Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Why does my outdoor nursing mama cat have diarrhea but kittens don't?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed

I have a outside mama cat. She has diarrhea. The kittens don't seem to have it but there still nursing and eatting cat food. What could it be?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 3rd, 2016

Mama cat could just be stressed from feeding the kittens. You can consider giving her Metamucil to help harden her stools or a bland diet of boiled chicken or tuna and rice OR Purina en gastrointestinal for a few days to see if this resolves the diarrhea.

However if mama cat gets worse and becomes lethargic and not eating, or if the diarrhea continues for more than 48-72 hrs then it may be best to get her seen by your vet for more investigation (i.e. Fecal exam) as to what is causing her diarrhea.

34Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth
Veterinarian
Published on April 4th, 2019
You can try feeding her a bland diet but some cats will not eat it and it may not help. Diarrhea is a symptom of many different causes. Especially in an outdoor cat, parasites and bacterial overgrowth are very common. Because she is nursing the medication options are limited. I recommend to have her see the veterinarian if the diarrhea continues beyond two days. Also, you may look into services that offer spay and neuter for stray cats. One female can have up to 30 kittens in a year. That’s a lot of cats who often spread diseases and parasites amongst each other. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on July 19th, 2017
The diarrhea could be caused by an infection, parasite, or possibly from something she ate. Your vet can test a stool sample to see if she has a parasite and then prescribe medication to treat. She may need some fluids to prevent dehydration, especially because she is nursing kittens. You may need to remove her from the kittens and clean her up if she has diarrhea on her. Call your vet an have her seen tomorrow as soon as possible. If she has a parasite then the kittens will need to be dewormed, as well. Hope she feels better soon!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 9th, 2016
It does sound like Adaa had diarrhea, and that could be cause by the cheese. Cats are lactose intolerant, and it's not recommended to give them diary products due to them causing GI upset. The diarrhea could also be caused by intestinal parasites, and if she has not had a deworming treatment, you will need to get one from the vet. I would also recommend having her vaccines done as soon as the diarrhea clears up. I would recommend feeding her Royal Canin kitten food. I would not continue to feed her only boiled chicken (she can't have cheese), as that's not a balanced diet. Cats need specific nutrients and amino acids, and a cat food will be formulated to give her those. She will need a kitten specific food because she will require higher amounts of calories, protein, and calcium, and a kitten food will provide that for her. I would start giving her the Royal Canin kitten food as soon as possible.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on January 14th, 2017
Yes, it could be the food. Some food doesn't agree with a cat's system. If you switched foods suddenly, that could cause it as well. Other causes include intestinal parasites, eating something rotten, and a foreign body. Make sure Ovey is up to date on her deworming treatments, and you can try a home remedy to see if that helps the diarrhea. Withhold food for 12-24 hours, then feed a bland diet of boiled chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the diarrhea starts again on her normal diet, then you know it's the food :-)
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My mother cat has diarrhea. How do I litter train her kittens?

Mother cats typically will clean their kittens and ingest their stool to keep the area clean, however it shouldn't cause GI upset. Hormonal changes, changes to diet, underlying illness, parasites, etc, however may cause GI upset or diarrhea, so if it continues, having your vet take a look in person is best to rule out causes and provide treatment that is safe for mom and babies. The mother cat should start to litter train the babies once they are old enough (usually around the time they start to try solid foods around 3-4 weeks of age), however as they get older, you can start bringing them to the litterbox as well to encourage them to use it.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My nursing cat has diarrhea and a red bottom. What should I do?

This may be due to a gastrointestinal infection, and a dietary change (boiled chicken and rice) and antibiotics can be given even if breast feeding. I would recommend an immediate check up as your vet can prescribe most appropriate meds.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat just had kittens and now has diarrhea. Is this normal?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is not unusual for animals to have some diarrhea after giving birth. As long as she continues to eat well, this should slowly resolve over the course of the next 3-4 days. If it does not, or if Naughtt develops any other unusual clinical signs, I recommend having her seen by a veterinarian, as an unrelated issue may be present. I hope this is helpful!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Kitten diarrhea, mom has mastitis. What home care steps can I take?

If the mother is suffering from mastitis it might be a good idea to separate the kittens and start feeding them kitten milk replacer, hopefully this will solve the problem. you can find this milk powder in most pet shops.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My 7-week pregnant cat has diarrhea and vomiting, is this normal?

Decreased appetite is normal in the later stages of pregnancy. So no worries there, as long as she is eating portions of her food. Loose stool can also occur, but should return to normal after a few days, and she should still have normal energy level and not hide. Hiding in cats, when they typically are social cats, is usually an indicator that something is wrong. I would see how she does in the next day or two, and if the diarrhea does not resolve, then have her stools checked by your vet. She may have intestinal parasites, or it could be loose due to stress from the pregnancy. I hope that Mia's stools return to normal soon. Best of luck moving forward and take care. : )

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My 4-week-old kitten has diarrhea from human milk. What to do?

Kitties can't digest human milk well. This is likely what gave your little one diarrhea. I would switch back to the KMR and start mixing in small amounts of wet kitty starter formula food. You can also mix in 1-2 tsp of canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) to help harden her stools and continue feeding her kitten only food. If he stools are not getting better after 24-48 hrs then its best to take her to your vet for a short course of antibiotics to get her bacterial flora back to normal. I hope that your ktity feels better soon! Best wishes and take care!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My pregnant cat has diarrhea. Is it normal or should I see a vet?

It sounds like your cat has a case of colitis, or an inflammation of the colon, resulting in an increase in the volume and frequency of stools.    Colitis can be caused by many different things. Some of the more common causes include intestinal parasites (most likely in a pregnant cat), dietary indiscretion, food intolerance, irritable bowel disease, pancreatitis, a foreign body/blockage and viruses.   I would recommend taking your cat in to your vet to be examined. They will likely want to check a stool sample and may recommend some lab work, a dietary change, and/or antibiotics.    I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share