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My cat has IBD signs, but no vomiting or diarrhea. What's high folate?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 11 years and 8 months old | 11.5 lbs

Trixie is to have an intestinal biopsy due to a decrease in appetite & not wanting to stick with just one kind of selected protein food. She has history of IBD in past and just last week had ultrasound and labwork which found only elevated folate. My vet suspects an IBD flare up and hopes to get answers with biopsy. If it is IBD wouldn’t there be vomiting and/or diarrhea?, which she’s not had. What could elevated folate mean? thank you

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on March 29th, 2019

Not necessarily in regards to there being vomiting / diarrhea. Animals with IBD may have other symptoms such as weight loss, poor appetite, lethargy, etc. without vomiting / diarrhea. I will say it is common to see vomiting / diarrhea but I wouldn't rule out IBD until a biopsy has been obtained yet. Folate is absorbed in the proximal small intestine only. Values that are high are consistent with bacterial overgrowth and values that are low are consistent with disease affecting the small intestinal malabsorption. A biopsy of the GI tract may also help reveal what type of bacteria would be causing an infection if bacteria is the cause. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 27th, 2019
With an intestinal biopsy they will be able to know precisely what type of cells are invading the lining of the GI tract. This should better help to focus the treatment for Trixie.

Oftentimes in cats with a history of IBD the disease can transform into intestinal lymphoma (a cancer) and so this is most likely what they will be looking for.

I’m sorry you are going through this with Trixie. I hope this help. Let us know if you have any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 26th, 2019
Poor girl. It sounds like you and your vet have taken all the appropriate steps so far. At this point, your options are going an intestinal biopsy, or trying to treat symptomatically (meaning trying different medications without knowing exactly what is going on to see if anything works - this could include appetite stimulants, steroids, antibiotics, etc). Some types of intestinal inflammation would require steroids to treat, or it could even be something like cancer where chemotherapy would be an option.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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