How to Diagnose Diarrhea in Cats

Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Updated: March 29, 2019

Explore this Article Identifying the Symptoms of Feline Diarrhea Diagnosing Feline Diarrhea Questions & Answers Related Articles References

No cat owner is happy about her cat having diarrhea: Not only is the pet likely to be uncomfortable, but cleaning the tray is unpleasant and the smell is usually bad. However, if the diarrhea is anything other than an upset stomach, it's important to get the cat checked by a vet. Prompt treatment is the best option for getting the problem sorted, and if the underlying cause is not obvious, the vet can reach a diagnosis in order to give your cat the proper treatment.[1]

Identifying the Symptoms of Feline Diarrhea

  1. 1
    Identify diarrhea. A normal stool is usually firm, a dark brown color, and retains its shape if scooped. Diarrhea,on the other hand, has a higher water content than normal feces. This means it's more liquid or may even be watery in extreme cases. The stool may also have mucus mixed in it or contain blood. Diarrhea usually smells offensive, and can be gray, yellow, orange or red.
  2. 2
    Notice any changes in appetite. Diarrhea can cause appetite changes. Your cat may stop eating or eat significantly less. Your cat also may stop drinking water. In some cases, cats will drink a lot more water than usual.[2]
    • Some cats may experience weight loss.
  3. 3
    Look for behavioral changes. The condition that causes the diarrhea might lead to lethargy in your cat. Your cat may also start sleeping more or act depressed. [3]
  4. 4
    Pay attention to vomiting. Vomiting can accompany diarrhea and indicate a more serious condition. If your cat is vomiting in addition to other symptoms, take him to the vet immediately.
  5. 5
    Look for any changes to bathroom habits. Diarrhea can cause some changes to your cat’s normal bathroom habits. Your cat may need to go to the bathroom more often. This means there might be more accidents outside the tray. Your cat may also strain when going to the bathroom.[4]
    • Look for any fecal matter stuck to the tail or bottom area.
  6. 6
    Check your cat’s gums. If the cat has diarrhea, check his gums. If the gums are pale or yellow, your may need to call the vet.[5]
  7. 7
    Know when not to call the vet. Sometimes diarrhea is just from an upset stomach and doesn’t indicate a more serious condition. If your cat is bright, feels well, and acts playful, but has an upset stomach, then you can wait for 48 hours before calling the vet. If the diarrhea is a simple upset stomach, it may sort itself out during this time.
    • If the cat gets worse at any point, call the vet.
    • If the diarrhea persists beyond 48 hours, see the vet.

Diagnosing Feline Diarrhea

  1. 1
    Take your cat to the vet. If your cat has diarrhea along with any of the other symptoms, take your cat to the vet. If you are uncertain if the diarrhea is due to an upset stomach or something more serious, you can call your vet or take the cat in just to be safe.[6]
  2. 2
    Provide a history. The vet will start by taking a history from you. She will ask questions such as when the cat was last wormed, if his vaccinations are up to date, if any pets have come into the house, if you changed the cat's food recently, what treats you feed him, and if the cat is on any medication.[7]
    • The answers from this history help the vet to create a list of things that might be causing a problem for your cat.
    • For example, a recent sudden change of diet could trigger a dietary intolerance that results in diarrhea, and the answer is to feed a bland diet for a few days to allow the gut to settle back down. But before jumping to conclusions the vet will perform a thorough clinical exam.[8]
  3. 3
    Get an exam. Your vet will perform a clinical exam on your cat. She will examine the cat from nose to tail and feel his abdomen. The vet will look for clues of systemic illness, such as jaundice possibly resulting from liver disease. When the vet feels the cat's stomach, she is checking for areas that are painful, the size of the lymph nodes, how the small and large intestine feel, and troubleshooting for any organ enlargement.
    • Diarrhea is a common complication of many diseases or illnesses, so identifying the underlying disease and treating that will help the diarrhea to settle down.[9]
  4. 4
    Run any needed tests. Depending on what the vet believes the cause of the illness is, she may want to run tests to gather further information. The vet might do a fecal analysis, which is a sample of diarrhea that is prepared and looked at under the microscope. This helps to identify worm eggs and parasites. This can give a quick answer about a parasitic infection.[10]
    • The vet might do a fecal culture, which is where she sends a fecal sample off to the lab. This can help reach a diagnosis if bacteria are identified.
    • If the vet suspects the diarrhea is a symptom of another problem, she will run screening blood tests.
    • If the vet is concerned the gut is not absorbing nutrition correctly and wants clues as to why, she may run blood tests.
    • If the vet is suspicious of a problem with the organs, or the bowel wall feels thickened, the vet may want to perform an ultrasound scan of the abdomen.[11]
    • In severe cases, a bowel biopsy may be necessary.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    My cat has five week-old kittens, and she has just started with diarrhea> What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Have you switched her food or given her anything new? If so, that could be it. Or, it could just be natural. Just watch her and make sure it doesn't get worse and, if it does, take her to the vet.
  • Question
    My cat (three years old )is constantly hungry and has constant diarrhea. He has been wormed, has a smooth shiny coat and is very active. I cannot afford veterinary treatment. What do you advise?
    Community Answer
    You should start a Go Fund Me to help your cat get care. There are also some charities you might look into.
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