Common cat digestive problems like diarrhea and constipation:
Cat poop is a health report card. Whether you are a new cat mommy or an old timer mom, what does your cat’s poop say about their health?
What’s Normal in Cat Poop?
A lot of cats have the same bowel habits for the most part. Normal poop shows the presence of good cat health. Most cats have regular bowel movements on a daily basis. They are perfectly formed and dark brown dubbing them in the category of normal. Consistency should not be too hard or mushy. Some odor is normal but a lot is not!
Kitty Diarrhea:
A cat’s diarrhea is pretty common. This could very well caused by a number of things. The diarrhea can be passed quickly like within a couple of hours or it may take up to a couple of weeks. Quick stomach bugs are normally pretty harmless unless there are watery stools that come about then dehydration can take a play in it.
A cat’s diarrhea can be caused by some of the following:
-Food allergy or diet change
-IBD
-Colitis
-Worms
-Hyperthyroidism
-Disease of the intestines
-Cancer
If in the last day or two your cat is still suffering from diarrhea, then you may need to go see a vet to diagnose the cause and severity of your cat’s problems. Consult the vet immediately if the stools are dark black and or are bloody. Or especially if there is a loss of appetite indicating that it is a serious sign to make a call to the vet. Also with signs of lethargy, fever or vomiting then that really means your cat needs medical attention. A vet more than likely will suggest a few ways to provide your cat’s treatment.There a couple of different remedies that a vet may recommend for your cat depending on each type of illness in each case presented. Your cat may also be prescribed medications such as metronidazole or even prednisone. They are used to treat the suffering and symptoms of inflammation caused by inflammatory bowel disease. A special diet may be suggested to your cat for suffering of IBD. Do not give your animals dairy products by any means. Cats can’t digest these things and are pretty much lactose. This can cause a number of problems with your cat. When introducing your cat to a new type of food you may want to just gradually get them off of the old food while slowly introducing the new food you could be cutting back on the old food. Keep doing this until your cat is completely off the old food and just on the new food.
Poop Problems That Have to Do with Constipation:
Sometimes constipation in cats is not a pressing reason for any concern. The time to contact a vet is if your cat continues with the same condition. Continuing to strain without productive bowel movement is normally a clear sign for concern.
Constipation can be caused by some of the following issues:
-Frequent fur licking while grooming can cause too much hair in the stomach
-Problems with the kidneys
-Any kind of obstruction of the stomach like foreign objects such as bones and string
-Feline mega colon
-Strictures and or tumors of the Colon
-Low fiber diet
-Pain or problems with the spine
A vet may recommend extra fiber in the diet to help with your cat’s constipation. Feeding your cat canned pumpkin mix may also help ease the constipation. Switching your cat to a diet that is easier to digest may be the solution to constipation problems.
To prevent constipation in your cat you may want to be sure that your cat gets plenty of water to stay hydrated followed by having plenty of exercise. This will help your cats poop move through their system with more ease.
Symptom 1 : Constipation
Appearance: Little, rough, dry stools or small, hard, dry stools that consist of large amounts of hair balls or thin, tube shaped poop
Frequency: Less than once a day
Possible Causes: Dieting issues, dehydration, mega colon, hairballs, frequent grooming, masses, tumors, or stricture
Symptom 2 : Diarrhea
Appearance: Dark black, tar like, loose stools, smelly, squishy stools , pudding like poop filled with mucus
Frequency: Varies, 2-3 times a day, or even multiple times of day
Possible Causes: Stomach and or intestinal bleeding. Needs immediate veterinary testing and exams, diet intolerances, IBD, or Lack of dietary fiber; colitis
Recent Comments