Why Does My Kitten Have Diarrhea?

So, you have found that your new kitten has diarrhea. What do you do? Well, do not panic. Cats have very sensitive stomachs and it is likely that the diarrhea is simply a reaction from something they ate. Pay attention to the kitten's next few bowel movements. If only the first one or two are loose, then it was likely simply something the kitten ate. If they are consistently problematic, then there may be a larger issue.

As mentioned earlier, the most common reason for kitten diarrhea is food intolerance. Often, kittens will eat just about anything, so make sure there is nothing on the floor that they may pick up and try to eat. Also, check the type of food you are giving them. Many kittens will have intestinal reactions to things like food dyes. If you are feeding them something like Meow Mix, which has food dyes in it, then this may be the reason for the diarrhea. Try to slowly switch out the food (doing it quickly will cause even more intestinal distress). Hopefully, this will help alleviate the problem. As an alternative, some vets recommend a bland, home-cooked diet instead. This diet usually consists of white rice and hamburger meat, although you will likely want to consult with your vet to see what they recommend. Another method that the vet might recommend is a brief fast.

Another thing which gives kitten's diarrhea is milk. Do not give you cat any milk or milk based products. These are very bad for them and will upset their stomach, often giving them diarrhea or vomiting.

If it is not a food-based problem, then it may be an illness which is causing the issue, the following illnesses commonly cause diarrhea in cats: Overeating, Stress, Intestinal Parasites, Hyperthyroidism, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, among others. You should bring your cat to the vet if a waiting period combined with a change in food doesn't help.

When your kitten has diarrhea, it is essential that you watch them closely. This is because it is common for a cat to become dehydrated. Dehydration can be very dangerous. The cat may not wish to drink enough. If you think your cat is becoming dehydrated, then feed them some wet food. This will provide them with more fluids than dry food. If the dehydration seems severe, bring them to the vet, where they will receive fluids under the skin.