My cat has recurring diarrhea with grass. What should I do now?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend having a vet look at George and run blood work, X-rays and an intestinal parasite check. Even though he is acting healthy, he is clearly not. He could have parasites, a virus, kidney disease, GI disease, diabetes- it really is a long list of things to rule out. He isn’t going in the box because he is equating the box to the discomfort he is having with his diarrhea. I hope you are able to find the cause of his illness and get him feeling better soon. Good luck and kisses to George!

Routine bouts of diarrhoea are caused in most cases by one of the following; Gastrointestinal parasites such as worms Food allergies In rare cases IBD or gastrointestinal tumours can be to blame. This is more likely in older cats. I would start by deworming Doughnut. If you have done this in the last 12 weeks or the diarrhoea returns in a few weeks please post another question and we can try the next step. In the meantime at home; Rest his gastrointestinal tract for a few hours Provide a bland diet of boiled boneless chicken breast Reserve stock from the boiled chicken breast for rehydration

Please don't waste your money on those expensive grain free foods. They are not necessary to use except in extreme cases of an actual diagnosed grain allergy which is rare. Grain free diets are now linked to causing heart disease in dogs (we are not sure yet about cats). I recommend you discontinue use of that type of food. My suggestion would be to use a long term course of a probiotic called Fortiflora. Put one packet on his food every day for at least one month. This will help correct any imbalance in good vs bad intestinal bacteria. DO NOT use human probiotics or things like yogurt. Fortiflora is the best in my opinion and it is palatable so cats like to eat it. ( http://www.allivet.com/p-1890-purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets-fortiflora-cat-supplement-box-of-30.aspx ) As for diet. I would use this one: ( https://www.royalcanin.com/products/royal-canin-feline-care-nutrition-digestive-care-dry-cat-food/2555 ) If your local pet store does not have this food they can surely order it for you or you can order it online. If these things dont' help, he may have inflammatory bowel disease or something along those lines. You would need to discuss diagnosis and treatment with your vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

I am sorry Phoenix is not feeling well. In the future I would recommend switching foods slowly over 1-2 weeks to prevent diarrhea. Dogs and cats can have sensitive stomach and get diarrhea if food is changed to fast. You can try going back to the old food and adding in a probiotic to help resolve the diarrhea. However if the diarrhea is getting worse or you notice any blood I would recommend taking Phoenix to a vet for a good physical exam and possible antibiotics to help resolve the diarrhea. i hope that helps and he feels better soon.

Yes to both questions. Unfortunately intolerance is usually against a variety of different food sources and not only one. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor Binx. There may be a bigger problem, but I can give you a home remedy for him to try first to see if that helps. Withhold food for 6 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in his normal diet. If the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, he starts vomiting food, stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, he will need to see a vet right away. Best of luck.

I am very sorry to hear that Fox is experiencing these problems, I am sure it is very unsettling for you both. There are a number of potential causes of such clinical signs, including dietary indiscretion, pancreatitis, parasite infestation, infection, and ingestion of a toxin or poison. I understand tha medical costs can be overwhelming, and here is a link to the Humane Society, They have resources available for low costs veterinary care; http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html In the meantime at home try the following; Worming treatment from a pet store, use a broad spectrum as you will not know what worms Fox has potentially, without a trip to the veterinarian first. Rest Fox's gastrointestinal tract by holding back food for a few hours. Then you can continue with a bland and easily digested food of the boiled chicken breast and plenty of fresh water. If Fox does not improve, has profuse vomiting or diarrhoea, you notice fresh blood, Foxseems lethargic, in pain or depressed I would advise a trip to the veterinarian. Here are some links to helpful resources for you; https://www.petcoach.co/article/most-common-causes-of-diarrhea-in-cats/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea/ I hope that answer was helpful and more importantly that Fox feels better soon. Warmest regards to you both.