Kittens are more exposed to health problems due to the fact that they have an undeveloped immune system and they may also lack some essential vaccines. Kittens get diarrhea more often than adult cats; knowing what kitten health problems are indicated by diarrhea can be helpful. The kitten diarrhea may be acute, which should go away in less than 5 days or chronic diarrhea which could indicate a more serious problem.
The main causes of diarrhea may indicate an upset stomach or more severe infections.
Upset Stomach
Kittens are curious creatures and they can ingest different materials and objects in addition to their usual kitten food. Kittens may ingest pebbles, plants, wood, garbage and these may not be tolerated by the stomach, leading to diarrhea. In some cases, the diarrhea will be accompanied by vomiting. These symptoms are the way the kitten’s body reacts and they help the organism eliminate the foreign materials. If the kitten has ingested a toxic material, he will vomit, have diarrhea and seizures. His gums will also be pale. You should go to an emergency vet clinic.
If the kitten is not poisoned, the diarrhea should subside in up to 3 days. You should administer a special diet to speed up the recovery. Cook some lean meat, add some rice, potatoes or corn. Canned pumpkin is a good source of fibers, which can eliminate diarrhea.
Intestinal Parasites
A lot of kittens are affected by intestinal parasites such as hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, Giardia or coccidia. These parasites lodge in the lower intestine and may irritate the intestines, causing diarrhea. The kitten will have chronic diarrhea until the parasites are eliminated. You may often find worms or tapeworm segments in the cat’s stool.
Parasites may be eliminated with dewormers. It is important to keep the kitten hydrated, as diarrhea causes dehydration and this may be fatal in kittens.
Food Allergies
Even if kittens are less likely to develop food allergies before the age of 2, there are cases in which the diarrhea is caused by food allergies. Food testing can determine if your kitten is allergic to a type of food. If the allergen is found, the kitten should have a diet that contains only ingredients that the kitten is not allergic to.
Until identifying the allergen, you may feed dry food that is rich in probiotics to cure the diarrhea.
Gastrointestinal Infections
Kittens may get gastrointestinal infections that are caused by different bacteria such as Salmonella or Clostridium perfringens. These bacteria can cause diarrhea and may be contracted though consuming undercooked meat or infested water.
The infections will cause vomiting, bloating, lack of appetite and dehydration.
In rare cases, the diarrhea may signal that the kitten is affected by a more serious disease. Some alarming symptoms accompanying the diarrhea include bloody stool, mucus in the feces, abdominal pain or lethargy. The diarrhea will be chronic. Some possible diseases causing these symptoms include the feline leukemia virus, tumors or liver or kidney problems.