Help With Cat Who Has Ibs?
Posted by Zolly | Under Nutrition Tuesday Dec 1, 2009At least i think she has IBS, she goes from severe diarrhea (almost water) to constipation and not pooing for 3 days. Im not feeding her anything in particular constantly because im still searching for something that will work. I only feed holistic food, and have tried wellness core, go natural, oven baked, as well as some other store brand holistics. Only premium though. I have no problem forking out money for my cat’s nutrition. Now for some backround, I have had her for 3 months, shes a rescue, just under 2 years old, and a purebred extreme faced persian. Other than the diarrhea/constipation spells she is perfect, shiny, low shedding coat, bright eyes, very active, pees regularily. Some other symptoms i have noticed is her stool is very smelly, her breath stinks and shes often hungry meowing for food. She was seen by a vet through the adoption process, spayed, and had a general check and all shots.
The reason i ask about this is i am wondering if there are any supplements i can include in her diet or a specific food that will help, or any ingredients in food that i should be looking for. Now for the biggest problem: canned food is out of the question, oddly enough she will NOT eat it, no matter what kind, not even real chicken or tuna. She will not touch any wet food or even moist treats. Dry kibble is the only thing she will eat.
Please only reply if you have knowledge on this subject or have first hand experience.
Do not tell me im a bad pet owner for not immediatly seeking a vet, my cat is fine and in good health other than this. Plus i cannot get into the vet for at least another week.
Your cat needs to see a vet immediately. This is serious and she will continue to go downhill until she receives proper treatment.
She should be seen a your vet no later than Monday. This is not a matter of supplements or diet changes. Something is wrong and needs to be taken care of.
good luck!
It’s very good that you are going to see your vet, as this is definitely something that need professional help. It is important that she is seen as soon as you can make an appointment. Chronic diarrhea can deplete your cat’s body of water and electrolytes and put her at risk for things like organ failure. Unless she has a severe food allergy, there is nothing dietary that can help her. Cats (and many animals) can be very sensitive to switching foods, so if you find something that you think will work, stick with that for a while. It doesn’t need to be expensive, canned, or holistic, a good brand name food is fine.
Quick check on some basic things:
Has she been dewormed? This can cause a myriad of GI signs.
Is her abdomen sore at all? Can you feel all around it without her showing signs of pain?
Does her breath smell like ammonia? This could indicate organ failure and is a serious concern.
Cats are notorious for getting pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), and they sometimes like to combine that with liver problems as well, those naughty little devils.
Has she recently lost a lot of weight? This can complicate the above, or be a problem on its own, if it causes something called “hepatic lipidosis”.
Are the feces dark/black? This can mean digested blood, meaning she is bleeding into her digestive tract.
Have you fed her raw meat or eggs? This can lead to food poisoning just like in humans.
There are various viruses and bacteria, as well as neoplasia (benign or malignant tumors, etc.). Cats, especially purebreds, do get Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), but you still need to see the vet to rule out anything else and to make sure she is not losing electrolytes or upsetting the pH of her blood. She is a little young; it usually hits cats a few years older than she is. If she does have IBD you and your vet will have to work on finding a food that is least irritating to her.
I love cats and hope yours is just going through a rough patch, but if she becomes depressed at any point, please consider it an emergency.
IBS usually results in a sensitivity to certain proteins in their food. Dietary management is the normal approach, trying to find a meat protein source they are not sensitive to. Often that is rabbit, venison or duck.
Steroids are sometimes used to reduce bowel inflammation.
Science Diet has prescription dry kibble for sensitive cats containing proteins they may not have encountered before. Natural Balance also has a dry kibble with duck. There are likely others.