My senior cat has intermittent loose stools. What's the cause?

Poor Lucky! I'm glad to hear that he still seems to be acting and eating normally despite this ongoing diarrhea. Some possible causes of persistent diarrhea include parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal cancers, liver disease, food allergies, among others. You can try transitioning his diet to a novel protein diet ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=34182 ) with one protein source and one carbohydrate source to limit the ingredients that he is exposed to. Mix his old and new foods together over 5-7 days, then exclusively feed a new diet for at least 8-12 weeks to determine if the change has been effective. Also adding a probiotic ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=21478 ) may be beneficial. However, if his diarrhea continues or worsens, Lucky will need to go to his vet for further evaluation and testing. I hope that all goes well!

Considering what you described, I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken/white fish and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence. 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.

Issues with faeces such as these can be indicative of issues in the gut. It could just be inflammation such as gastroenteritis or colitis, but sometimes it can indicate problems such as inflammatory bowel disease or tumours etc. You could try adding a probiotic to both of their feed and see if that helps, but I think it would be worth taking them both to the vet for an exam if it continues for more than a day or so.

Common causes of diarrhea or loose stools in a young cat include food intolerance, food allergies, intestinal parasites, bacterial or viral gastroenteritis, stress colitis, among a few others. Based on her history, stress from the visit or a change in treats may be the cause. You can try a medication like ProPectalin AntiDiarrheal Gel for Dogs & Cats that has probiotics and a small amount of kao pectate in it - it also tastes good. If the diarrhea/soft stools continue next week, or if Pico starts showing signs of lethargy, inappetence, or straining, I would definitely have her checked out by a vet.

Hi there and thanks for your question. Intestinal worms and intestinal parasites can be a cause of loose stools. If she has been tested for parasites and is negative for them, then this can be ruled out. It cannot be entirely ruled out with worming treatment alone. A fecal test is needed. There are other causes such as a bacterial or viral infection, a food allergy, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, and certain types of cancers, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal system. Eating more than normal as mentioned in your question may indicate an endocrine disorder such as diabetes or hyperthyroidism. Both of these can also cause loose stools. Diarrhea or lose stools can be uncomfortable to pass. Cats do not show their pain very well to us at all so it can be hard to determine if Maisie is in pain, but if she is more vocal than usual, and very attached to you lately and this is not her normal behavior, then yes, it may indicate she is not feeling very well and is uncomfortable. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Sometimes even a simple diet switch from one food to another is enough to cause intestinal inflammation or bacterial imbalance and diarrhea in cats. Though his risk is low, it's also possible he could have an intestinal parasite (cannot be ruled out without a fecal test). You can try adding one tbsp of canned pumpkin to his diet for fiber. If he does not improve soon, it would be best to take him to a vet. Sometimes a short course of medication is necessary to resolve this type of diarrhea.

Poor Lily! Diarrhea even in old cats isn't normal. I have diagnosed parasites especially giardia in cats who are strictly indoors. You could try a sensitive stomach food and some probiotics to see if this helps. If not, I would strongly recommend your vet to take a look at her. Your vet will likely do a fecal and possibly blood work, thyroid test and x-rays. I would also make sure they rule out giardia and campylobacter. In older cats, I worry especially worry about inflammatory bowel disease and GI cancer. If your vet is concerned about this, they will be able to talk to you about potential diagnostics (Ultrasound and GI panel, etc) and treatments to help her feel better. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better soon!