I think Xavier may have IBS/Collitis? *UPDATE*

[CultureJunky]

Xavier eats well, and is fine in himself. Playing and eating up to 4 pouches of wet food a day. His character is fine.
However his stools are mushy, not diarrhoea, but slushy, it smells terrible. He also is very flatulent and constantly releases really terrible smells, I've actually gone and checked the litter tray thinking he's gone to toilet but he's obviously passed wind. His stomach also gurgles sometimes as if he has wind.
I wormed him this month, and he was wormed 3 months previously. (He's up to date on his frontline flea spot on every month also)

He does go out so I suppose he could've eaten something that's upset his stomach, also the pouches he is on at the moment used to make Jack have bad wind, so it could be exacerbating it.

He's been like this for about 3 weeks. He's eating, drinking and fine in himself, not at all sluggish or out of character.

Do you think he could have a food intolerance or could it be something more serious?
I am going to make an appointment for the vet in the next week to get him checked, and feel it could be he needs a vetinary diet, like Royal Canin that's easily digestable etc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Kate

[aTailOf2Kitties]

My guess is that he's picked up some sort of parasite outside, but only the vet can tell you for sure. There's a chance it's some sort of bacterial or protozoal infection that deworming wouldn't cover. My Havoc had loose stools for months despite being dewormed twice and put on anti-protozoal meds. He's just now returning to normal on his own.

[Grace]

I would start by taking a stool specimen to the Vet. You don't even need to take him - just his poop. Then take him in after they analyze it.

[Catlady711]

1) Stool sample to the vet to check for parasites.

2) Stop the pouch food. Those are notoriously full of junk and I have seen more than my share of pets with diarrhea and/or vomiting because of pouch foods. Pick a good name brand dry and use that same brand of wet as an occasional treat and you'll be better off.

Good luck, keep us updated.

[krazyaboutkatz]

It sounds like it's either the food or that he's picked up a parasite. Pearl had runny liquidy stools and she had a parasite. I still don't know how she got it because she's an indoor only cat. I'd just bring in a stool sample and go from there. Good luck.

If he has IBD/Colitis he'd be having very bad diarrhea and he'd also be having accidents outside of the litter box. My RB cat Starr would just explode and he wouldn't be able to make it to the box in time. He also lost a lot of weight. He was very gasy though.

[CultureJunky]

Thanks for the advice and thoughts, I'll keep you updated.
I would prefer Xavier to be on a good quality dry food but he hasn't been keen on what I've tried him on so far.
Sunny is a dry only cat (apart from when she enquires if there's anything going) she is on James Wellbeloved Senior/Light which is a very popular hypoallergenic dry food in the UK.
I'd like to get him onto a dry food really, it's a matter of finding one that he finds palatable.
He's on Felix pouches at the moment, and I have to admit he seems to be worse on these than when he was on Whiskas pouches.

I'll keep you updated on him.

Thanks

[Pinot's Mom]

Xavier does go outside, yes? When Pinot had a bit of a "digestive issue" the first thing the vet asked me was if she went outside and could have come in contact with another animal's feces somehow (inadvertently). This is a high risk for transmitting parasites. Just a thought. Get the poop test.

[katladyd]

I would be careful putting a cat on dry only. My vet has warned me that, especially in males, a diet of only dry can often lead to urinary tract blockages. I have to feed both my cats wet in addition to their dry because of this. One of my cats gets a blockage whenever he decides to eat only dry. This is a massive vet bill to correct, so I would ask your vet about it.

[GILL]

I have too agree about the pouch. Our CREW gets a mix of canned and dry every morning and we free feed dry 24/7. Over the last 25+ years we have had 0 problems. The Crew is strictly indoors so we don't have to worry about out side problems. There is nothing like a good dry and wet food always check the ingredients.

[Freedom]

I would stop the pouches as well. Definitely sounds like a soft food issue; until you add in that he goes out. THEN you have 2 factors involved.

Thing is, as he goes out and hunts, if he doesn't like the dry you offer he can go get something himself, which may or may not be good for him.

Good luck with this, let us know what the stool sample indicates!

[Medusa]

Have you considered a pro-biotic such as Forti Flora to sprinkle on Xavier's food? My RB Puddy had this problem occasionally and Forti Flora took care of it. Cats usually like the flavor and you can sprinkle it on dry food as well.

[CultureJunky]

Thank you for all your excellent advice. I will definately ask a lot of questions when I take him to the vet. I think I will write a list of things, so I don't forget to ask certain questions.
Thanks Guys.

[CultureJunky]

Xavi has an appointment at Cardiff Cat Clinic at 5.45 on Monday. I'll let you know how it goes. Cardiff Cat Clinic are very good, being a cat only practice. The vet is very lovely and gentle with the cats and he was where I took Jack in his last days, I transferred Jack there because I was unhappy with the other vets who had operated. He was wonderful with him, and made him comfortable before he was PTS.
I would trust him with any cat.

[CultureJunky]

Xavier is fine. The vet says that he has a bacteria infection and has prescribed anti-biotics for him. He has a week's course of 1 tablet twice daily. He said this particular bacteria is common in cats that come from rescue places and also with Xavi's feral background. It clears itself eventually apparently but the anti-biotics should clear it up completely.

He said the bad smell should go quite quickly and his stools should return to normal. He said that usually with collitis you don't get a foul smell, so he ruled that out.

He also said that Xavi is in fantastic condition, and is going to grow a lot more! I can't wait for him to grow into his paws

He was excellently behaved and just sat there on the counter for the vet to examine him, and he even let them smoothe him. He was a little treasure and I'm so proud of him

Kate

[katladyd]

I am so happy that Xavier will be fine! It's always stressful when one of our babies is ill. Your mind just goes everywhere! Give him hugs and kisses for me.