Veterinary care for the most difficult of patients
April 8, 2024 6:21 PM Subscribe
My sweet, rambunctious 3-4-year-old cat has ongoing digestive issues and fights my attempts to help her. What do I do? Detailed description of cat poop inside.
First things first, I'm not even totally sure which one of my two cats is the one with digestive problems, since I swear I've seen them both have diarrhea separately. I saw the cat I initially suspected of being sick have diarrhea this morning, though, so for now I am assuming that she is the one having issues.
Basically what happens is, when she poops, it finishes up with a little diarrhea. This diarrhea sometimes, but not always, has a little drop or streak of blood in it, and tends to have a fair amount of mucous. It's just a little blood, but concerning none-the-less. She does not poop more than usual at all--she's still going once a day--and it's not pouring out of her the way diarrhea sometimes does. It's a normal poop and then suddenly it's runny. She also vomits more often than usual when it's flaring up, maybe once or twice a day. She eats well and acts pretty normal even when she has diarrhea, though she's seemed more tired than usual lately.
When it first started I took her to the vet and got probiotics, a special food, and each cat got dewormed. It cleared up quickly for about two months and now the diarrhea and vomiting are back. It's really such a tiny tiny amount of diarrhea but I know it shouldn't be happening. The problem is, I'm not entirely sure which cat it is, and both cats are FIGHTING my attempts to help them. I gave her her special food tonight with the delicious meat flavored probiotic sprinkled on top and she refused to eat it. I can get more churros to feed it to her that way, but if she's not going to eat the food I don't know what to do.
Does anyone have any tips to navigate this, especially with two cats? Part of me feels like I need a camera to see which cat is the one with diarrhea but I really don't want cameras in my bathroom and bedroom. How do you get cats to eat a special diet, or do literally ANYTHING they don't want to do?? I don't think you can and I'm at a loss on how to help them.
Also, what could this be? Is there anything I should ask the vet? They alluded to potential IBD when we were last there, which would be unfortunate, so I'm hoping it's not that, but what else could it be? What causes a little bit of bloody diarrhea just occasionally? It's really odd.
First things first, I'm not even totally sure which one of my two cats is the one with digestive problems, since I swear I've seen them both have diarrhea separately. I saw the cat I initially suspected of being sick have diarrhea this morning, though, so for now I am assuming that she is the one having issues.
Basically what happens is, when she poops, it finishes up with a little diarrhea. This diarrhea sometimes, but not always, has a little drop or streak of blood in it, and tends to have a fair amount of mucous. It's just a little blood, but concerning none-the-less. She does not poop more than usual at all--she's still going once a day--and it's not pouring out of her the way diarrhea sometimes does. It's a normal poop and then suddenly it's runny. She also vomits more often than usual when it's flaring up, maybe once or twice a day. She eats well and acts pretty normal even when she has diarrhea, though she's seemed more tired than usual lately.
When it first started I took her to the vet and got probiotics, a special food, and each cat got dewormed. It cleared up quickly for about two months and now the diarrhea and vomiting are back. It's really such a tiny tiny amount of diarrhea but I know it shouldn't be happening. The problem is, I'm not entirely sure which cat it is, and both cats are FIGHTING my attempts to help them. I gave her her special food tonight with the delicious meat flavored probiotic sprinkled on top and she refused to eat it. I can get more churros to feed it to her that way, but if she's not going to eat the food I don't know what to do.
Does anyone have any tips to navigate this, especially with two cats? Part of me feels like I need a camera to see which cat is the one with diarrhea but I really don't want cameras in my bathroom and bedroom. How do you get cats to eat a special diet, or do literally ANYTHING they don't want to do?? I don't think you can and I'm at a loss on how to help them.
Also, what could this be? Is there anything I should ask the vet? They alluded to potential IBD when we were last there, which would be unfortunate, so I'm hoping it's not that, but what else could it be? What causes a little bit of bloody diarrhea just occasionally? It's really odd.
My cat has IBD. We bopped around looking for other explanations for a long time, including chronic pancreatitis, but I wish we had treated for IBD earlier. Diet changes helped, but ultimately steroids made her life so, so much better.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 7:49 PM on April 8
posted by ceramicspaniel at 7:49 PM on April 8
My cat had similar poops, with a bit of blood and mucus as you describe, and then, after a couple years, it turned into full-on, uncontrollable diarrhea. A vet visit suggested either IBS or a form of cancer, but the vet said it was the "best cancer" a cat could have since it's treated the same as IBS and can still provide the cat many years of life. I don't have a specific diagnosis since I didn't want to subject her to a biopsy while she was going through this, but she doesn't have the symptoms that would suggest cancer (she still has healthy weight, appetite, energy, etc.).
As ceramicspaniel suggests, steroids are what ultimately did the trick (after trying probiotics, prescription food, antibiotics), and she is *so much* better. Her stools are normal, no diarrhea, no mucus, no blood. She does get a maintenance dose of steroids every other day, which she doesn't love but tolerates (I squirt a liquid down her throat from a syringe), but it's so worth it for how much healthier she is!
posted by Ms. Toad at 6:00 AM on April 9
As ceramicspaniel suggests, steroids are what ultimately did the trick (after trying probiotics, prescription food, antibiotics), and she is *so much* better. Her stools are normal, no diarrhea, no mucus, no blood. She does get a maintenance dose of steroids every other day, which she doesn't love but tolerates (I squirt a liquid down her throat from a syringe), but it's so worth it for how much healthier she is!
posted by Ms. Toad at 6:00 AM on April 9
I had a not quite the same but similar experience with a cat that turned out to be a chicken allergy. Have you checked the protein source on their food? If there is chicken in there, consider moving them to a non-poultry food. This isn't easy.... chicken is in almost everything. Grrr. But, it is possible.... Look for a single protein food like duck or venison.
Salmon is also a common allergy protein but you can try that and see if the cat(s) so not react.
Make sure to read the labels! Even food labeled as single protein that isn't chicken may still have chicken in it. (Frustrating!) One thing my vet told me is that very specifically "chicken meal" doesn't cause the same allergic reaction as other forms of chicken on an ingredient label. I had mixed success with this, but the Hills CD urinary diet wet food was OK for my chicken allergic cat.
(PS.... cat tax plx/thx) ;)
ETA: My cat did end up on steroids too, he had some IBS, probably from my not catching this early enough and not giving him quality food early in life. :( One thing to note about long term steroid use is it can lead to diabetes. I wish my vet had warned me about that before the cat ended up diabetic!
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 8:32 AM on April 9
Salmon is also a common allergy protein but you can try that and see if the cat(s) so not react.
Make sure to read the labels! Even food labeled as single protein that isn't chicken may still have chicken in it. (Frustrating!) One thing my vet told me is that very specifically "chicken meal" doesn't cause the same allergic reaction as other forms of chicken on an ingredient label. I had mixed success with this, but the Hills CD urinary diet wet food was OK for my chicken allergic cat.
(PS.... cat tax plx/thx) ;)
ETA: My cat did end up on steroids too, he had some IBS, probably from my not catching this early enough and not giving him quality food early in life. :( One thing to note about long term steroid use is it can lead to diabetes. I wish my vet had warned me about that before the cat ended up diabetic!
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 8:32 AM on April 9
Be sure to have the cats tested for Tritrichomonas by the PCR pouch test. It's a protozoal parasite (like Giardia) and requires a very specific treatment. It's not something routinely tested for in the vet office like a fecal flotation test. The test is a little pricey but with a history like this I would be sure to rule it out before you go on a roller coaster ride of special diets and medications like steroids that have significant side effects and don't treat the underlying issue. IBD is a diagnosis of biopsy and/or exclusion. This is an important one to exclude, especially in a young cat.
posted by SinAesthetic at 11:38 AM on April 9
posted by SinAesthetic at 11:38 AM on April 9
Response by poster: The difficult patient
Ok so a couple of follow up questions. I’ve considered that it’s a food allergy, but would her symptoms come and go if that were the case? I feel like she would have problems all the time but I don’t know. I’d love it if it were just a food allergy. Also—HOW do you get a cat to switch diets if the cat would rather DIE than change food?? I know I don’t feed either cat the greatest food, but when I tried switching to something healthier they went on a hunger strike and made it very clear they would strike til the better end, or until I restarted their fancy feast gravy.
Secondly, I called the vet today and they told me to restart the special food and probiotic and…. That’s it. Is that really all we’re doing for bloody diarrhea these days? They told me to only bring her in if she stops eating. I got her into a different vet for another opinion but I have no idea if I just need to adjust my expectations or if the first vet should do more.
posted by Amy93 at 2:13 PM on April 9
Ok so a couple of follow up questions. I’ve considered that it’s a food allergy, but would her symptoms come and go if that were the case? I feel like she would have problems all the time but I don’t know. I’d love it if it were just a food allergy. Also—HOW do you get a cat to switch diets if the cat would rather DIE than change food?? I know I don’t feed either cat the greatest food, but when I tried switching to something healthier they went on a hunger strike and made it very clear they would strike til the better end, or until I restarted their fancy feast gravy.
Secondly, I called the vet today and they told me to restart the special food and probiotic and…. That’s it. Is that really all we’re doing for bloody diarrhea these days? They told me to only bring her in if she stops eating. I got her into a different vet for another opinion but I have no idea if I just need to adjust my expectations or if the first vet should do more.
posted by Amy93 at 2:13 PM on April 9
A food trial didn't work for our gremlin, who also has a suspected diagnosis of IBD. He refused to eat everything we tried (and we tried everything). So he still gets to eat his previous potentially triggering food, but he gets daily steroids and a weekly B12 shot. Diarrhea has stopped recurring since this regimen. If my vet kept insisting on a new food knowing that this isn't working for me, and also knowing that cats are notoriously picky about diets, I would switch vet practices.
posted by It Was Capitalism All Along at 7:03 PM on April 9
posted by It Was Capitalism All Along at 7:03 PM on April 9
My chicken allergic definitely had intermittent poo issues. Once I got him on a venison dry and the Hills CD wet that was fish based though.... if he accidentally got served chicken.... ooof. We are talking about crime-scene levels of carnage.
As for getting them to eat different food, you can try a more spaced out version of the trick where you give them 1/4 new +3/4 old for a week or so, 1/2 new+1/2 old for a week or so, 3/4 new + 1/4 old for a week or so, and then 100% new. Start out with maybe 1/8 new food and verrrrry slowly keep adding more?
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 7:06 AM on April 10
As for getting them to eat different food, you can try a more spaced out version of the trick where you give them 1/4 new +3/4 old for a week or so, 1/2 new+1/2 old for a week or so, 3/4 new + 1/4 old for a week or so, and then 100% new. Start out with maybe 1/8 new food and verrrrry slowly keep adding more?
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 7:06 AM on April 10
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Is the spot of blood bright red? The other thing that I read was that since the color is a sign that the problem is in the colon and not higher up (since the blood would have oxidized and be browner/darker), it could be that (counterintuitively since diarrhea is a problem) some more fiber in the form of canned pumpkin would help digestion. I add a heaping tablespoon to their morning meal every day as a preventative because one of the cats likes to eat non-food items. The canned pumpkin in the baking aisle of the grocery store is the cheapest option.
Lastly, is the vomit clear or is it mostly food? The other thing that helped us (with vomiting) was to raise their bowls (we just stuck them on top of those three-level ball towers). If you mix lots of water in with each meal, they can't snarf it down as quickly and have to slow down and lap it up.
Also cat tax pls, aka, photos of your cats!
posted by spamandkimchi at 7:17 PM on April 8 [1 favorite]