12 y.o. cat with loose stools - is there any way to harden them?

1. 59

   lkimball2posted 14 years ago

   12 y.o. cat with loose stools - is there any way to harden them?
   
   I have a 12 y.o. male, mixed cat (and 3 other cats plus 3 dogs). This particular cat has had.loose stools since I got him at age 2. By loose stools, I mean explosive diarrhea. Over the past year, he has started going outside the litter box (on the stairs, carpet, floors) and with diarrhea, he is ruining the house. The vet says he is healthy, but is there anything I can do to harden up his stools? I have tried different foods over the years, but nothing works.

   replyreport
2. 71

   retellectposted 14 years ago

   Have you tried feeding him dry food? When we moved house we had to make the cat live in the conservatory. The change for some reason gave her really bad diarrhea too, I started feeding her gocat dry food and also completely wiped out feeding her wet food. That helped alot and those dried meat treats stopped it completely - some people called the treat "cat sausages" or "cat sticks." I love cats

   replyreport
3. 59

   lkimball2posted 14 years ago

   Actually, my cats eat dry food only, with the exception of splitting a can of wet food between the four of them on Sundays. The wet food is their weekly treat. So even with eating dry food for 10 years, he still has diarrhea.
   He is the alpha male cat so it's not like the other cats are beating him up and stressing him out. It's the pooping all over the house that has me freaked out.

   replyreport
4. 59

   TheWriterIVYposted 14 years ago

   Just saw your question and I can tell you from experience {have had 25-30 cats on my property at any given time} - While your vet says there is nothing wrong with him, loose stools suggests some type of bacteria or a problem with his digestive tract. Is he drinking enough water? Where is he drinking the water from? - IE: streams, old water, etc. - Keep an eye on that if you can because that could be the issue. I make my cats homemade treats with peanut butter, soy and wheat germ. Do it like cookies but use a small amount with a drop method from a teaspoon; bake them for about ten minutes and cut them up and see if he will eat those. Also, try putting a little pepto on your finger and let him lick that off - that has helped as well...just a tiny bit though. Let me know if this helps.

   replyreport
5. 61

   hospitaleraposted 14 years ago

   Change your vet! A cat that has "explosive diarrhea" is not healthy! Perhaps a food allergy? You wrote that you feed only dry food with wet food on Sundays as a treat. It might well be that the cat is allergic to one or more of the ingredients. We give our cat only raw food (chicken necks and chicken hearts amongst other meat, all raw, nothing cooked) and he is in a great shape with his 13 years. SY

   replyreport
6. 52

   Mountgirlposted 14 years ago

   You can try adding psyllium to your cat's food.  Make sure he has plenty of water available, or make a gravy of some food mixed with water and the psyllium.  Psyllium and water create a gut soothing goo that tends to moderate the amount of liquid in the stool. Guts with too little fluid loosen up, and a gut with too much fluid will 'tighten up'.  The goo helps an irritated gut heal, so it is less inflamed, and more likely to keep the contents inside long enough to be digested properly.  Psyllium is the active ingredient in Metamucil, and viewed as very safe.  Many 'health food' stores carry pysllium in their bulk herb/spice sections.  I would try 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon once a day.

   replyreport
7. 61

   GaryPorterposted 13 years ago

   There are no easy answers in such situations.  If it were
   easy there would already be a self-help book written for
   our feline friends.  So if I am understanding this correctly, you are asking about ways to harden your mixed cat's stools?
   Are on the same page here?  I certainly hope so.  Oh, where
   do I begin and how do I maintain my balance and sensatvity?
   Well sometimes I guess you have to be bold and just lay it
   all out there, so here goes.  In most homes we have an
   appliance called a refrigerator.  There in lies the solution. 
   It is called refrigeration.  In the refrigerator lies a freezer.
   Now with that being said I recomment  using not the family
   refrigeration but an old used one or perhaps a small ice
   box that would be segregated from direct family usage.  If
   used properly those parcels will harden up so much you
   would easily  be able to skip them accross your favorite pond.
   Now what would have prevented this alarming situation
   for kittty?  Chilled cheese balls.  Preferably soaked in
   Chianti Wine to also help relax kitty, thus enhancing his
   freedom of movement which apparently was not so much
   of an issue in the first place.

   replyreport
8. 79

   AnnaCiaposted 12 years ago

   Hospitalera, I love your answer.  I would disregard the vet's answer.  That is not healthy.  I would give it dry food.  Make sure to provide plenty of water too. If it continues, take it to another vet.  and have some tests done to make sure is not a bacteria or no allergy related.

   replyreport
9. 83

   ii3rittlesposted 10 years ago

   Pumpkin works. It is great for dogs as well. Just make sure he stays hydrated. Add some clear unflavored pedialyte to his water. Avoid milk/cheese. Pumpkin in can is fine, the kind you use for pies and such. Just mix half a teaspoon in with some canned food. Some cats love the taste by itself so you can try it just plain as well.

   replyreport