My cat has diarrhea. Should I worry?
I’m not sure who is more unhappy when the cat has diarrhea: you or the cat.
Diarrhea isn’t good news for anyone, but is it actually something to worry about?
The good news is that, most of the time, cat diarrhea isn’t something to be alarmed about and quickly resolves on its own.
But it when it doesn’t, diarrhea in cats can be a sign of something more serious, and can be also dangerous on its own, just as symptom.
This post will tell you how to tell the difference between nothing-to-worry-about diarrhea, and something-to-worry-about diarrhea, and when to call the vet.
How do you know it’s diarrhea?
You might think you’ll know diarrhea when you see it, and probably you will. But just in case, here’s a quick rundown of what to look for.
But first, let’s discuss what normal cat poop looks like.
What does normal cat poop look like?
Healthy cat poop is an earthy brown color. It should be log-shaped and about four to six inches long.
Healthy cat poop will be just juicy enough for litter to cling to it, but not so moist that it leaves anything behind if you’re picking it up from a hard surface. I’ll hope, for your sake, that you’re scooping it up from the litter box, and not the floor.
Healthy cat poop should be firm enough to hold its own shape, but not so hard that you can’t squeeze it. I don’t know who is squeezing cat poop, but if you did, it would have a little give, and it wouldn’t crumble.
What does cat diarrhea look like?
Cat diarrhea is watery poop that can be oddly colored and foul smelling.
Cat diarrhea is loose and has no particular shape. Cats who are suffering with diarrhea usually have more frequent bowel movements than is normal for them.
What are some signs that a cat has diarrhea?
The proof should be in the litter box, but cats can be pretty good at hiding problems. Outdoor cats may be pooping out in the wild, in which case you might not even know that your cat has diarrhea.
Some indoor cats are such meticulous poop coverers that tummy troubles can go unnoticed. But there are usually (or eventually) other signs that you shouldn’t ignore or attribute to something other than diarrhea.
Remember, that some inconsistency in cat poop is normal even in completely healthy cats. But these signs shouldn’t be ignored:
Accidents
Dirty fur, especially on longhaired cats
Cat can’t “hold it”
Cat is straining to poop
The poop doesn’t look normal
- An increased or decreased volume of poop
- The poop isn’t a normal color
- There is fresh, red blood in the stool
- There is darker, already-digested blood in the stool
- There is mucus in or on the poop
How does diarrhea happen?
In a cat’s digestive system, the colon is one of the last stops for food that is being digested.
It’s the job of the colon to take liquified food waste from the small intestine, and absorb all the remaining water and electrolytes from it. The colon also works with bacteria and enzymes to break down the most difficult-to-digest food particles and extract any remaining nutrients from them.
The colon’s other job is to form the feces and store them, until it’s convenient for the cat to poop them out.[1]
Diarrhea happens when the food waste moves too quickly through the cat’s system. Water, electrolytes, and some nutrition don’t get absorbed by the body the way they should.[2]
Is diarrhea dangerous for cats?
A quick, acute bout of diarrhea is unpleasant, but not necessarily dangerous. But after a day or two, it becomes something to worry about for two reasons:
Diarrhea is a symptom, not a condition
Diarrhea can cause serious health problems
What usually causes diarrhea in cats
In most cases, diarrhea in cats will be short-lived and resolve itself.[5] Some common, relatively benign, causes of diarrhea in cats include:
A change in diet
A “dietary indiscretion”
- Keep the food or the cats off the counters.
- Store cat food properly.
- Keep the garbage can out of a cat’s reach.
- Don’t leave wet food out for more than two hours. Throw it away after that.
- Pay attention to expiration dates on cat food products.
- Don’t feed cats human food, some of which may be toxic to them.
More serious causes of diarrhea in cats
Unfortunately, diarrhea is a symptom of many other conditions and can have many other causes. These do not resolve themselves and the diarrhea can become chronic. You will likely need the help of a vet to get to the bottom of chronic diarrhea caused by:
Food intolerances/allergies
Infections
Bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections can all irritate the GI tract.Toxins
Medications
Bowel obstruction
When a cat swallows something she shouldn’t: a broken piece of a toy, or commonly, a string, it can cause a blockage in the intestines.Stress
Serious disease
- Metabolic diseases, such as kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, and gallbladder disease
- Endocrine disorders, such as Addison’s disease and thyroid disease
- Cancer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Neurological disorders
- Immune system disorders.[11]
What can you safely try if your cat has diarrhea?
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If your cat has just developed a case of diarrhea, and you want to do something to help, you can safely try:
Canned pumpkin
Probiotics made for cats
Fresh, fresh, fresh water
Extra litter boxes
What you should never do when your cat has diarrhea
Don’t give any medications to a cat without consulting a veterinarian. Specifically:
Do not give Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate to cats ever
Do not withhold food or fast your cat
When should you call the vet?
Call the vet when your cat has diarrhea and:
- Your cat is a kitten or a senior. Call within 24 hours.[15]
- Your cat has liquid or semi-liquid stool that has continued for 48 hours.
- The diarrhea is bloody. Call immediately.[16]
- The diarrhea has darker, digested blood in the stool.
- Your cat has other symptoms, too, like vomiting, lethargy, or loss of appetite.
- Your cat has another known, underlying health condition.
How will my vet diagnose the cause of diarrhea?
Chronic diarrhea in cats can be particularly vexing because it can have more than one cause, and thus require more than one treatment to resolve.
Some of the things your vet might want to do to help diagnose the cause of your cat’s diarrhea include:
- Bloodwork
- Bacterial cultures
- X-rays to look for blockages
- Ultrasound
- Endoscopy
- Fecal test
- Urinalysis.
Be prepared to answer questions, too. Your vet will want to know:
- When the diarrhea started
- How frequently your cat is having bowel movements
- What your cat’s poop looks like
- If there have been any changes to your cat’s diet or environment.
Note what your cat’s diarrhea looks like
Use this table to help describe your cat's poop to your veterinarian.
Note the color of your cat’s diarrhea.
Dark red or black
Bright red
Yellow or green
Also note whether there appears to be a mucus film over the poop. Mucus-coated poop could indicate dehydration or a parasitic infection.
What might your vet prescribe a cat with diarrhea?
Your vet may want to try conservative treatments first, as many cats respond well to them. They can support the cat’s body while it works to correct whatever the problem is that caused the diarrhea. You may never actually figure out why the diarrhea started.
If these treatments don’t work within a few days, further tests or more aggressive treatment may be needed. You vet might try:
Dewormer
A veterinary diet
Probiotics
Anti-diarrheal agents
What if my cat is vomiting, too?
Vomiting with diarrhea is a veterinary emergency. The conditions and diseases that can cause vomiting along with diarrhea can quickly become deadly, including:
- A bowel obstruction
- Ingestion of a toxin
- Organ failure
- Diabetic ketoacidosis
- Addisonian crisis
- Severe infection
- Severe food allergies.[20] [21]
If your cat is vomiting and has diarrhea do not wait until Monday, or until morning, or until you come home from work to call the vet.
What if my kitten has diarrhea?
Diarrhea is even more common in kittens than in adult cats.
A kitten’s digestive system is just getting used to solid food so any little thing can cause tummy troubles. Kittens are also more vulnerable to intestinal parasites and other diseases because their immune systems aren’t fully developed yet.[22]
Kittens being the silly little things that they are, are more likely to eat something they shouldn’t. The most worrisome things are toxins and objects that could could cause an intestinal blockage.
Because a kitten’s body is so small, even a short bout of diarrhea can cause dehydration and weakness.
If diarrhea in a kitten persists for more than a day, take the kitten to the vet.
How to prevent diarrhea
While there is nothing you can do to prevent all cat diarrhea, there are some simple steps you can take to prevent common causes of diarrhea:
- Avoid keeping toxic houseplants.
- Keep chemical toxins, like household cleaners and essential oils, away from cats.
- Don’t feed table scraps to cats.
- Don’t make sudden changes to your cat’s diet.
- Keep cats up-to-date on parasite prevention and vaccinations.
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Dawn LaFontaine is a lifelong animal lover who always seems to have a little pet hair in her keyboard. Her blog, Kitty Contemplations, helps cat guardians better understand and care for the special beings they share their lives and homes with. Her cat-products business, Cat in the Box, sells beautiful, well-made, and award-winning products that she designed to meet the biological needs of cats.
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FOOTNOTES
[1] Spielman, Dr. Bari. “Structure and Function of the Gastrointestinal Tract in Cats.” PetPlace, www.petplace.com/article/cats/pet-health/structure-and-function-of-the-gastrointestinal-tract-in-cats. Accessed 18 June 2024.
[2] “Diarrhea in Cats: VCA Animal Hospital: VCA Animal Hospitals.” Vca, vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/diarrhea-in-cats. Accessed 12 June 2024.
[3] “Diarrhea.” Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/diarrhea. Accessed 10 June 2024.
[4] “Diarrhea in Cats: VCA Animal Hospital.
[5] “Diarrhea.” Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
[6] ibid
[7] “Cat Diarrhea: What Owners Can Do to Help and When to Seek Veterinary Care.” AnimalBiome, shop.animalbiome.com/blogs/pet-health/cat-diarrhea-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed 17 June 2024.
[8] “Everything You Need to Know about Diarrhea in Cats - Vetster.” Vetster Online Vets, vetster.com/en/wellness/everything-you-need-to-know-about-diarrhea-in-cats. Accessed 14 June 2024.
[9] “Diarrhea in Cats: VCA Animal Hospital.
[10] “Cat Diarrhea: What Owners Can Do to Help and When to Seek Veterinary Care.” AnimalBiome.
[11] “What Causes Cat Diarrhea and What to Do about It.” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/symptoms/what-causes-cat-diarrhea-and-what-do-about-it. Accessed 12 June 2024.
[12] “Can Cats Eat Pumpkin?” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/can-cats-eat-pumpkin. Accessed 12 June 2024.
[13] “Cat Diarrhea Treatment: What to Give Cats with Diarrhea.” PetMD.
[14] “Cat Diarrhea: When Is It Serious and How Do I Stop It?” Pet Health Network, www.pethealthnetwork.com/cat-health/cat-diseases-conditions-a-z/cat-diarrhea-when-it-serious-and-how-do-i-stop-it. Accessed 17 June 2024.
[15] “What Causes Cat Diarrhea and What to Do about It.” PetMD.
[16] ibid.
[17] ibid.
[18] “Everything You Need to Know about Diarrhea in Cats - Vetster.” Vetster Online Vets, vetster.com/en/wellness/everything-you-need-to-know-about-diarrhea-in-cats. Accessed 14 June 2024.
[19] “Diarrhea in Cats: VCA Animal Hospital: VCA Animal Hospitals.
[20] “What Causes Cat Diarrhea and What to Do about It.” PetMD.
[21] “Addison’s Disease in Cats.” PetMD, www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/endocrine/addisons-disease-cats. Accessed 14 June 2024.
[22] “Cat Diarrhea: What Owners Can Do to Help and When to Seek Veterinary Care.” AnimalBiome.