Question about a cat and loose stools:

[bicentennial_baby]

Hi all!

Milk-Chan is adjusting well, eating and drinking and using her box. She seems quite happy. :)

But, when I scooped her box this morning, I noticed that her stools seem a bit loose. Not diarrhea, but loose. Keep in mind that she got her booster shot yesterday.

Could it be the stress/excitement of her new house? The booster shot? Both?

Other than that, she seems a-ok. She has an appt. for a check-up with our Vet tomorrow afternoon, regardless.

[virgdem]

1. The problem could be several things..

I would take a stool sample to the vet to rule out parasites. If no parasites, then it could just be a reaction to the shots. If it lasts several days, then you have a more serious problem. How old is the cat? I have a cat with IBD (Intestinal Bowel Disease) and his stools are always semi-formless, with bouts of diarrhea. It is a pain to deal with, but we manage. Good luck!

[CountAllVotes]

2. I adopted a kitten from the local shelter

She tested negative for parasites. She had a very stinky loose stool. One day I saw droplets of blood around where she sleeps.

I took her to 3 different vets. Finally, vet #3 told me that he thought she had a type of parasite that cannot be detected by standard tests.

Said kitten was treated with PANACUR and it seemed to clear the problem up. After 2 weeks, spots of blood returned and I had to retreat said kitten. This was because of life cycle of the parasite (whatever it was) had gotten going again.

The kitten is now a 2 year old cat and has no health problems. She weighs in at about 12 lbs. now and has no more problems with a loose/stinky stool.

You might ask about this possibility. It is likely the result of the fact that she was a stray and ended up at the local shelter. She had several health problems when I got her which the shelter didn't realize it seems.

Best of luck and please follow-up on this as these types of parasites can indeed kill the host (meaning the kitten/cat).

[Dover]

3. Might be Coccidiosis. It's very common. My vet gave me some

Albon Suspension which was given orally for 10 days (if I recall correctly). That was the
end of the problem. And it can be stress induced as well.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1359&articleid=726

There also might be food allergies, so you can try different brands. Vets usually carry
canned foods that are easy on a cat's digestion (also used on very old cats) that's kind of
like baby food, to use until the problem clears up.

I know I'm sounding like a broken record but I think adding turmeric to my cat's food
is also very helpful for keeping his system free and clear of these problems.
I just sprinkle a little into his wet food and mix it in.

Glad to hear your kitty is safely and happily in your care.