Chronic Feline Diarrhea
Chronic gastrointestinal problems are frustrating for all cat owners. GI problems such as vomiting, diarrhea and even constipation can cause your cat discomfort, abdominal pain and even lead to the development of cancer. If your cat is experiencing GI issues, treating the underlying cause, and not just masking the symptoms, is imperative to maintaining your cat’s overall health for his entire life.
The Importance of a Healthy Gut
While there are a myriad causes of diarrhea in cats, the underlying factor in all gastrointestinal problems in cats is linked to a weakened immune system and a lack of balance in the GI tract.
In a healthy gut, there is a variety of micro-flora and microorganisms that work to break down food, absorb and utilize the nutrients and vitamins in the food, and eliminate waste in an efficient manner. When this balance of “good bacteria” in the gut is disrupted by illness, medication, or inflammation and irritation of the intestinal lining, the body cannot properly utilize food. In addition, the inflammation that always accompanies GI problems leads to impaired digestion. Diarrhea and vomiting are the result as the body attempts to eliminate the contents of an acidified and toxic GI tract as quickly as possible.
Veterinarians treat most episodes of vomiting and diarrhea with medication. Drugs such as anti-emetics help to temporarily mask symptoms but do nothing to treat the root problem. In addition, antibiotics are frequently prescribed to treat vomiting and diarrhea. This is counterproductive since the most common side effects of antibiotics are vomiting and diarrhea.
Moreover, most cases of vomiting and diarrhea do not have an infectious cause. Antibiotic use for these cases almost never solves the underlying cause. Unfortunately, antibiotics are highly effective at killing off all bacteria in the gut, including the “good” bacteria necessary for proper GI function. Antibiotic use for these cats only serves to further incapacitate the already precarious condition of the GI tract.
Treating Intestinal Problems with Probiotics
Treating feline diarrhea and cat vomiting is easy with the right supplements and probiotics. The cause of most episodes of vomiting and diarrhea are often related to an insufficient and unbalanced supply of enzymes, nutrients, and probiotics in the gut. Supplementing and replenishing the gut can solve GI problems quickly and effectively.
In the wild, the cat’s natural diet of fresh meat was supplemented by eating grass and soil, the source of microorganisms in nature. Once abundant, these good bacteria have been greatly reduced from our food sources by decades of pesticides and insecticides. The highly processed and rendered nature of pet foods have served to further eradicate these essential micro-nutrients from your pets diet, leading directly to the common and chronic nature of intestinal illness!
In cats, chronic intestinal upset has a far more sinister side effect than simple GI problems. Chronic irritation and inflammation of the intestines has been linked to the development of GI Lymphoma, a type of cancer in cats. Feline vomiting and feline diarrhea are early warning signs of future illness. If these symptoms are ignored, or masked with medications without treating the underlying causes, grave physical consequences will result.
Better Intestinal Health Through Diet
Many intestinal problems can be traced to diet. The by-products, filler and excessive levels of carbohydrates predispose your cat to an unhealthy immune system (due to the inability of the cats body to absorb nutrients from these sources). The lack of digestive enzymes or probiotics in these foods further incapacitate your cats digestive system, leading to chronic intestinal inflammation, irritation, vomiting and diarrhea.
In the wild, cats are pure carnivores. The ancestors of today’s cats evolved in the desert, surviving solely on raw meat. This meat was their primary source of nutrients, with the sole source of water and grain/carbohydrate intake coming directly from the fresh prey. In that setting, a cat’s diet was 65% water, and a very small amount of carbohydrates.
By contrast, most cats today subsist only on dry cat foods which often contain greater than 30% carbohydrates and less than 10% water- leaving their intestinal tracts at a disadvantage as it tries to utilize a virtually unfamiliar and unusable nutrient source. In addition, the severely reduced water content of today’s cat foods has forced cats to rely on a supplemental water source to stay hydrated, a habit that goes against 40 million years of evolution.
As a result, many of our cats are suffering from chronic dehydration, which has lead to a steady rise in many health problems such as kidney failure and urinary tract disease.
You can feed your cat as nature intended by providing fresh, raw or home cooked diets that are rich in quality meat sources, and proper levels of nutrients, enzymes and vitamins. Together with providing the necessary micro-nutrients and probiotics to assist nutrient absorption, you can solve your cats diarrhea problems by correcting the underlying cause. You will be pleasantly surprised to find that the simple act of supporting and correcting the balance in the gut will directly affect the overall health, behavior and vitality of your cat.
Since getting my kitten he has had diarrhea…so for 2 months now. The entire time I have fed Nature’s Instinct kitten dry and wet food. Someone told me it could be a chicken allergy so I switched to Tiki Cat all protein fish diet dry/wet food…no change. All my vet says is keep trying different foods. I dont know what to do. Im going to start probiotics today and see my vet next week. I just want an answer, hes only 4 months old. I feel bad for him and its messy as well. Everyone has advise for adult cats, is the answer the same for a kitten? Some foods say adult cats only so……please help.
Hi Amy, Your vet is correct to try different food. We also recommend that along witgh a comprehensive approach to diet, administration and email tech support. I will send you a comprehensive plan to your email.
My 16-year-old male cat has had diabetes for several years, however, he appears to have gone into remission of late and is maintaining a stable glucose level. Unfortunately, he has had diarrhea off and on for about the last 3 months. Our vet has been closely monitoring his situation – tried metronidazole first which produced nothing positive. Stool was sent for exam but showed nothing. Consideration is being given for culturing another sample. He has spent the last 2 days at the vet and started on steroids. He has not had diarrhea since beginning the steroid and his blood sugar is doing okay — a little high but too bad. We have tried wet Hill’s Science Diet (DM) which my cat does not care for. Also using prescription probiotic twice daily on the wet food. He favors Fancy Feast Classic with the probiotic. Unfortunately, both brands cause diarrhea about 2 hours after eating. He is also eating Blue Wilderness grain-free dry cat food which he seems to eat okay. He is not dehydrated but losing some weight because of the diarrhea. He is active for an older cat, drinks and eats well. Any suggestions that you may have for him (Drac) would be more than appreciated. His lifestyle has not been changed, and I am at a loss what to do next. This sweet cat has so much love from our family — I want him to be comfortable. Many thanks!
My reply is somewhat lengthy, encompassing food, water, supplements and other advice. I will respond to your email.
is raw milk yogurt in small amounts an option for getting some probiotics into my new rescue cat (3 years old). She’s had diarrhea for a while now, according to the rescue society. They took her off chicken, and I’ve been feeding her whatever good quality canned cat food she’ll eat (right now it’s Weruva). She’s also been quite immobile, as she’s been in a cage for quite a long time. She seems to be quite an anxious cat. She’s doesn’t have much energy (no wonder!!). I’m giving her a loving home, and I want to make sure she’s as healthy as possible. Then I think her true character will show.
Much thanks to you and this wonderful resource!
Milk used to be universally OK. But domesticated animals, like the human population, have been undergoing immune system collapse. So for many cats milk is no longer OK. So, test.
As a general rule, I recommend our Advanced Immune for cats with low energy and hypersensitivity. Shelter cats, in particular have been over-vaccinated, too confined, and fed low quality food.
I will send more info on our Advanced Immune to your email.