Cat with diarrhoea

[carew]

We went on holiday in mid May and put our 19 year old indoor cat in the cattery we always use. On returning in late May it was clear the cat wasn't right as he was barely eating. This was at the start of the hot spell so put it down to that. After much trial and error we found a food he enjoyed but since then he has had pretty severe diarrhoea. We have had to cover areas at night with sheeting as we usually wake to a terrible smell, go downstairs and find a pile. We have been to the vet who has taken bloods and has said that it could be an infection or bowel cancer but at 19 he wouldn't recommend the cat undergoing a procedure to rule out cancer (presumably a biopsy). So he has prescribed antibiotics in the hope that this help

Has anyone experienced anything similar? To me it's too much of a coincidence that he spends 2 weeks in a cattery and feel he's picked up something there. Granted we didn't help matters on his return as when feeding him in his outside pen we wouldn't clear uneaten food away quickly thus resulting in flies on his food which he then sometimes ate.

We have decided that we owe it to him to give him every chance but if the antibiotics don't work we will have to do the unmentionable.

[rossub]

Doesn’t answer the question, but putting a 19 year old cat in a cattery for two weeks is extremely selfish.

Say what you like in return, it just is. At 19, he’s unlikely to have long left and didn’t need that stress.

[Mobile Chicane]

Scrumbles wet tins have helped my kittens which had diarrhoea coming from a scumbag breeder. It's meant to be good for sensitive guts and I concur that it is.

[Crook]

Generally we have done small amounts of boiled (and cooled) white rice and chicken. Very small portions spaced out over 15-25 minutes to allow the stomach to deal with it.
The analogy was someone throwing you tennis balls; 10 all at once, no chance, one at a time and it makes it easier.

I'm not saying you should do this but it's what I've done and it's worked absent of any obvious infection / illness.

[SlimJim16v]

It's worth trying probiotics. Fortiflora or Kolin. Ours had diarrhea when we got them and it wasn't until they had some teeth out and were given antibiotics and Fortiflora afterwards that it cleared up.

[Crook]

Good call on the fortiflora.

[Shatner'sBassoon]

Try acidophilus (probiotic powder) in capsule form available from Holland and Barrett and other healthfood shops - open the capsule and mix into the food. Has sorted my dogs out many times after eating something unsavoury. Also sorted an adopted kitten we had many years ago who had the chronic s**ts and was losing weight. Antibiotics kill all gut fauna, both good and bad. Acidophilus helps restore the good stuff.

Edited by Shatner'sBassoon on Friday 24th July 20:48

[PhilboSE]

Maybe get a stool sample tested for giardia - had a similar problem with an older cat.