My cat has diarrhea and won't eat or drink. What can I give her?
Stopping the diarrhea usually requires stopping the cause of the diarrhea. In a young cat, it is often an infection that causes them to stop eating/drinking with diarrhea. However, this can happen with other illnesses or poisoning. Diarrhea is actually beneficial with infections, because it's the body's way of getting rid of the toxin/disease. And, most diarrhea resolves on its own within three days.
The concerning thing with Samantha's case is that she could quickly become dehydrated if she is not drinking and continues having diarrhea. If this continues for more than a day, then she will need to go to the vet for an evaluation and treatment to keep this from being a serious problem. Other criteria for going to the vet are as follows:
1) Blood in diarrhea
2) Very watery diarrhea
3) She starts acting very depressed
4) Diarrhea lasts longer than three days
You can help her get through this by feeding bland food (boneless chicken and tuna is good). Feed small portions (1 Tbsp or less) three times a day. Ensure fresh, clean water is always available.
I hope this helps and Samantha gets better soon.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025