Cat has diarrhea- light tan color w/ blood/mucus spots. It's been ongoing to 2 weeks, but cat appears to be feeling fine, no behavioral changes. I am trying to avoid the expense of a vet clinic right now. Could she have worms? I have a de-wormer for cats I could give her but don't want to make her situation worse. What should I feed her?
Optional Information: Type of Animal: cat Gender: Female Age: 12 Already Tried: nothing yet
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Is she an indoor only cat?
Are there other pets in the house?
Is there a change in appetite or vomiting?
Hi- we have 2 cats, both outdoor access. I'm not sure about her appetite since we use an automatic feeder. She has diarrhea daily, so I'm assuming she is intaking food.
Is the other cat healthy / normal?
Yes- although it's possible they both have diarrhea since they share a litter box.
The diarrhea here can be from several causes - some including eating something abnormal and even certain types of infections including intestinal parasites (LINK HERE), giardia, and coccidia (LINK HERE).
The best way to tell what is the cause would be to have your veterinarian do an examination and perform some tests, initially looking at the feces, testing for some of these infectious causes like parasites and protozoa (LINK HERE).
At home considerations include the use of a higher fiber diet (prescription such as Hill’s W/D) or even the use of a bland diet at home as well as increased fiber in the diet such as 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of a fiber source such as bran or metamucil in the food every 24 hours to help with the form of the stool.Probiotics (EXAMPLE HERE or HERE) can be considered as well.
Okay...thanks. Would it be harmful to give both cats a dewormer? They haven't been treated for over a year I believe.
I feel that since their behavior is normal- it may be worms?
Typically - if one is affected we treat both so they dont pass this back and forth!
It is possible
Okay- good to know.
I will go ahead with the dewormer, and if it doesn't clear up within...a few days, I should go to the vet?
Yes - absolutely!
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Great. Thank you for your help!
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