Acute Diarrhea in Cats

Acute Diarrhea in Cats

Acute diarrhea is a common clinical problem in veterinary practice. It is characterized, for cats and other pets, by a sudden onset and short duration (three weeks or less) of watery or watery-mucoid diarrhea. Occasionally the fecal material is also overtly bloody.

Below is an overview of diarrhea in cats followed by in-depth information on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Diarrhea results from excessive water content in the feces and is an important sign of intestinal diseases in the cat. Diarrhea can affect your cat by causing extreme fluid loss, which leads to dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, and/or acid-base imbalances.

Please note: If the diarrhea has gone on for more than three weeks, it is considered “chronic diarrhea”. For more information on this problem, please read Chronic Diarrhea in Cats. If diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting, please read Gastroenteritis in Cats.

General Causes of Diarrhea in Cats

What to Watch For

Acute diarrhea is often alarming, but may not be an emergency if your cat is still active, drinking and eating, and is not vomiting. However, acute diarrhea associated with vomiting, lack of water intake, fever, depression, or other symptoms should prompt a visit to your veterinarian.

Diagnosis of Diarrhea in Cats

Although most cases of acute diarrhea are short-lived and self-limiting, there are some cases that require diagnostic testing to confirm an underlying cause. Such tests include:

Treatment of Diarrhea in Cats

Diarrhea is a symptom that can be caused by many different diseases or conditions. Specific treatment requires a diagnosis. The diagnostic tests described previously may reveal a diagnosis, however, in the interim symptomatic therapy may be helpful to reduce the severity of signs and offer relief to your pet:

If Your Cat Has Diarrhea

In-depth Information on Acute Diarrhea in Cats

Diarrhea results from excessive water content in the feces and is an important sign of intestinal diseases in the cat. Diarrhea can affect your cat by causing extreme fluid loss, which leads to dehydration, electrolyte disturbances, and/or acid-base imbalances.
Acute diarrhea associated with vomiting, lack of water intake, fever, depression, or other symptoms should prompt a visit to your veterinarian.

Causes of Acute Diarrhea in Cats

Many disorders and diseases can lead to acute diarrhea. These include:

Diagnosis In-depth

Although most cases of acute diarrhea are short-lived and self-limiting, there are some cases that require diagnostic testing to confirm an underlying cause. Such tests include:

Depending upon the clinical signs and results of the above tests, your veterinarian may recommend additional tests to ensure optimal medical care. These ancillary tests are selected on a case-by-case basis:

Treatment In-depth

Diarrhea is a symptom that can be caused by many different diseases or conditions, and specific treatment requires a diagnosis. Symptomatic therapy may be tried in mild cases of short duration, or may be instituted while diagnostic testing is underway. These treatments may reduce the severity of signs and offer relief to your pet:

Follow-up Care for Cats with Diarrhea

The best treatment for your cat requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. For optimal follow-up success in the treatment of your cat, please do the following: