Kitten's loose stool - what to do?

Diarrhea in kittens often happens. Sometimes the reasons are harmless, and sometimes you can not do without a visit to the veterinarian. How to understand the causes of the disorder and help the cat with diarrhea at home - consider below.

Getting into a new home, the kitten is completely under your responsibility. The young animal has not yet developed immunity and eating behavior skills. The task of the owners is to provide the animal with comfort, safety and a proper diet. It is you at first who should trace what your pet eats, and whether the food offered to him is well digested. If you notice that the cat is unwell, try to determine the causes of ill health and provide the necessary assistance to your pet.

How to identify the cause of diarrhea in a cat?

If the cat began to often go to the tray, leave an unpleasant smell or stain in the house, pay attention to his health. Typical signs of diarrhea include:

• loose stools with a pungent odor and unusual color: yellow, dark, with mucus;
• rapid bowel movements;
• fever;
• swollen tummy;
• lethargy, refusal to eat.

Sometimes diarrhea is accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms: vomiting, tearing or runny nose, strange behavior. If your pet has started to walk “big” with loose stools and behaves unusually, carefully probe his abdomen. Think that the kitten ate or drank, if he could swallow something inedible, if any of the people or other pets offended him.

If the cat has diarrhea, there may be several reasons for this:

• overeating or changing the usual diet;
• poisoning or allergies;
• infection;
• helminthic invasion;
• stress.

Natural causes of diarrhea in a domestic kitten

Diarrhea also occurs during the transition from ready-made food to homemade food or vice versa, during the testing of new options for feeding or using medicines. The body of the animal just needs to be given time to adapt. Also, some components, for example, protein, when plant food predominates, may be missing in the animal’s diet. In such cases, stools may become loose or loose, and bowel movements become more frequent. It is necessary to give your favorite activated carbon at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight and review the composition of its feed by adding meat and milk.

When the situation changes, the animals are nervous, this can also provoke an intestinal upset. Even adults are worried about moving, the appearance of new family members, guests, other pets, or even during simple cleaning. An inexperienced little kitten can get scared and stain. This happens involuntarily and quickly passes.

In such cases, no specific assistance is required. Calm the animal, carefully pick it up, caress, make it clear that it is safe. Put the usual things - toys, a feeding trough in a new place or bring a new acquaintance closer so that the cat gets used to it. Do not feed the kitten until the nerve peristalsis has calmed down.

Attention! In no case do not punish the cat if he is stained with loose stools. Even if he was already accustomed to the tray. Most likely, the animal feels bad and needs care and help.

When does a kitten need help with diarrhea?

Sometimes the cause of an intestinal upset in a cat is worms. Be sure to carry out prophylaxis, monitor the food of the kitten. Diarrhea in a baby can even cause mother's milk, which is infected with parasites.

Cats, like other animals, are allergic to certain types of food. If you have noticed more than once that a pet is not feeling well after eating some food, exclude this product from his diet.

The situation with poisoning is much more serious. If a kitten starts to vilify, it has fever, weakness, eyes or nose oozing - remember what it has been eating lately. If the animal swallows something inedible and dangerous - take it to the veterinarian immediately, most likely that washing will be necessary.

Eating spoiled or poisoned foods can cause intoxication. In such cases, it is necessary to remove the poison from the body. What can be done at home? Give the kitten a safe sorbent. It can be activated carbon, Smecta or Enterosgel. Do not use other medicines without consulting a doctor.

When a small immature kitten or domestic cat enters the field environment, their body is not adapted to external dangers, unlike street animals that have developed natural immunity. Unfortunately, cats are prone to certain diseases: plague, calicivirus and others. Therefore, anti-infection prophylaxis and vaccination should be carried out.

Attention! Do not treat your pet with antibiotics or other medicines without being examined and prescribed by a veterinarian. If you observe prolonged and severe symptoms of poisoning in an animal, consult a specialist. Sometimes the survival of the pet depends on this.

How to treat a cat for diarrhea at home, and when to see a doctor

In critical situations, it may be necessary to call a veterinarian. If the cat is very ill, it is better not to transport the animal, so as not to overload the stress of an already weakened kitten. For what signs should I urgently consult a veterinarian:

• when the kitten walks with loose stools for more than 2 days;
• when the animal has an elevated body temperature;
• if there are concomitant anxiety symptoms;
• if blood is present in the stool;
• if the kitten has cramps or he loses consciousness.

What to do on your own?

1. First of all, remove all food from the kitten. Adult cats usually refuse to eat themselves, but the baby can panic and begin to eat everything. In the case of diarrhea, digestion temporarily does not work, so eating food will only aggravate the situation. Usually a hungry diet is arranged for 12 hours, it is safe for the animal. If the symptoms do not go away, the cat is not fed for a day.
2. Water the kitten with water. With diarrhea, there is an increased loss of moisture and important electrolytes. Provide the pet with a full drinker, and if he himself does not fit the water, use a pipette to help the animal. To restore water balance, you can use Regidron.
3. Do not wrap the cat, but provide access to fresh air, and also make sure that it does not freeze.
4. If the sorbents did not help and the kitten is still bad, contact a veterinarian.
5. After fasting, you need to start with light food, for example, give your pet three-day kefir and boiled rice. When the negative symptoms have passed, the kitten will need to regain strength, so as soon as the stool becomes normal, add meat and vitamins to the diet. You may need to consult a veterinarian who will prescribe a probiotic to restore normal metabolism in the animal.

What to do to prevent diarrhea:

1. Try not to give the cat too oily food.
2. Watch what your pet does on a walk so that he does not eat waste and suspicious pieces.
3. Inoculate an animal from diseases and worms.
4. Keep track of the quality of the products you give the animal. Remember that the cat should not eat up all the remains write from the table, the animal organism perceives some products differently than the human one.
5. When changing the diet, make a smooth transition, gradually adding new foods to the usual food.
6. Keep track of what household chemicals you use. Poorly washed off aggressive agents can settle on the paws and hair of a cat. Remember that cats lick themselves and can accidentally poison themselves.

Ask your veterinarian what kind of vitamin supplements an animal needs for normal health and digestion.

Video: what to do if a pet has diarrhea