Cats hold a special place in the lives of their humans, and as a result, their lifestyles have been almost entirely adapted to an indoor environment. Over 30% of household cats live 100% of their lives indoors. While this provides them protection in many ways, it also stresses them in others. After all, the physiology of a cat was not intended for a sedentary life. Cats tend to have a stronger odor to their feces than dogs, due to the higher protein requirements in their diet. Use of litter boxes several times a day compounds the level of smell, even when they are changed and cleaned daily. In a cattery environment, the volume and odor of stools is multiplied significantly. Cats are generally very fastidious creatures, readily adopting litter box usage. Loose stools, diarrhea, constipation or not using the provided litter boxes can indicate a potential problem or gastrointestinal issue.
Identifying what these symptoms mean can be difficult to single out amid a wide range of possibilities. Because of the concentration of cats in a breeding facility, problems need to be detected and addressed quickly to reduce the risk of spreading disease, as well as reestablishing environmental harmony. One of the most important things to note as you begin your search for answers is not only the amount and consistency of the stool, but also the frequency and whether or not the cat is straining to defecate or showing discomfort or pain when attempting to defecate. This information will assist your veterinarian in pinpointing the problem.
The most common cause of abnormal cat feces is intestinal parasites. Depending on the culprit, the degree of distress can range from fairly mild discomfort to the need for immediate veterinary care. Parasites can instigate intermittent loose stools, which is often confusing for the owner when the incident may happen to occur shortly after a change in the cat’s food or the administration of medication. Parasites that must be considered include roundworms, hookworms, coccidia, Giardia, Tritrichomonas and tapeworms. Giardia and Tritrichomonas can be extremely difficult to find on routine fecal exams performed at the veterinarian’s office. Other diagnostics are available to find these elusive parasites.
If parasites are ruled out as the cause, other diseases that may be considered are viral (Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, enteric Corona Virus, Feline Leukemia Virus and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), bacterial (Campylobacter, Clostridium, Salmonella and some strains of E. coli), drug related (antibiotics and drugs toxic to cats such as acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol), ingestion of toxic plants or foreign objects (thread or tinsel) and diet.
Sometimes, the cause of digestive upset may be stress. Factors that could stress a cat include overcrowding, sexual stress or dominance issues within the cat population. Other stressors can be rooted in environmental, management (new staff or temporary change of caretakers) or other disease processes.
Sometimes it is as simple, and as complicated, as aging. The very young have not developed full digestive capability, which can easily lead to loose stools. The older cat loses its digestive efficiency due to decreased production of digestive enzymes.
The stool itself can provide many clues. It may be simply loose with increased water content, or there may be mucous or blood evident. The frequency of bowel movements may stay relatively normal, or may have become so frequent the cat is practically living in her litter box. All of this information is needed by your veterinarian in order to determine the problem.
A fecal score chart will help you effectively communicate with your veterinarian what it is you are seeing. It may take some digging, but given the necessary information your veterinarian will be able to help you find the cause.