Cat Care Essentials

Care for your kitty with these essential tips

Your cat might act independent, but he still counts on you to provide him with food, water, safe shelter, veterinary care, a clean litter box, love, and more. Take care of these essentials, and you’ll develop a rewarding relationship with your feline companion.

1. Keep your cat safe by keeping him indoors, safely confined to your property or walked on a harness and leash. Doing so is best for you, your cat, and your community. Provide your cat with safety and security. Always use a cat carrier when transporting your pet. Protect him by making certain that all windows are securely screened. Keep the washer and dryer are kept closed and check inside before each use. (Some cats like to climb in these appliances if they’re left open.) Get into the habit of ensuring that drawers, closets, and cupboards are uninhabited before you close them—a kitty may be lurking inside.

2. Outfit your cat with a breakaway collar and visible ID that includes your name, address, and telephone number. No matter how careful you are, there's always a chance he may slip out the door. Your cat is more likely to get home safely if he has ID. Also, be a good citizen by complying with any local cat licensing laws.

3. Take your cat to the veterinarian for regular check-ups and vaccinations. If you don't have a veterinarian, ask your local animal shelter, rescue group, or a pet-owning friend for a referral. Medical care is as essential for your cat as it is for you. If you already have dogs or cats at home, make sure they are up-to-date on their shots and in good general health before you introduce your new cat.

4. Spay or neuter your cat. This will keep him healthier and help decrease the number of cats put down every year because of cat overpopulation.

5. Feed your cat a nutritionally balanced diet and provide fresh water 24/7. Educate yourself on your cat’s nutritional needs, or ask your veterinarian for advice on what and how often to feed your pet.

6. Keep the litter box clean. Cats are naturally fastidious, and most will instinctively use a litter box; you just have to show yours where it is; Don't place your cat in the box and make little scratching motions with his front paws. This will likely upset your cat and may make him leery of the box. Scoop the box at least once daily and periodically wash it with dish liquid and hot water. Because cats also value privacy, place the litter box in a convenient but quiet spot.

7. You may need to experiment with litter to find one your cat likes. Offer him several types and when he makes his choice, don’t run out of it. Cats are creatures of habit and if you suddenly switch to another litter or don’t keep the box clean, he may not use it.

8. Groom your cat often. All cats, whether long- or short-haired, should be brushed regularly to keep their coats and skin healthy, prevent matting, and reduce shedding and hairballs. They also need to have their claws clipped to keep them from growing into their paw. Grooming is a good opportunity to discover any lumps, fleas, injuries, etc., and bond with your kitty.

9. Make time to play and provide entertainment. Cats often entertain themselves, but regular play sessions with your pet will provide him with the physical and mental stimulation he needs and strengthen the bond you share.

Give him toys and scratching posts to distract him from your household goods. Cats love to play and will appreciate simple and inexpensive toys. Ping-Pong balls and opened paper bags (remove the handles) can provide hours of fun. A comfortable perch by a window can become your cat's very own entertainment and relaxation center. Rotate toys to maintain your cat's interest in them.

You might want to invest in a kitty condo or cat tree—a structure typically covered in carpet or sisal (a rough material cats love to scratch) where your cat can climb, stretch and hide out to his heart's content, and watch the world go by. But the best two things you can provide your cat with are love and playtime.

10. Provide your cat with some basic training to help him get along in your home. It's true that cats usually have their own ideas about how to do things. Even so, most cats can be taught not to scratch the couch, eat plants, or jump up on the kitchen counter. With repeated, gentle and consistent training, your cat will learn the house rules. Don't yell or hit him.

Use a squirt gun, whistle, or other noisemaking device to startle (not scare) your cat if you catch him doing something you don’t like. Remember to provide a suitable alternative to meet his needs, for example a scratching post, cat grass, and a kitty condo.

A final note

Be loyal to and patient with your cat. Make sure your expectations of your companion are reasonable, and remember that most problems have a solution. If you’re struggling with your pet's behavior, learn how to solve problems with humane and effective techniques. Check out our cat behavior tips for detailed instructions.

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/cats/tips/cat_care_essentials.html

How to Care for a Cat

Cat-Grooming Tips

Ever wonder why some cats always look sleek and beautiful and others look like...well, like something the cat dragged in? While it's true that some cats (like some people) are just born with "good hair," a lot of it has to do with grooming. Now, cats are fastidious critters. They tend to take care of themselves pretty well, always licking their fur to keep it clean and in its proper place. But any cat can go from Fluffy to Scruffy without a little help from her human pals.

Longhair vs. Shorthair Cats

The magnificent coat of a champion Persian is truly a work of art. But you'd better believe that it took hours of regular grooming to get it -- and keep it -- that way. It's common sense that the more hair there is to take care of, the more work that goes into it. The fluffier the cat's hair, the more likely it is to form mats, too. These thick tangles of hair can be painful and even tear a cat's skin if the mats get bad enough. Mats get embarrassing for a cat, too, since the only way to get rid of really bad ones is to shave them off. Nothing looks more uncomfortable than a cat who has been shaved.

It's not that shorthair cats don't need regular grooming or never get mats -- they do. It's just that their shorter, coarser outer coat requires lower maintenance than a long, silky coat. A shorthair cat who's diligent about her own grooming routine can do a lot to make up for an owner who's a little lazy with the brush and comb. But regular grooming is still a must for both longhair and shorthair cats.

Cats use their tongue and teeth for grooming. Every time Tabby goes into her contortionist bathing routine, she's swallowing hair. The more hair she has (and the more grooming she does), the more hair she swallows. Hair doesn't digest and can clump up in a cat's stomach and intestines to form hairballs. The least dangerous, but still rather unpleasant, side effect of hairballs is your cat coughing them up -- quite often at times or in places you'd much rather she didn't. On a more serious note, a lot of swallowed hair can actually block your cat's intestines, calling for an operation to save her life. The bottom line, as they say in the city, is to invest a few dollars in a brush and comb -- and use them.

Do I Need a Professional Groomer?

Because longhair cats need regular grooming (with daily grooming really being the best), you might want to consult your budget before answering this question. But even if you have the means to bring your longhair cat to a professional groomer weekly, you should still have grooming tools on hand at home -- and know how to use them. You never know when your cat might get into something that needs to be combed out right away or when she might need a touch-up between trips to the groomer.

The main advantages of a professional groomer are training, skill, and experience. A good groomer can get your cat's coat looking spiffy quickly and humanely, with a minimum amount of trauma. Really bad mats and tangles can be dealt with at home, but if you've never done that sort of thing before, you run the risk of injuring your cat -- an injury that will probably need veterinary attention. Such grooming problems are probably best left to the professionals, too.

Even folks who learn to wield a slicker brush and metal comb with a good amount of expertise will turn to a professional groomer from time to time. It could be for a bad mat or tangle, during a particularly heavy period of shedding, or just to get the full treatment so that Tabby looks her best.

Tools and Tips for At-Home Grooming

Every cat owner needs some grooming supplies. A metal comb is the most essential basic grooming tool. Sturdy stainless-steel combs with wide-set, round teeth are widely available and reasonably priced. A slicker brush has bristles that look like dozens of tiny bent nails. They resemble the rasps on a cat's tongue and serve the same purpose in grooming. Most cats enjoy the sensation of the slicker brush and the metal comb -- unless, of course, you hit a tangle or mat.

You may also want to invest in a flea comb, particularly if you let your cat outdoors, live in a year-round flea climate (like southern Florida or Louisiana), or have other pets who go outdoors. Flea combs look like metal combs but with very fine teeth set close together. Flea combs can be used for regular grooming, as a "touch-up" after the slicker brush or metal comb. Grooming mitts fit over your whole hand and let you work a larger surface while petting your cat.

Here are a few tips for home grooming:

Make it fun. Most cats love being stroked and enjoy the feeling of light grooming. It's good social behavior -- cats who get along well will blissfully groom each other for long periods of time. When it's time to do some grooming, approach your cat in a friendly way, and intersperse the grooming strokes with some regular petting.

Use restraint. It's okay to restrain your cat (gently!) as long as she doesn't start to panic, but be sure to restrain yourself, too. Don't try to force your cat to sit still or stay in an awkward or uncomfortable position for too long. And be careful not to get too exuberant in your grooming strokes. Think about how much you don't like having your hair pulled, then imagine what it's like to have hair getting pulled all over your body.

Know when to quit. You may not be able to groom your cat completely in one session. That's okay. If you get her back and tail, and then she starts to fight you, give up and try finishing in a day or two. It's better to have a half-dozen five-minute grooming sessions spread out over a week and a happy cat than one 25-minute battle and a cat who runs and hides at the sight of the brush.

Get professional help. If your cat has a bad mat or tangle -- or gets something nasty on her fur -- put a call in to your veterinarian or professional groomer. If your cat just doesn't seem to be cooperating with home grooming, schedule an appointment with a professional. While you're there, ask for some tips and a demonstration of basic techniques. Groomers are usually happy to do this for clients; there's nothing more annoying for a groomer than having to constantly shave out and untangle bad mats. The cat suffers, and the groomer is more likely to get bitten or scratched.

Grooming is only part of the story, however. In the next section, we will look at some tips for bathing your cat.

http://animals.howstuffworks.com/pets/how-to-care-for-a-cat5.htm

What Should You Feed A Cat with Diarrhea?

The biggest problem with cat diarrhea is that it’s not a disease but, rather, the symptom of some primary problem. Veterinarians generally divide the problems that can cause cat diarrhea into minor problems and major problems.

Minor problems are typically a stomach or intestinal virus, intestinal parasites or what are called “dietary indiscretions,” meaning that the cat has eaten garbage, spoiled food or something else that has irritated its intestinal tract.

Major problems that can cause cat diarrhea are more severe and are typically caused by conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, a fungal or bacterial infection, hyperthyroidism, or even feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

Minor Cat Diarrhea

If you believe your cat’s diarrhea is on the minor side, you may be able to manage it through the feeding your cat food for cats with diarrhea.

No Food With Dyes Or Artificial Ingredients

First, try not to feed your cat any cat foods containing dyes or other artificial ingredients. Many cat foods are processed with these ingredients to look like chunks of meat or to stay moist in the can for months. However, these are nonfoods and cause the cat’s gut to work harder which is the opposite of what you want with a cat that has diarrhea. Any change in diet can cause diarrhea but switching to a brand without dyes or nonfood ingredients will help prevent future diarrhetic episodes.

Switch A Bland Diet

Another thing to try is to feed your cat go a bland diet. Many experts suggest a combination of cooked white rice mixed with either boiled chicken or hamburger meat. Some cats may refuse to eat this mixture. If yours is one of them, try substituting cooked potato or pasta. If you don’t feel like cooking up this mixture, there are lamb and rice cat foods available at most pet stores.

Fasting

You can also fast your cat for 24 hours. If nothing goes into the cat (except water), there’s nothing for its gut to process. By the end of the 24 hours, there should be nothing coming out. When you do begin feeding the cat again, begin with the rice mixture and then slowly mix in its regular food. As you do this, you can reduce the amount of the rice mixture until the cat is back to its normal diet.

Buy Quality Cat Food

Feeding you cat marked-down, generic cat chow can cause cat diarrhea. As in most things, quality costs money. When you buy cat food below a certain price, you can bet it will have cheaper ingredients. Even foods marked “high protein” can cause diarrhea because the protein can be feathers, hooves and beaks - all of which are not digestible proteins.

Dietary Therapy

If your cat were suffering from chronic small bowel diarrhea, the ideal diet would be based on a highly digestible, single protein and carbohydrate source that’s gluten and lactose free. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of commercial, hypoallergenic products that meet this criterion.

You can find cat foods with a single protein. This can be venison, rabbit, chicken, fish or lamb. Before you buy any cat food, be sure to check its list of ingredients as those with several protein sources are often marketed, as with the claim that they are hypoallergenic though they really aren’t.

Large Bowel Diarrhea

If your cat has large bowel diarrhea, dietary issues can be very complex. Some cats have shown improvement on low residue, hypoallergenic diets, while other have improved on less digestible diets with soluble or insoluble fiber sources. This means you should count on your vet for a recommendation as, in the case of large bowel diarrhea, no diet may help.

Don't Feed Your Cat Table Scraps

Feeding your cat table scraps is just not a good idea. Food that you prepare for yourself is not always good for felines. In fact, diarrhea is one of the least harmful things that can happen to your cat from eating these scraps.

Be sure to check and make sure one of your neighbors is not also feeding your cat. You could have a well-meaning neighbor who is feeding your cat those inappropriate table scraps.

Also, remember that cats are hunters and predators. So, your cat’s diarrhea could have been caused by an animal or bird it killed and ate.

Visit The Vet

If your cat’s diarrhea does not respond to a diet of food for cats with diarrhea, be sure to get it to your vet for a check-up. It’s sad but true that the cause of the diet could be something more severe than an irritated bowel or intestine. In fact, it could be many different things, including a chronic bowel obstruction, a failure of pancreatic function, worms, or even something as serious as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). And only your vet can administer the tests required for a definitive diagnosis and to start the treatment required to get your cat back on the road to good health.

http://www.cat-diarrhea.net/food-for-cats-with-diarrhea.html

Cat Diarrhea Home Remedies

If your cat does not have severe diarrhea or if you are sure the diarrhea is not being caused by some major problem, there are a number homeopathic remedies you can use to treat the cat.

These cat diarrhea home remedies generally consist of natural substances that can soothe digestive problems and help heal intestinal issues. For example, peony has anti-bacterial and analgesic effects, which can help reduce intestinal inflammation. Myrrh and mullein can have similar effects.

Keep dairy products away from your cat. Your cat might love to have a saucer of milk from time to time but she has a hard time digesting it. In fact, dairy products contain milk sugar (lactose) and this alone could be causing the diarrhea.

Cat food is often processed to look like chunks of meat or to stay moist in the can for months. This means they may contain dyes and other artificial ingredients. These are non-foods, and your cat’s intestines have to work harder to process them, which is just the opposite of what you want to happen. Switching your cat to a cat food brand with no dyes or additives may help clear up the diarrhea. But do keep in mind that any change in the cat’s diet may cause some short-term diarrhea.

Foods That Are Easy On The Stomach

You may also be able to cure the cat’s diarrhea by switching it to foods that are easy on its stomach. One good example of this is to mix cooked white rice with boiled hamburger meat or chicken to create a food that’s bland and easy to digest.

Fasting is another cat diarrhea home remedy you can try. Sometimes just fasting the cat for 24 hours will stop the diarrhea. When you start feeding the cat again, be sure to begin with the bland rice mixture described above. You can then slowly mix in its regular food and reduce the amount of the rice mixture until your cat is back on its normal diet.

Keep Your Cat Hydrated

It’s very important to keep a cat suffering from diarrhea well hydrated as it will have a much higher need for fluids. Make sure your cat has plenty of water available at all times. In addition to causing your cat to lose water, the diarrhea may cause her to lose key nutrients called electrolytes, which make her nerves work right. You can replenish her electrolytes and give her a slight energy boost by filling her bowl with a Gatorade sports drink.

Help Your Cat Relax

You may be able to clear up an attack of diarrhea simply by helping the cat relax. Relaxation and stress reduction can sometimes work wonders. You can also try gentle exercise. For example, you might be able to take the cat for a walk on a leash and harness.

Natural Remedies For Cat Diarrhea

Natural remedies for cat diarrhea include probiotics, glutamine and herbs such as slippery elm and plantains.

Plantaris is also a good, natural way to treat your cat’s diarrhea. It will also stop smelly stools.

In addition to a bland diet or fasting the cat, there are nutritional supplements available such as amino acids and herbs that can help replenish the beneficial bacteria your cat loses through diarrhea. These may also soothe the cat’s intestinal tract.

These vitamins, herbs or other nutrients are said to provide beneficial support to the cat’s digestive system.

• Saccharomyces boulardi - A beneficial yeast that decreases intestinal permeability
• Boswellia - Helps to reduce bowel inflammation
• L-Glutamine - An amino acid which fuels intestinal cells and helps maintain mucosal cell integrity
• DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) - Supports the healing process in the intestinal lining by increasing blood flow and reducing muscle spasms
• Lactobacillus sporogenes - A probiotic that has been shown to help treat diarrhea caused by bacterial overgrowth
• N-acetyglucosamine - Helps heal the inflamed bowel lining by supporting glycoprotein synthesis
• Alchemilla - Contains tannins which form a soothing protective layer in the lining of the digestive tract
• Podophyllum - A homeopathic remedy known to help explosive, watery diarrhea

Over-the-counter home remedies

There are also cat diarrhea natural remedies available at your favorite pet store or online.

Diarrhea Relief for Cats

This herbal remedy was developed by Dr. Victor Tse, a 6th generation Traditional Chinese Medical doctor. It contains Coptis rhizome, Costus root, gorgon fruit, and Japanese honeysuckle and is designed specifically for cats.
Cost: $27.95

Probiotic Blend

This product, manufactured by Only Natural Pet Products, is said to supply the “friendly” bacteria required for proper digestion and bowel health. Its formula is a multi-strain combination of bio-available microorganisms in a probiotic base of fructooligosaccharide (FOS). Each capsule contains a freeze-dried blend of 1.5 billion microorganisms at time of manufacture.
Cost: $19.99

Runi-Poo Relief

The manufacturer of this product says it is a 100% natural, safe and effective combination of homeopathic ingredients and herbs that will help maintain the cat’s digestive balance, healthy bowel functioning, and firm stools. It is also said to soothe a nervous stomach and promote the health of the cat’s digestive tract.
Cost: $29.99 (with a 100% money back guarantee)

Vet Select Diar-eze Formula

This product is said to be a natural food additive that was formulated by veterinarians and is safe for all cats. It regulates and maximizes digestion and food absorption and has added bulk that works to bind the excess liquid in your cat’s stool and, thus normalize it. Plus, Diar-eze Formula offers additional benefits such as a reduction in shedding and a more lustrous coat.
Cost: $25.00 (3 to 5 months supply)

When To Take Your Cat To The Vet

You may well be able to successfully treat your cat using one or more of these cat diarrhea home remedies. However, if her diarrhea does not respond to your home treatment, you will need to get the cat to a vet. The problem that is causing the diarrhea may be something severe such as a loss of pancreatic function, a chronic intestinal obstruction or even a life-threatening condition like feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

http://www.cat-diarrhea.net/cat-diarrhea-home-remedies.html

Cat Diarrhea Treatment

Your poor cat. It has been in the kitty litter box three times already today and it’s barely noon. Plus, the feces look watery and runny. Darn it all. It looks like your cat has diarrhea.

Cat Diarrhea Is Not A Disease

The problem with cat diarrhea is that it’s not a disease. It’s the symptom of a disease or underlying cause that can be something as simple as your cat having eaten the wrong food all the way up to something like feline leukemia virus.

Mild Cat Diarrhea

If your cat hasn’t had much diarrhea in the past, she is probably suffering from what vets call a mild problem or mild underlying cause. This category includes a stomach or intestinal virus, intestinal parasites, and what’s known as dietary indiscretions, a fancy way of saying that your cat ate spoiled food, garbage or some nonfood item.

Treating Mild Cat Diarrhea

If the cause of your cat’s diarrhea is a stomach or intestinal virus, your vet will most likely prescribe an antibiotic. If the cause of your cat’s problem is an intestinal worm – a hookworm, whipworm or tapeworm – you will need to deworm her.

Changing Your Cat’s Diet

Sometimes, a simple change in diet can cure the diarrhea. This would be true if it was caused by those “dietary indiscretions” or if you have been feeding the cat a marked-down, generic brand of cat chow.

The fact is, when it comes to cat food, the old cliché, “you get what you pay for,” is definitely true. Quality costs money. When you go below a certain price, the quality of the cat food suffers and this could be contributing to your cat’s diarrhea.

If you believe your cat’s diarrhea is mild, a good way to treat it is to put the cat on a quiet diet. This means you keep the cat away from dairy products as the lactose (milk sugar) in these products is frequently the cause of cat diarrhea. You should make sure you feed the cat those foods that are easy on its stomach. For example, you can cook up some white rice and mix it with boiled hamburger meat to create a bland meal that will be easy for the cat to digest.

Another way to treat mild diarrhea is to reduce the amount of food you are feeding the cat for a day or two. Also, remove any rich foods from her diet. Make sure your cat has access to plenty of fresh water all the time. The chances of the cat becoming dehydrated are reduced if you encourage it to drink frequently.

If a quiet diet doesn’t stop the diarrhea, your cat may be suffering from a major problem.

Severe Cat Diarrhea

Major problems that can cause severe or chronic cat diarrhea include an inflammatory bowel disease, neoplasia, hyperthyroidism, loss of pancreatic function, a viral infection, Bartonella and Eosinophilic Enteritis.

Treating Severe Cat Diarrhea

As you can see, there are many different major problems that can be an underlying cause of diarrhea in cats. This means there are many different treatments.

If your cat is showing signs of severe or chronic diarrhea, the first, most important step is to get it to your veterinarian, along with a sample of the cat’s feces.

Your vet will examine the cat, do a blood work-up and test its fecal matter. The vet may also order an X-ray or biopsy.

You will need to keep in mind that it can be very hard to diagnose the cause of severe or chronic cat diarrhea. It can require time and even hospitalization.

Severe Cat Diarrhea Treatment

If the cat is suffering from a bacterial infection, the treatment will most likely consist of antibiotics. If the underlying problem is an inflammatory bowel disease, the most common treatment is a combination of corticosteroids and dietary manipulation. Irritable Bowel Disease (IBS) is most often treated with drugs called motility modifiers.

If it appears the cat has cecal inversion, a chronic intestinal obstruction or has swallowed some foreign object, the vet may have to do exploratory surgery.

In the case of a liver or kidney disorder, your vet may do intravenous fluid therapy or another specific treatment.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for some of the major problems that can affect cats. One example of this is feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV. It cannot be cured but can be managed by making sure the cat gets a sound diet, possibly supplemented with vitamins, anti-oxidants and Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. There is even hope if your cat is suffering from feline leukemia virus (FIV) as there is now a drug that can be used to treat it called Lymphocyte T-Cell Immune Modulator.

Finally, if your cat has an intestinal blockage of some kind, the vet may have to perform exploratory surgery before any treatment can be started.

In short, diarrhea in cats can be treated and, in most cases, cured, especially if the diarrhea does not last long. If it does, be sure to get your cat to the vet so he or she can determine the root of your cat’s problem before starting any particular cat diarrhea treatment.

http://www.cat-diarrhea.net/cat-diarrhea-treatment.html

Chronic Cat Diarrhea

Are your cat’s feces consistently runny and watery? Does there appear to be mucus in its stool? Is it drinking more water than usual? If so, it’s possible that you cat haschronic cat diarrhea.

Other Symptoms Of Chronic Cat Diarrhea

There are other common symptoms of chronic cat diarrhea. For example, has kitty lost weight recently, does she seem tired and lethargic, is she constantly cleaning her bottom? Does the cat have trouble walking? Is it vomiting? If you see some or all of these signs, it is likely that your cat has chronic cat diarrhea.

Chronic Cat Diarrhea May Not Be Serious

Is this your cat’s first attack of diarrhea? In this case, it’s probably not a serious problem. All our pets typically experience diarrhea at some point, usually because they’ve eaten something that doesn’t agree with them or because they’ve overeaten.

However, if the diarrhea is chronic or severe (explosive), the problem may be serious. This is because chronic cat diarrhea is a symptom and not a disease. It’s is the same thing with us humans – diarrhea is a secondary problem that is actually caused by something else – called the primary problem.

Get Your Cat To A Veterinarian

If your cat seems to be suffering from chronic diarrhea, there are two important reasons to get kitty to a vet. First, constant diarrhea will leave the cat dehydrated and can cause it to lose important nutrients called electrolytes. If the dehydration becomes severe, the cat can have trouble maintaining body temperature and might lapse into a coma. Secondly, only your vet can determine the underlying problem that’s causing the diarrhea and also determine the appropriate treatment.

Before you take the cat to your vet, clean up its diarrhea with a tissue or paper towel so you can see if contains blood.

If it does, let your vet know before you bring it in for an exam. Red blood in the cat’s feces is usually not viewed as terribly bad but black blood can signal a serious problem higher up in its digestive tract.

Chronic Cat Diarrhea Can Be A Complicated Issue

It’s tough to figure out the underlying cause of your cat’s chronic diarrhea because it can be the symptom of many different diseases or even a problem with one of the cat’s organs. Common causes of chronic cat diarrhea are:

• Infectious diseases
• Intestinal parasites such as tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms or hookworms.
• Bacteria – for example, Salmonella, Clostridium or Campylobacter
• Viral infections, including feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus
• Fungal agents
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Stress
• Loss of pancreatic function
• Bartonnella
• Eosinophilic Enteritis

Treatments For Chronic Cat Diarrhea

How your vet treats your cat will depend on what he or she determines is the primary problem that’s causing the diarrhea.

Your vet will give kitty a physical exam and a blood test. It is more than likely that he or she will also ask you to bring in a sample of the cat’s feces for testing. If the cat is seriously dehydrated, the vet may hospitalize it and start an intravenous drip to hydrate it. Or your vet may want to keep the cat for further testing, for example, to examine more stool samples.

If your vet finds that the underlying problem is an infection, he or she will most likely treat the cat with antibiotics. Deworming would be the answer to an intestinal parasite. If the underlying problem is a fungus, the vet will most likely prescribe an antifungal drug such as ketoconazole or itraconzole. If the root cause of the diarrhea is a chronic intestinal blockage, surgery may be required. And so on.

As you can see, chronic cat diarrhea can be difficult to diagnose.

Chronic Cat Diarrhea Home Treatment

After the vet has diagnosed your cat’s primary problem, you may be able to take it home and treat it yourself. This could consist of deworming the cat yourself, treating it with and over-the-counter drug, or injecting it with antibiotics. If you and the cat are lucky, its treatment might be as simple as a change in diet or what’s known as a “quiet diet,” where you eliminate rich foods and give the cat only foods that are easy on its stomach. For example, one such food is to combine boiled hamburger meat with cooked white rice, forming a meal that is bland and easy to digest. If your cat refuses to eat the mixture, you might try substituting potato or pasta for the white rice. You would, if course; cook these, too, before adding it to the hamburger.

http://www.cat-diarrhea.net/chronic-cat-diarrhea.html

Cat Diarrhea Symptoms

Cat diarrhea symptoms can be many and can be complex. This is because cat diarrhea is not a primary problem. It is a secondary problem to another problem that is affecting your cat. For example, the Uremia of kidney failure is a common cause of diarrhea in cats, as is liver disease (hepatitis) and Addison’s Disease. Cat diarrhea can be caused by a sudden inflammation of the pancreas or by pancreatitis, by hyperthyroidism, feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus.

The Most Common Cat Diarrhea Symptoms

As you might imagine, the most common symptom of diarrhea in cats is a loose, runny stool. If you notice that your cat’s stool shows these signs, you should keep a close eye on her litter box. If you’re lucky, the diarrhea will have been caused by spoiled food or food poisoning and Mother Nature will soon take care of the problem. However, if you see a pattern of diarrhea – with it often affecting your cat, you will need to get your cat to a vet for diagnosis and treatment.

Vomiting is also a sign of cat diarrhea, and so is a loss of appetite. Your cat may be experiencing abdominal pain or show signs of dehydration. Other common cat diarrhea symptoms are bloody feces, lethargy and a high fever.

Other Signs Of Cat Diarrhea

There are other signs that you cat may be suffering from diarrhea. For example, mucus in its feces, weight loss, tiredness, feces straining or the cat cleaning itself excessively around its bottom – these could all be signs of cat diarrhea.

When To Take Your Cat To The Vet

If your cat is suffering from chronic diarrhea, it is losing fluids and can become seriously dehydrated. In addition, it’s losing vital nutrients such as salts and sugars called electrolytes. If you ignore the problem, your cat could become dangerously ill and even die.

This means it is very important that you get the cat to your veterinarian immediately. Ditto if the cat shows severe (explosive) diarrhea. The same is true if the diarrhea worsens, is bloody or the cat shows other symptoms such as vomiting, fever or trouble walking. A cat with diarrhea will naturally drink more water than usual but if it’s drinking an obsessive amount of water, it could be suffering from diabetes – yet another reason to get it to its vet.

What Causes Diarrhea In Cats?

Since cat diarrhea is not a condition but, rather, a symptom of a condition, it can have many different causes. However, these causes can be lumped together into some general categories as follows.

Minor Causes Of Cat Diarrhea

• Stomach or intestinal viruses
• Stress
• Intestinal parasites
• Dietary indiscretions (i.e., eating garbage or other offensive or irritating materials)

These causes are called minor because they are relatively easy to cure. For example, stomach or intestinal viruses can be treated and quickly cured with antibiotics. Intestinal parasites can usually be cured with a simple deworming. And Mother Nature will usually take care of any diarrhea caused if your cat has eaten spoiled food.

Major Causes Of Cat Diarrhea

There are many major causes of cat diarrhea. These are called major because they typically aren’t cured by Mother Nature or by an antibiotic. These major causes include:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Neoplasia Hyperthyroidism
• Loss of pancreatic function
• Bartonnella
• Eosinophilic Enteritis
• Hyperthyroidism
• Feline leukemia virus
• Feline immunodeficiency virus

As you might imagine, these major causes can be diagnosed only by a veterinarian and usually require serious treatment, up to and including surgery.

What Are The Complications Of Cat Diarrhea?

If your cat has an intestinal inflammation, this can causes its intestines to thrash about so vigorously that they literally ties themselves in knots or fold up on themselves. Both these conditions are life threatening.

How Your Cat Will Be Treated For Cat Diarrhea

How your cat will be treated will depend entirely on the cause of its diarrhea. This means there are almost as many treatments as there are causes. Some of the most common treatments are the antibiotics and deworming mentioned above. If your cat has one of the major causes of diarrhea, the treatments can consist of dietary manipulation, exploratory surgery, intravenous fluid therapy or medications called motility modifiers.

Cat diarrhea is no fun for your cat or for you. However, most causes of the diarrhea are not life threatening and, with a little help from you veterinarian, can be cured quickly and easily.

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http://www.cat-diarrhea.net/cat-diarrhea-symptoms.html