In this article, we'll talk about a sensitive topic... your pet's excrement, aka poop.
Any encyclopedia will give you - feces(faeces; synonyms: feces, excrement) - contents distal section colon, secreted by defecation.
Normally, cats have bowel movements once or twice a day, the stool is formed, slightly moist and soft, dark-colored. Brown, there is no mucus, blood or undigested food in it. Ideally, the size of the stool should be significantly smaller than the amount of food on the plate (25%). When there is less output than input, the cat extracts more nutrients from food. Large stools are caused by the presence of undigested filler in feed such as corn and other plant products.
Only one type of feces will allow you to determine how the digestive processes are going, whether any pathology occurs, and will make it clear about the presence of inflammatory processes.
But in order to understand this, let’s look at what criteria are taken into account to evaluate the result of a cat going to the litter box for big matters, precisely those criteria that we can personally evaluate and, if necessary, contact veterinary clinic for qualified help. There are only three of them: consistency or shape, color and smell.
Let's start in order:
CONSISTENCY OF STOOL
The consistency depends on the amount of water, fiber, mucus and fat in the stool. Dense, well-formed feces are excreted in healthy animals.
Normally, your pet’s output is formed, not crumbling, having the appearance of a soft “sausage” of normal thickness with a smooth surface or a denser “sausage” type No. 3 and No. 4 according to Bristol scale (see picture).
Hard, dry stool can mean stagnation of stool in the large intestine, megacolon, it has the appearance of a lumpy “sausage” type No. 2 on the Bristol scale. Feces become hard when the rate of movement of chyme through the intestines decreases.
“Sheep feces” in the form of separate dense small lumps, type No. 1 on the Bristol scale, may indicate insufficient water intake, especially when eating dry food in unlimited quantities, and, as an option, a spastic condition of the intestines, namely spastic colitis.
Wet, beginning to lose shape type No. 5 on the Bristol scale means increased motility of the gastrointestinal tract as a result of high fiber intake in food.
Pasty, unformed feces can occur with strong gastrointestinal peristalsis, infections, poisoning type No. 6 on the Bristol scale.
Watery stool without solid inclusions, type No. 7 on the Bristol scale, indicates strong intestinal motility, disruption (cessation) of absorption, acute gastrointestinal infections, severe intoxication.
Feces have a ribbon shape in the presence of hemorrhoids, spasm of the rectal sphincter, anal fissure, or rectal tumor. Due to the narrowing of the anus, it takes the shape of a long, thin, soft “sausage.”
COLOR OF FOCUS
The color of stool is due to the content of stercobilin. Stercobilin (stercobilm) is a brownish-reddish pigment formed during the metabolism of the bile pigments biliverdin and bilirubin, which, in turn, are formed from hemoglobin. Subsequently, stercobilin is excreted from the body in urine or feces.
The color of stool is normally brown, normally it becomes yellow with a milk diet, dark brown with purely meat feeding.
In young animals milk feeding promotes light (yellowish-brown) coloration. Some plant foods and medications can change the color of stool (beets, blueberries, bismuth, iron, etc.).
Black or tarry color of feces becomes due to bleeding in the anterior gastrointestinal tract (stomach, duodenum and small intestine). The reddish color is due to the presence of bleeding in the posterior gastrointestinal tract (colitis with ulceration).
Light brown - with accelerated evacuation from the colon, vegetable feeding.
Green – with the content of bilirubin, biliverdin, increased peristalsis.
Light yellow – with pancreatic insufficiency, fermentative dyspepsia.
Gray-white - acholic feces when bile does not enter the intestines.
SMELL OF FOCUS
The smell is due to the presence of protein breakdown products (indole, skatole, phenol, etc.), which intensifies under rotting conditions with an abundance of protein foods. Long delay feces (constipation) leads to the absorption of gases, and the odor may almost completely disappear.
Normally, it is specific and unsharp.
A putrid odor appears with insufficiency of gastric digestion, putrefactive dyspepsia, ulcerative colitis.
Fetid (smell of rancid oil) due to impaired secretion of lipase by the pancreas, lack of bile flow.
The sour smell is caused by fermentation processes in the large intestine and impaired absorption of fatty acids in the small intestine.
And so, what should an ideal poop look like - a good stool should be dark brown, dense, smooth and have a normal smell - the smell of feces. The consistency and texture should be the same throughout the entire load of stool, and it should be easy to remove completely.
A cat's loose stool will definitely not go unnoticed by a loving owner. If this happened once, there may be no reason to worry. But when diarrhea repeats every time you visit the toilet for more than one day and several times a day, your pet needs to be urgently shown to a veterinarian. The doctor will find out the reasons that caused the diarrhea and prescribe treatment for the cat.
Main reasons
It may not be possible to independently determine why a cat has loose stools, since there are plenty of reasons for diarrhea. This is why you shouldn’t even try to pretend to be a “cat doctor”; the best thing to do would be to go to a veterinary clinic at the first suspicion of problems with your cat’s health.
Loose stools in a cat are possible for several reasons.:
- stress, worries (moving, new owners, severe fear, etc.);
- after taking certain medications (for example, antibiotics can make stool loose due to disruption of intestinal flora);
- changes in diet (sharp change in usual foods, transition from feed to homemade food or vice versa, changing the menu for small kittens to adult food, etc.);
- homemade food of poor quality or food prohibited for the cat’s diet;
- poisoning by food, plant poisons or chemicals;
- worms (here, frequent loose stools are accompanied by pain in the pet’s belly, which has become tight, the presence of mucus or blood in the stool, darkening of its color and a tarry consistency);
- diseases of the colon (loose stools, with mucus and/or blood);
- diseases different organs (thyroid gland, liver, kidneys, and diabetes or oncological neoplasms);
- problems with the pancreas (loose, intensely yellow or greenish stools, accompanied by weight loss and an insatiable appetite).
Whatever the reasons for loose stools in a cat, you should not give the animal human medical supplies. Among the latter, only a few are suitable for both people and their pets, while all others work exclusively for the benefit of the human body. Therefore, only a veterinarian should prescribe medications.
How to help your pet with diarrhea
In a number of complex cases First aid can be given to a cat with loose stools:
- arrange a day of hunger strike for the animal (but it is necessary to give the animal drink, in abundance and in constant access!);
- offer your pet decoctions of oak bark, chamomile, rice or blueberries; you can also give your cat plain, clean water;
- to reduce intoxication after poisoning (if this fact is known for sure), give a barely pink solution of potassium permanganate (1 ml at a time);
- Sorbents can help well against loose stools, for example, Activated carbon(1 tablet per 1 kg of body weight);
- starch, mixed with water to the consistency of a thick porridge, put into the cat’s mouth to consolidate loose stool;
- put your pet on a diet.
If these actions helped, the cat became noticeably better, the stool is no longer liquid - still, you should not suddenly return the pet to its usual diet too abruptly. The animal’s stomach and intestines have experienced stress, and they are not ready to immediately begin their activities with the same strength. Therefore, after the diet, you need to reintroduce the foods that the cat ate before the problem occurred very gradually. It is not recommended to give food rich in carbohydrates at first.
If the pet clearly does not recover after measures taken If your cat still passes loose stools or feels noticeably worse, you no longer need to think about what to do to help your pet at home. In this situation, only a doctor can cure the animal.
When do you need veterinary help?
If your cat constantly has diarrhea, and it has been going on for a day, it’s time to take your pet to the veterinarian. You especially need to hurry if loose stools are accompanied by other signs feeling unwell animal:
- the cat is worried, meowing in pain;
- there is a strong thirst;
- it is known for sure that the cat was severely poisoned by a chemical, a poisonous plant or spoiled food;
- liquid feces in a cat with mucus or bloody impurities (and in large quantities and often - more than 5 times a day when the norm is 1-2 times);
- the animal is clearly weakened;
- the pet’s mucous membranes have turned pale;
- weight falls quickly;
- the pet has convulsions and has an elevated temperature;
- The pet vomits repeatedly throughout the day.
When visiting a veterinarian, you need to accurately describe the symptoms that were observed from the very beginning of the appearance of loose stools. A detailed story will help to guess what happened to the animal, and the diagnostics carried out after this will determine the exact cause. Upon diagnosis for a pet The necessary treatment will be prescribed immediately.
The problem of diarrhea in kittens
Even a banal stomach upset small organism can be relatively difficult to tolerate. By nature, a kitten does not have enough strength to adequately resist diseases, so at such a tiny age, a cat’s soft stool can lead to torment for the baby and more serious consequences.
Unlike adult cats, kittens can suffer from diarrhea not only due to the reasons for its occurrence described above, but also due to the elementary transition from breast milk to adult food. A stomach that is not sufficiently prepared for such food may not be able to withstand such a serious load and give a reaction in the form of upset and loose stools. Therefore, you need to start transferring the kitten to the main diet very carefully, observing all the subtleties of changing the menu. You can learn about these nuances from your veterinarian.
If kittens have loose stools, contacting a doctor for at least a consultation should be mandatory. Any disease with not yet established immunity will develop quickly and cause serious complications. As a result, curing a kitten even from mild indigestion (not to mention more severe illnesses) will be much more difficult.
Liquid bowel movements in cats are initially not normal, and it does not matter what caused this phenomenon. Your pet will have to be treated in any case - be it simple indigestion or a serious infectious (or even worse - cancer) disease. Therefore, the main task of every caring owner is to closely monitor the health of the pet and take appropriate measures in a timely manner.
Like all animals, diarrhea in cats is expressed in frequent, loose stools, in some cases mixed with blood, mucus or pus. Almost always, the state of diarrhea and diarrhea is preceded by increased intestinal motility and severe overeating. This causes the colon to become overcrowded and increased excretion of food into the colon.
When the chyme passes through intestinal tract, then it is not completely digested. As a result, it enters the rectum unformed and undigested. This is the cause of almost all diarrhea that occurs in a short time.
Causes of diarrhea and diarrhea in domestic cats
Basically, the causes of loose stool in cats are considered to be irritating substances that enter their body. It could be a rodent, carrion, spoiled food, dead birds, spices, fatty food, salt, animal fat, wood chips, vegetable oils, paper, plastic, rags and much more.
There are also toxic substances can cause diarrhea in cats. These include cleaning fluids, lubricating oils, kerosene, gasoline, refrigerants, chlorine compounds, coal tar, insecticides, all types of building materials, and fertilizers. But such poisonings occur by accident. A cat may accidentally get into some liquid that is dangerous to it, which will cause its subsequent discomfort.
Less commonly, the cause of weak stool is the lack of necessary enzymes in her body that facilitate the digestion of certain foods. For example, the absence of the enzyme responsible for digesting lactose leads to cats developing allergies and diarrhea after taking any fermented milk product. It is extremely rare to experience intolerance to certain foods: beef, chicken, soy, corn, fish, horse meat, some foods from the human table and even special cat food. Even a slight deviation in the diet of some cats leads to diarrhea.
The cause of diarrhea may also lie in psycho-emotional genesis. A cat may be very frightened of something, which will lead its body to a state of stress, and as a result, to excessive bowel movements.
Before you begin researching the causes of diarrhea, it is worth finding out in which of the intestines it is localized. Therefore, first of all, the color, frequency of bowel movements, smell, consistency and general condition of the pet are examined.
Determining the cause of cat diarrhea based on external symptoms
Stool color during diarrhea in cats
If the cat is in normal condition, the color of the feces should be brown. If there is any deviation in color, such as yellow or green color, then this is a sign that the food was poorly processed in the intestines and passed through it very quickly. When the color of the feces is black, bleeding occurs in the animal’s stomach, mainly occurring in the upper part of the digestive tract. When there is blood in the stool, whether streaked with blood or completely red stool, the problem lies in your pet's colon. In liver diseases, stools are predominantly pasty and light in color. When the stool has a rather pungent odor and its color is predominantly gray, and its quantity is quite abundant, then the pet’s digestion is impaired.
Consistency of feces with diarrhea in cats
If the cat’s stool is not at first glance soft and very voluminous, then this indicates overeating or absorption of food with a large amount of fiber.
When your pet's stool is watery, the problem lies in the walls small intestine, in all likelihood they are annoyed. In this regard, food does not stay in the intestines and passes through it at an accelerated pace, which is why the food does not have time to be absorbed. This means that the cat may have acute enteritis, toxicity or infection.
With foamy stools, strong fermentation occurs in the pet’s intestines, provoked by a bacterial infection.
If there is oily fur around your pet's anus, the stool is most likely oily. This discharge indicates problems in the pancreas and poor absorption.
Smell of cat feces with diarrhea
Diarrhea is characterized by increased wateriness. And the thinner the stool, the more offensive the smell of the discharge.
If the stool smells like sour milk, this means overfeeding and accelerated passage of food through the intestines.
When a putrid odor accompanies the stool, the problem is intestinal infection. The cat may have malabsorption.
Stool frequency during diarrhea in a cat
In cases where the stool is repeated, with a short interval and of low volume, with pronounced straining during bowel movements, then most likely the cat has colitis and the problem lies in the proper functioning of the large intestine.
When bowel movements are not frequent, but very large, the problem lies in the functioning of the small intestine.
If your cat is lethargic and has loose stools, this could be a sign of a serious illness.
When did loose stools begin, at what interval does the bowel movement occur, the presence of foreign or suspicious impurities in the stool, blood, mucus, unnatural color of feces, how the animal behaves, and are there any signs of associated symptoms: , spasms, .
Norms
The stool frequency of a healthy cat depends on the food consumed and the intervals between meals.
- Nutrition dry food strictly according to the regime - stool up to 2 times a day.
- One meat– 1 time every three days.
- Balanced varied diet – two or three times within 24 hours.
Feces should normally have a clear shape, soft consistency, and light brown color. If boiled vegetables are added to the diet - beets, carrots - the color will take on a color closer to the food eaten.
Loose stools are almost always problems with the intestines. From the nature of the feces, color, you can first determine in which part of the intestine the problem is in the small or large intestine.
Colitis and vomiting
Loose stools accompanied by vomiting blood may indicate severe intoxication.
The presence of mucus, sometimes with blood – possible colitis, inflammation of the large intestine. Liquid gruel with pieces of undigested food indicates an allergy. Individual intolerance to a particular product. accompanied by vomiting – intoxication.
Treatment of complex cases only with the help of a veterinarian!
Full clinical picture determined by the doctor through a comprehensive examination:
- anamnesis;
- visual inspection;
- laboratory research;
- ultrasonography;
- gastroscopy.
Sometimes a short hospitalization of the animal is required for observation and testing for bacterial culture.
Your cat has loose stools, what to do at home
Help starts with the basics – alleviating the animal’s suffering.
In case of poisoning toxic substances ensure neutralization of poison. To do this, an antidote is administered.
Apple cider vinegar and water can help with lye poisoning.
In case of poisoning alkali dilute with water Apple vinegar or lemon juice and give a sick pet a drink.
Poisoning acid neutralize with egg white beaten with water.
Intoxication due to stale food , provided that the poisoning occurred no more than three hours ago, is eliminated with a solution table salt and water: 1 part salt to four parts water. Hydrogen peroxide and water, in equal parts, are given every ten minutes. Water is poured in large quantities to ensure vomiting.
Worm infestation
Diarrhea with blood, if you look closely you can also see worms.
Worm infestation yields . The type of worms and the approximate duration of infection are taken into account.
Generally, universal complex medicines are used:
- vacationquantel plus;
- Envir;
- drontal;
- milbemax;
- pratel;
- troncil;
- febtal;
- prazicide;
- professional
Suspensions are given using a syringe. The tablets can be given along with food, crushed into powder.
Feline plague
In rank bacterial infections This includes feline distemper. Unfortunately, there is no treatment that guarantees a complete recovery of the animal. The cat needs complete rest, comfortable conditions, and supportive therapy.
Cat plague is very dangerous!
Prescribe antibiotics, vitamins, immune-supporting medications, symptomatic treatment. The best help is good care.
Viral herpes
A complication in the form of herpes in a cat, which...
Viral herpes of the feline family requires special approach. Medical assistance consists in dividing into symptomatic and specific elimination of the problem.
- Symptomatic: immunomodulators – anandin, roncoleukin. Antibiotics: cefazolin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, sinulox, amoxicillin.
- Ointments and gels: iodinol, chlorhexidine, actovegin, solcoseryl.
- Antiviral: anandin drops. Solutions: Hartman, Ringer-Locke. Vitamins: groups C, B. Specific elimination - surgical opening of wounds, cleaning, local healing.
Help with colitis
Help for colitis depends on the reasons that caused it. General therapy aimed at relief general condition cats. Relieving inflammation - anti-inflammatory. Normalization of the pathogenic environment of a bacteriological nature - antibiotics. Restoration of the body as a whole - general strengthening, vitamins.
Tumors
Tumor in a cat.
Neoplasms - tumors - are mostly removed surgically, followed by restorative therapy.
Stress
Stressful situations do not require medication. Enough to provide to a pet favorable conditions: peace, balanced diet.
Treatment with traditional medicine
Solution on pomegranate peels.
good auxiliary will become ethnoscience. It is allowed to use pomegranate peel for diarrhea, which should be brewed, left for an hour, and given to the cat 3-4 times a day. You can use the walls of chicken stomachs, which are dried and ground into powder. Mix into food at every feeding.
A medicinal mixture of oak bark, chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow, bird cherry fruits and flowers, and blueberries in equal parts is poured with boiling water and infused. Give 30 ml four times a day.
Diet
The first day when loose stools occur, the cat needs to completely refuse food.
The food must be removed, but the water must be left and monitored for freshness.
Since during an illness it happens, should be ensured drinking plenty of fluids . The water must be fresh and clean.
On the second day Light, low-fat foods are gradually introduced into the diet: boiled chicken breast, lean broth, rice, liquid enveloping porridge. Specialized medicinal food for sensitive digestive systems. Continue this diet throughout the entire period of illness and rehabilitation.
After recovery, you can return to your previous regimen and eat the same food, but with caution.
Preventive measures
The most important component of prevention is love for the animal. Give Special attention nutrition, ensure that the animal’s food does not contain foods that irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines. Change the water in the drinking bowl on time, do not mix fresh food with yesterday's food. Prevent stressful situations, eliminate access to the trash can.
