Cat diarrhoea: causes, care, when to worry

Cat diarrhoea (diarrhea in US spelling) means soft, liquid or watery stools, often passed more often than usual, sometimes with mucus or a little fresh blood. Cornell Feline Health Center says most bouts are short and clear up on their own or with a change of diet. Common triggers are a sudden change of food, milk, stress such as a car trip or a stay away from home, and intestinal worms, which are more common in kittens. Keep fresh water available, offer small meals of a simple, easily digested food, and never give human medicine. See a vet if the diarrhoea lasts more than a day or two and your cat is off its food, tired or vomiting, if the stools are black and tarry or contain a lot of blood, or if the cat is a kitten. Longer bouts can signal parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid, kidney or liver disease, or cat parvo. In Malaysia it is often called kucing cirit birit.

This is general information from a grooming and boarding team, not veterinary advice. PGH is a groomer and pet hotel, not a vet clinic. If your cat is unwell, see a vet.

What does diarrhoea look like in a cat?

Healthy cat stools are brown, firm and well formed. International Cat Care lists these signs of diarrhoea:

• Soft, liquid or watery stools.
• A change of colour, lighter or darker than usual, or a jelly-like coating of mucus.
• Going more often than normal, or straining.
• Mucus or fresh red blood in the stool.
• Other signs such as vomiting, a poor appetite or tiredness.

If your cat goes outdoors, you may not see the stools at all. Look instead for soft faeces stuck to the fur under the tail, weight loss, or accidents in the house.

Diarrhoea happens when food moves through the gut too fast. The intestines absorb less water, nutrients and electrolytes such as potassium, which is why a cat with severe diarrhoea can become dehydrated.

What causes diarrhoea in cats?

Cornell Feline Health Center groups the causes into short, harmless bouts and signs of a deeper problem.

Usually short-lived:

• A sudden change of food. An abrupt switch can cause a few days of diarrhoea. Change food gradually over several days.
• Milk and dairy. Many cats are lactose intolerant. Cornell does not recommend milk as a treat.
• Stress. A long car trip or a stay away from home can bring on a brief episode of loose stools.
• Kittens moving to solid food, as their gut adjusts.

Parasites, which Cornell says are common, and more common in kittens:

• Roundworms affect 25% to 75% of cats. Kittens can catch them through their mother's milk.
• Hookworms can cause diarrhoea and weight loss. Severe cases cause black, tarry stools from blood loss.
• Coccidia rarely trouble adult cats but can cause mucousy diarrhoea in kittens.
• Giardia infects fewer than 5% of cats, and most infected cats show no signs.

Longer or repeated bouts can be caused by inflammatory bowel disease, an infection, a tumour such as lymphoma, an overactive thyroid, kidney or liver disease, or feline panleukopenia (cat parvo). Our cat parvo guide covers the signs of that emergency.

Is my cat's diarrhoea OK at home, or does it need a vet today?

Sign	Watch at home	See a vet today
Stools	Soft, once or twice, cat otherwise bright	Watery, many times a day, or still loose after a day or two
Blood	None, or a small streak once	A lot of blood, or black, tarry stools
Eating and drinking	Eating and drinking normally	Off its food, or not drinking
Vomiting	None	Vomiting as well
Energy	Normal	Tired, hiding or weak
How long	Settling within a day or two	More than a few days, or keeps coming back
Age and health	Healthy adult cat	Kitten, or a cat with another illness

Cornell says a cat whose diarrhoea lasts longer than a day or two and which also has a poor appetite, tiredness or vomiting should see a vet as soon as possible. International Cat Care adds that a small amount of fresh blood is not an emergency but should still be checked, while black, tarry stools can mean bleeding higher up in the gut and need a vet.

Before the visit, note how often your cat goes, what the stools look like, and whether there is straining, blood or mucus. If you can, bring a fresh stool sample. Vets test stool samples for parasites and harmful bacteria. If you need a clinic nearby, see vet clinics in Subang Jaya and USJ.

How can I care for a cat with diarrhoea at home?

For a mild bout in a healthy adult cat that is still bright and eating:

1. Water first. Keep fresh water close by at all times. Do not take water away. With severe diarrhoea, your vet may suggest an electrolyte solution.
2. Small, simple meals. International Cat Care says a simple, highly digestible diet often helps, whatever the cause. Ask your vet which food to use. Only withhold food if your vet tells you to.
3. No milk, treats or new foods until the stools are normal.
4. Change food slowly once your cat is well, mixing the new food into the old over several days. Our cat food guide covers what to check on the label.
5. Clean the litter tray daily and wash your hands afterwards.
6. Keep the fur under the tail clean with a damp cloth so it does not stay soiled.

If the diarrhoea has not settled within a day or two, or your cat gets worse, stop home care and see a vet.

Can I give my cat medicine for diarrhoea?

Do not give human medicine. Cornell Feline Health Center says some over-the-counter medicines can harm cats, and that a vet should examine the cat as soon as signs appear. Paracetamol, for example, is dangerous to cats. Our cat flu guide explains why.

That is the honest answer to "ubat cirit birit kucing". The right treatment depends on the cause. International Cat Care lists what a vet may use:

• A special diet, such as a gut-friendly or hydrolysed diet.
• Probiotics and prebiotics to support healthy gut bacteria.
• Fluids for a dehydrated cat.
• Dewormers or antibiotics if parasites or a bacterial infection are found.
• Anti-inflammatory medicine for inflammatory bowel disease.
• Vitamin B12 if a deficiency is found.

Why is diarrhoea more serious in kittens?

Cornell says kittens are at higher risk as their gut adjusts to solid food. Roundworms are more common in kittens, and coccidia cause real disease in kittens while rarely troubling adult cats. Untreated roundworm infection can cause life-threatening anaemia.

Cat parvo (feline panleukopenia) is the biggest worry. It causes fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration, and kittens and unvaccinated cats are most at risk. The core combination vaccine protects against it. If a kitten has diarrhoea, especially with vomiting, weakness or a poor appetite, take it to a vet promptly rather than waiting.

Ask your vet for a deworming schedule for a new kitten, and keep its food the same for the first weeks at home.

Can people catch anything from a cat with diarrhoea?

Some causes can. Cornell says the roundworm Toxocara can infect people and, though rare, can damage organs and the eyes. Hookworm larvae in contaminated soil can get into human skin. The coccidia that infect cats cannot cause disease in people.

Good hygiene removes most of the risk:

• Clean the litter tray every day.
• Wash your hands after handling the tray, the cat's back end or soiled bedding.
• Use separate bowls and trays if you have other cats, since parasites such as Giardia pass between cats.

Can a cat with diarrhoea be groomed or board at PGH?

Not while it has diarrhoea. A groom or a hotel stay is stressful, and stress alone can bring on loose stools. What PGH asks:

• Signs of illness. PGH may decline a pet that shows signs of illness at check-in, to protect the other guests. Reschedule, and book again once your cat is well.
• Bring your cat's own food for a stay, so its diet stays the same. A sudden change of food is one of the most common causes of diarrhoea.
• Vaccination. Every cat that boards needs at least one combination vaccine. Kittens with one vaccination board at the owner's own risk.
• Emergency care. Owners consent to emergency medical care if needed and bear its cost.

If your cat has a sensitive stomach, tell us when you book. Our first-stay checklist has more ways to keep a stay calm. Once your cat has recovered, a long-haired cat may need the fur under its tail tidied. A sanitary shave is part of every basic cat groom. Rooms and rates are on the cat hotel page.