Quick Tips: What to Do When Your Cat Has Diarrhea

Firstly, it's important for parents to differentiate between two concepts:

Soft Stools and Diarrhea

Soft Stools

Soft stools generally refer to feces that contain a higher water content. While they maintain some shape, they are not as dry and firm as they should be.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea, or loose stools, primarily means that the feces have an exceptionally high water content, resulting in a completely unformed, pastelike, or even watery consistency. In severe cases, it may be expelled in a喷射状 manner.

Soft stools can often be improved by adjusting the diet, but diarrhea may not always respond to dietary changes. However, let's explore the following information to find solutions.

Why Do Cats Have Soft Stools? How Can We Solve It?

Soft stools are usually caused by indigestion. Cats may experience soft stools when they consume too much food, such as drinking milk, eating too many canned foods, consuming excessive amounts of meat, cat food, snacks, or nutritional supplements.

Especially for newly adopted kittens, parents often inadvertently overfeed them due to their adorable nature and constant begging for food. Kittens may not be able to control their food intake well, eating whatever is given to them, giving the appearance of being perpetually hungry. This situation can lead to persistent soft stools, as the food takes a long time to digest, placing a significant burden on the digestive system.

Many snacks, canned foods, and nutritional supplements contain thickeners and other gummy substances. While these additives are harmless to humans, they can affect a cat's digestive system, leading to diarrhea and soft stools if consumed in large quantities.

Quickly changing the cat's food can also cause soft stools, as the cat's digestive system may not be able to adapt to the new food immediately. Therefore, parents should pay attention to the instructions on the food packaging when switching foods and gradually transition to the new cat food. It's also important to avoid running out of food and being forced to switch foods unexpectedly.

Additionally, some kittens may sneakily drink water from the toilet, potted plants, or fish tanks when no one is watching, which can also lead to soft stools and diarrhea. Therefore, it's crucial to prevent kittens from accessing any unclean water sources.

Adjusting the cat's diet is usually effective in resolving soft stools. The first step is to withhold food for 12 to 24 hours (12 hours for kittens), while still providing them with small amounts of water. Once the condition improves, gradually return the cat to a normal feeding schedule, ensuring regular meals. Avoid irregular feeding or feeding large amounts of food or meat when the condition improves, and prevent overfeeding of any main or snack foods in the future.

Adding probiotics to the cat's diet can also help improve soft stools and diarrhea. However, probiotics require consistent and regular use to achieve good results in regulating the intestinal flora.

Why Do Cats Have Diarrhea? How Can We Solve It?

Several common causes of severe diarrhea in cats include:

Overeating beyond the normal food intake

Allergies to certain foods

Endocrine disorders

Chronic intestinal inflammation

Intestinal parasites

Bacterial or viral infections

Damage to important organs

Parents can purchase a cat瘟 test kit online to quickly rule out the possibility of serious infectious diseases at a low cost.

After excluding cat瘟, consider whether the kitten has eaten or stolen any new foods that they are not used to, leading to allergies. Try changing the brand of cat food and consider raw feeding to regulate the digestive system.

Additionally, it's important to deworm the cat promptly and observe for any parasites in the feces after deworming.

If the cat's diarrhea is severe, it is recommended to take the cat to a veterinary hospital for fecal examination, blood tests, and follow the advice of a reliable veterinarian for treatment.

If the diarrhea is accompanied by frequent vomiting, it is important to take the cat to a veterinary hospital immediately.

After recovery from treatment, it is crucial not to take the cat's "fragile stomach" lightly. Avoid changing the cat's diet habits abruptly and ensure the cleanliness of the cat's living environment.

Lastly, remember to clean the cat's bottom, paws, and litter box promptly to prevent soiling the surrounding environment.