Vomiting and diarrhea

Vomiting and diarrhea are common in cats. Both are symptoms of other conditions rather than diseases in their own right and there is a vast range of cat diseases in which diarrhea and/or vomiting may occur. In many cases the problem may be successfully treated without ever pinpointing the actual cause. However, the information that you give your veterinarian may be vital in deciding whether the case is serious enough to need detailed investigations.

Diarrhea occurs when the normal function of the large bowel (intestine) is disturbed. The large bowel is responsible for absorbing water from the gut. Large amounts of very liquid feces (droppings) are produced. Vomiting occurs when stomach juices are expelled from the mouth. It is important to distinguish vomiting from regurgitation. Regurgitation only occurs after a meal and the material will have visible lumps of undigested food which are often eaten again. True vomiting involves big contractions of the abdominal muscles, the material is more fluid and your cat will show signs of distress. The causes of both diarrhea and vomiting include viral, bacterial or parasitic infections; changes in diet, stress or excitement, poisonous drugs or chemicals, blockages or damage to the digestive system or other body organs.

It is often difficult to know that your cat has diarrhea if it goes to the toilet outside the house and immediately covers up the feces (droppings) with soil. But the problem becomes obvious if it uses a litter box, if it has an accident indoors or in long haired cats whose back ends can become soiled with diarrhea. A cat will readily vomit indoors.

Both diarrhea and vomiting occur as short lived (acute) conditions lasting 1-2 days which will often clear up on their own, and as long-term (chronic) problems which are usually more serious. If your cat does not appear to be in distress or be losing weight, all you may need to do is to withhold all food for a day and then give your cat small amounts of cooked fish, chicken or some other food which is easily digested. Make sure clean fresh water is available but do not give milk.

If vomiting or diarrhea is continuous for more than 24 hours, despite withholding food, your cat could become dangerously dehydrated and should be taken to your veterinarian. Contact them sooner if a kitten is ill (because they get dehydrated more quickly than adults), if there is blood in the vomit or diarrhea, if the feces (droppings) are of a black and tarry appearance. Never treat your cat yourself with drugs from your own medicine cabinet because some human drugs are poisonous to cats.

Your veterinarian will manage acute diarrhea or vomiting by withholding food unless your cat is dehydrated then it may be given fluids and essential minerals by mouth or injection. Your veterinarian may not give antibiotics because bacterial infections are one of the rarer causes of these problems and because ‘good’ bacteria are always present in a normal gut, antibiotics (which kill these too) could actually make the problem worse.

Your veterinarian will ask you questions about the cat, such as:

• Is it ill or depressed?
• Has it eaten any unusual foods?
• Is there anything unusual about the color and smell of its feces (droppings) or vomit?
• When and how often is it being sick or having diarrhea?
• Are there other cats in the household and have these too been affected?
• Has the cat been hunting or scavenging left over human food?
• Has it been given any medical treatment or been exposed to any potential poisons?
• Think about these questions before going to your veterinarian and see if you can identify any possible reason why your cat may be ill.

If the illness continues for more than a couple of days it may be necessary for your veterinarian to carry out a range of tests to find out the cause of the problem. A small sample of your cat’s feces (droppings) will be examined for bacterial infections or parasites in the gut. Blood tests may also be taken to check for infection, kidney or liver disorders. An x-ray may be needed to see if there is anything abnormal in the gut. Sometimes your veterinarian will put an endoscope into your cats’ stomach and intestine to try and see the cause of the problem and a small biopsy sample of intestine may be removed for examination.

Digestive upsets are unpleasant for you and your cat but in most cases your cat will be better within 1 to 2 days. If your cat is not improving after 24 hours make an appointment with your veterinarian for further advice.