My cat has diarrhea from treats. Can it be contagious to humans?

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry Ojitos is sick but I am glad you had him seen by your Vet. It depends on the cause of the vomiting and diarrhea. If it is viral or bacterial it can be. But if its from eating something gross that is disagreeing with him, food allergy or sensitivity, pancreatitis, intestinal inflammation then no it shouldn't be contagious. Sometimes we never know the reason for the vomiting and diarrhea. I hope this helps and I with Ojitos a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. She is likely experiencing dietary indiscretion from eating the treats. You can stop giving the treats to see if her runny stools improve. If these continue, I recommend that you have Dubh evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Pet Coach in regards to this problem. When multiple cats within one household have diarrhea this is usually not a dietary problem but highly likely that the cause is a parasite problem. The way to get the diarrhea under control is to take a fecal sample to your veterinarian to be evaluated for parasites. They can prescribe an anti-diarrheal for the kittens with diarrhea that they perform exams on and get the appropriate dewormer for them based on the fecal test results. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kittens may have diarrhea and low energy due to a number of conditions including intestinal parasites, viral infections, or a change in diet. I recommend having both kittens examined by a vet as soon as possible, as it is likely that the condition is contagious. To speed up the diagnosis, I recommend bringing a stool sample from the sick kitten in a disposable container for your vet to check for parasites. It is important to have the sick kitten evaluated as kittens can quickly become dehydrated and have low blood sugar, making them feel even worse. While it is unlikely that your son got sick from one of the kittens, it is possible. I recommend that you have him seen by a physician if you are concerned.

I would be surprised if your sister’s illness spread to your cats as I can’t think of any human virus that would cause diarrhea or upper respiratory signs that could be spread to cats. It’s possible that the cats have something contagious however. The diarrhea could be viral or due to parasites. The eye and nose discharge sounds like symptoms of a viral upper respiratory infection. If the discharge is clear antibiotics might not be necessary. I would recommend having a vet examine your cat - they can prescribe appropriate medication.

You can try home made diet and probiotics for a week. GI distress from new food or treats generally only lasts a few days. If the diarrhea persists, worsens, or he becomes uninterested in food, I'd recommend taking him to see his vet for a physical exam.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. If the new cat is causing him stress then the diarrhea can be stress related. If this continues, I recommend that you have Zeek evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!