loose stools in a cat due to food sensitivity

12 years ago

The now three year old cat that we got from a shelter last year has had loose stools ever since we got him. He had parasites - treated and retreated - and multiple stool samples tested negative since then. So the vet thinks it is a food sensitivity thing and to try different food.

How long does one need to be on the new food before one concludes that the new food is not working?

This cat also had terribly bad breath and gas and those two problems resolved shortly after I started giving him probiotics. The loose stools improved slightly but not much.

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Comments (10)

annzgw
12 years ago
Was he tested/treated for Giardia? It can cause the symptoms you're seeing.
3katz4me
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes - multiple times.
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harebelle
12 years ago
One of my IBD cats presented with loose, foul-smelling stool. He's had radiography and ultrasounds done, but I decided to not have him put under yet again for a biopsy (WHY would the doctor NOT get a biopsy when the cat was under that one time???) so nothing is confirmed. Pancreatitis is also suspected, in fact his doctor thinks Triad syndrome. His breath isn't bad though. His problems haven't been such a frequent trouble since I stopped all dry food. And he no longer is fed poultry of any kind. Still flares but once or twice annually instead of almost every month.

Really bad breath sounds a little like renal issues or gingivitis/stomatitis or ???. You said that the vet tested for giardia but have any other diagnostics been done yet?

You must be at wits' end trying to solve the problem.
3katz4me
Original Author
12 years ago
He's had all kinds of tests and everything looks good. I guess that may be why the vet thinks it's food. I actually thought I saw something rather formed in the box this morning and I'm 99% sure it came from him but there is a small chance it was one of the other two. Maybe I just need to continue a while longer with the new food. I probably should call the vet and ask this question also. It's a relatively minor problem compared to my other old cat who doesn't always use the litter box. I do feel at times like my entire life is consumed by the bodily functions of my cats....
harebelle
12 years ago
I do feel at times like my entire life is consumed by the bodily functions of my cats....

Wow, you sure said it! Please hang in there. These things aren't easy to bring under control. You have plenty of empathy.
3katz4me
Original Author
12 years ago
Woo-hoo!!!!! I saw him leave a nice cigar shaped dropping in the box this afternoon! Who would have thought one could get so excited about the shape and consistency of poop. Maybe the new food is working .
jonereb
12 years ago
Gibby, what food are you now using? My cat has similar issues. Vets thinks it Irritable Bowel and had me switch food. We tried a few and settled on Nature's Balance Green Pea and Duck. It contains no grains, which helped. My problem is that my cat doesn't consistently use the litter box. We have two cats...two litter boxes. He'll go anywhere...no favorite place.
3katz4me
Original Author
12 years ago
Ironically when he was having the problems he was eating Natural Balance Duck and Pea because that's what my IBD cat was eating. He was also eating some Wellness canned grain free food because IBD cat was also eating that. So I thought it couldn't be the food because I thought he was eating good food for sensitive intestinal issues.

Vet said to switch the food though to any other kind of food. So he is now eating Natural Balance weight reduction food - exclusively - since he also needs to lose some weight.

Fortunately he is a good boy and goes in the litter box. When he was having the runs though I would some times see him making a mad dash for the box like he thought he wasn't going to make it in time. And sometimes it looked like he barely made it before he let loose. He doesn't have that problem any more.
jonereb
12 years ago
Is you using wet or dry Natural Balance weight reduction food?
3katz4me
Original Author
12 years ago
Dry - he was also eating dry duck and pea before along with the canned wellness grain free. Now he's only eating dry natural balance weight reduction food.

loose stools in a cat due to food sensitivity

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loose stools in a cat due to food sensitivity

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annzgw

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