Weekly Stomach Upset

[misslinds]

Hi all,

I wonder if anyone can offer any advice. I've gotten a lot of very useful information from this board in the past but this is my first time posting.

About two weeks ago my cat (7yo neutered male) had a bout of sickness and diarrhea. He was sick once and had a few incidents of diarrhea over about 24 hours. I had changed his food about a week beforehand, and although I tried to do it gradually, he of course managed to just eat the new food and leave the old so it didn't really work too well. I got some advice from the vet over the phone and he thought it might be the change of food and suggested putting him on sensitive stomach food until he got back to normal and then transitioning him back on to normal food. After 24 hours he seemed to be okay for a few days, normal appetite, normal stools etc.

He was fine for about 6 days and then the same thing happened again. Several incidents of diarrhea over about 24 hours and he vomited once. I decided to take him to the vet to get him checked out but the problem I have is that he is a very feisty boy and he wouldn't let the vet anywhere near him. The vet said that his coat looked good, his eyes looked bright and his gums looked nice and pink (he saw them when he hissed at him ) so he didn't think it was anything too serious. Sure enough after about 24 hours he got back to normal and everything seemed fine again.

However, tonight he has had another incident of diarrhea, so I'm bracing myself for another 24 hours or so of it. It seems to be happening about once a week or so (last occasion was Fri-Sat last week) which seems unusual to me. I would have thought if it was food upsetting his stomach he would always be symptomatic rather than being fine for a few days in between (I am of course not an expert though!). I don't think its worth taking him back to the vet because the vet can't even get close to him to do a proper examination and last time he said he didn't seem sick enough to warrant doing anything as extreme as sedating him to examine him. He's been on the sensitive stomach food since the first incident and I can't think of or find anything that has happened just before each incident that may have triggered it. Everything seems consistent as far as I can tell.

Has anyone experienced anything like this that can offer any advice?

Thanks so much in advance

Misslinds

[fjm]

I am reminded of the time I had bacterial dysentery - 24 hours of misery, at first every 7 days then gradually more frequently... I would ask the vet about testing a faeces sample for parasites and infection. It probably needs to be at a time he is showing symptoms, so ask now and you will have the sample bottles to hand. The fact that you are actually waiting for the next bout may be enough to effect a cure!

[Lilith]

Does he roam, and do you live in an area (like mine) where 'revellers' get a skinful every weekend, finish off with takeaway, and leave the remains on park benches etc, so foxes, crows and cats (no matter how well-fed) get a weekly treat. It might explain why the bouts are so regular.

There was one member on here whose cat needed to be on a special diet ... but the neighbours insisted on feeding him ...

And yes, as Fjm says, testing for parasites, I agree.

Poor chap, I do hope you find out what it is and get him sorted.

ps, my cats don't roam these days, but luckily they don't like cold chicken etc - when they did roam I was once brought a nice 'present' of a cooked chicken joint, scarcely mauled lol!

[misslinds]

Sorry for the delayed response ... it's been a crazy week!

Thank you for your replies and advice. I had wondered if it may be parasites as his appetite has been a bit fierce recently too, albeit he’s not losing weight (although he REALLY needs to!) and he is always quite greedy! I’ve given him a worming tablet so hopefully that will help.

Thankfully his last bought of diarrhoea (last Thursday) was only a one off rather than several occurrences over 24 hours like the previous weeks, and he wasn’t sick. Everything has been normal since then so hopefully things are improving ... fingers crossed.

Thanks so much for your help. This board is great for information!