, vomiting, and a thin body are the symptoms of intestinal worms that are the easiest for you to observe.
Read More: 5 Ways How To Stop Cat Vomiting, Don't Take It Lightly
2. Protozoa
Protozoa is one of the Causes of Diarrhea in Cats. Protozoa are very small organisms that live as parasites in cats. Cats usually ingest the cysts of this protozoan, either when they are on the ground, or are eaten with their prey such as cockroaches and other flies that carry cysts.
For you cat lovers, it is also not recommended to give raw meat to your cat, because Toxoplasma protozoan cysts can be in raw meat. Protozoa will live in the cat’s intestines causing diarrhea, refusal to eat, and also vomiting.
3. Viruses
There are several viruses that cause diarrhea in cats, the most dangerous of which is the panleukopenia virus. This virus attacks the digestive tract of cats, especially young cats who have never been vaccinated. Since the virus damages a cat’s digestive tract aggressively, diarrhea and vomiting are the most common symptoms seen.
4. Wrong meal
Wrong meal is one of the Causes of Diarrhea in Cats. Cats have a great curiosity and they are attracted to foods that smell strong, so they often eat wrong, especially if your cat likes to go out. In addition, cats cannot digest carbohydrates in large quantities, so don’t give your cat rice.
5. Diet
The next cause of cat diarrhea is diet. Unbalanced nutrition or already polluted feed can trigger digestive problems.
Feed mismanagement, such as overeating, feed changes, nutritional imbalances, dirty feed (garbage) and dirty drinking water can also be the cause of diarrhea.
Unusual or sudden dietary changes can also cause a cat diarrhea. If you want to change your cat’s food, you should make a slow transition.
You can mix old food and new food. Do it gradually until the cat gets used to the new food.
6. Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is one of the Causes of Diarrhea in Cats. The cat may have diarrhea from touching or eating poisonous objects around it, such as insect venom, mosquito repellent, and others.
Chemicals such as toxic organophosphates, antinutrients in the feed can be the cause of cat diarrhea.
Organophosphates are chemical substances commonly used in household products, such as mosquito repellents, cockroaches and other nuisance animals. This substance can cause poisoning because it inhibits the cholinesterase enzyme.
7. Pancreatitis
Another cause of cat diarrhea is pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas. Signs of this disease include nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, lethargy, and decreased appetite. In severe conditions, it can even cause death in cats.
Pancreatitis that occurs in cats is often accompanied by inflammation of the liver and intestines. Acute pancreatitis-related inflammation allows digestive enzymes to spill into the abdominal cavity and give rise to many symptoms, including diarrhea.
How to Cure Diarrhea in Cats at Home
Then, as an animal owner, what can be done when our cat has acute diarrhea? Do you need to go straight to the vet? Well Animals, if diarrhea has just occurred and your cat is still active and wants to eat, here are some tips that you can try at home to deal with your cat’s diarrhea:
Medications
- Give non-specific diarrhea medication for humans, such as attapulgites or kaolin pectin syrup. Kaolin pectin is quite bitter for cats, so it usually causes cat hypersalivation.
- Give deworming medicine according to body weight.
Probiotics
Give probiotics to help restore intestinal conditions.
Provide foods that are soft and easy to digest.
You can give special foods such as Royal Canin Gastrointestinal or Hills i/d
Drink
Help them drink to prevent dehydration, can drink water or coconut water. You can also buy electrolyte fluids such as ORS at pharmacies.
Give Food in Small Portions but Often
The first way to deal with diarrhea cats is to regulate the diet. Give the cat food in small portions, but more often. Do not allow the cat to starve.
You can give small, tasteless, and regular food, such as boiled chicken or boneless white fish. Do not give the cat fatty food. Veterinarians usually advise special canned food for stomach pain.
Meet Clean Water Needs
Cats with diarrhea usually drink more often to avoid dehydration. To make it easier for him to reach the water, put a drinking container near the location where the cat used to rest.
Let the Cat Rest
Cats with diarrhea often feel more tired and need more rest than usual. However, if his body seems very lethargic, immediately take it to the vet.
Introduce Normal Food Gradually
After the cat’s condition begins to improve and the stool is denser, you can gradually reintroduce its normal diet.
You can try the 4 tips above, but if within 24 hours the diarrhea has not stopped or is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, refusal to eat, weakness, bloody diarrhea, or blackish diarrhea, contact your veterinarian immediately to have it checked!
