Kitten Diarrhea Causes

Kitten diarrhea is more common than diarrhea in adult cats, due to the kitten immune system that is not fully developed yet. In addition, the kitten may not have all vaccinations, which makes him more exposed to certain infections that may involve the gastrointestinal tract. If your kitten is having diarrhea, you may suspect a few common causes. You should always get help if your kitten has diarrhea, as kittens can get dehydrated after only 14 hours of diarrhea.

Internal Parasites

Often, the cause of diarrhea is when the intestines are populated by different types of parasites. Kittens may easily contract hookworms, roundworms or tapeworms from other cats or from the ingestion of feces.

If your kitten has internal parasites, you may see these in the feces and the kitten will also display weakness, lack appetite and lose weight.

The diarrhea is chronic and the color of the feces may also be modified.

Kittens should be tested for parasites and there are dewormers that will kill the worms.

Periodical deworming tablets will also be recommended to prevent other infestations.

Indigestion in Kittens

Kittens often ingest objects that don’t qualify as kitten food. These may cause stomach upset and the kitten often ends up vomiting and having diarrhea. The vomiting and diarrhea help to eliminate the foreign materials and are helpful, but the kitten should be prevented from dehydration by getting a lot of liquids. The diarrhea can be relieved with the supplementation of fibers and a slight change in diet or even fasting for 1 to 2 days.

If the ingested object happens to be toxic, immediate intervention is necessary, as the material may be in lethal doses and the kitten may die. Notice if there are any additional signs to indicate poisoning (i.e. excessive salivation, fainting, pale gums or seizures). The diarrhea may be stopped once the poisonous materials are removed from the kittens’ system and liquid therapy is administered.

Stomach or Intestinal Infections

Stomach or intestinal infections may be common in kittens and may be caused by different non food items (i.e. garbage or feces) ingested by the kitten.

Salmonella or Clostridium infections may also be contracted through eating undercooked meat.

Kitten Allergies to Food

Typically, allergies start manifesting after the age of 2 or 3, but the kitten may have food allergies from an early age. This is due to the fact that the intestinal tract may not agree with the different ingredients in the food or may also mean the food is not suitable for the kitten’s needs.

Food trials will be started to detect any possible ingredients that cause allergies in the kitten. Typically, this is done is the vet fails to detect any other reason for diarrhea and the diarrhea is persistent, so the vet suspects allergies.

The trials will be continued until the allergen is found or a diet that agrees with the kitten is identified. Meanwhile, the diarrhea should be treated with fiber supplements or probiotics.

 

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