Causes
Loose stools or diarrhea, is common in cats from time to time. Infectious agents, such as bacteria, viruses, coccidia, and intestinal worms (hookworms, roundworms, whipworms), or non-infectious irritants, such as chemical toxins or poisonous plants, are some of the more common causes of diarrhea.
Changes in diet, food intolerances, or allergies to specific ingredients in a diet can also be responsible for diarrhea. Loose stools are often times a common side effect of certain medications.
Underlying or chronic diseases can also cause loose stools. These may include kidney disease, liver disease, pancreatitis, gallbladder inflammation, Addison’s disease and hyperthyroidism.
Symptoms
There are certainly levels of looseness in a cat's stool. A watery stool is a big concern, due to the fact that a cat can easily become dehydrated rather quickly.
In healthy adult cats, mild diarrhea that is not accompanied by other symptoms can often times resolve on its own within 24-48 hours.
Seek vet care right away if:
• Diarrhea lasts longer than 24 hours.
• Other symptoms, such as vomiting, lethargy, or loss of appetite, accompany it.
• Your cat has an underlying health condition.
• There is a large amount of fresh blood (normal red color) or digested blood (darker color) in the stool.
Treatment
Anti-diarrheal agents, de-wormers, and/or probiotics (bacteria that support intestinal health) may be prescribed. There are several probiotic products that may be helpful in cats with diarrhea.
The two probiotics that I see recommended the most are Proviable and FortiFlora. While you may find either of these probiotics helpful, I always prefer to treat the cause whenever possible, and not the symptoms.
As the quality and effectiveness of these products are not always known, consult your veterinarian before offering anything to your cat.
Many cases of acute diarrhea respond quite readily to this conservative treatment, allowing the body's healing mechanisms to correct the problem, without the initial cause ever being established.
If your cat does not improve within four days, further tests or more aggressive treatment may be needed. Severe or prolonged diarrhea can result in significant dehydration and metabolic disturbances due to fluid loss and your pet may require hospitalization for intravenous fluid therapy or other, more intensive treatments.