Gastroenteritis in Cats

Humans aren’t the only ones who experience occasional tummy trouble. Our cats do, too. Gastroenteritis in cats is a common condition characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. It usually makes cats feel lousy for a few days, but really sick cats can feel bad for much longer. 

Talking about digestive issues isn’t fun, but knowing what might be ailing your cat’s tummy is important. We’ll discuss gastroenteritis and its causes and how to diagnose, treat, and prevent this condition.

What Is Gastroenteritis in Cats?

Gastroenteritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach (“gastro”) and intestines (“enteritis”). It ranges from mild to severe, depending on the underlying cause. 

Gastroenteritis can make a cat’s abdomen painful and sensitive to the touch. Mild cases resolve on their own in a few days, but severe cases require a longer recovery and extensive treatment to nurse affected cats back to good health.

Gastroenteritis can recur. For example, if your cat loves eating a plant that upsets their tummy, they’ll have repeated bouts of gastroenteritis.

What Causes Cat Gastroenteritis?

Anything that can inflame the lining of the stomach and intestines can cause gastroenteritis. All cats, regardless of age, breed, or sex, can develop this condition.

Here’s a list of the common causes of gastroenteritis in cats:

Infections

Infections with bacteria, fungi, viruses, or intestinal parasites can cause gastroenteritis in cats.

Dietary indiscretion

Eating spoiled food from the trash can undoubtedly upset a cat’s tummy enough to cause gastroenteritis.

Rapid dietary changes

Cats need a few days for their stomach to adjust to a new diet. Changing their diet too quickly can upset their digestive system and cause gastroenteritis.

Food allergies

Animal proteins are a common cause of food allergies in cats. Food allergens can irritate the stomach and intestines, leading to gastroenteritis.

Systemic disease

Kidney disease, pancreatic disease, and liver disease can contribute to gastroenteritis in cats.

Endocrine disease

Endocrine diseases result from hormone imbalances. Hyperthyroidism and diabetes, two common endocrine conditions in cats, can lead to gastroenteritis.

Intestinal blockage

If a cat eats something like a string that gets stuck in their intestines, that blockage can irritate the digestive tract lining enough to cause gastroenteritis.

Cancer

Cancer in the stomach or intestines can damage the lining of these organs and cause gastroenteritis.

Intussusception

Intussusception occurs when a section of the intestine “telescopes” into another part, causing blockage and leading to gastroenteritis.

Medication

Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines.

Poisoning

Ingesting something toxic, like insecticides and pesticides, can inflame a cat’s stomach and intestines.

Gastroenteritis in Cats Symptoms

Cats can’t hold their belly to signal that their tummy hurts, but they will let you know that something isn’t right.

The two key symptoms of gastroenteritis are vomiting and diarrhea. Vomiting is caused by stomach irritation, while diarrhea is caused by intestinal irritation. 

The vomit may be yellow and foamy, especially if your cat vomits on an empty stomach. Sometimes, cats dry heave and gag after eating if they haven’t fully emptied their stomach.

Gastroenteritis-associated diarrhea in cats has a soft-serve ice cream consistency (apologies if this just ruined your next ice cream outing). Cats with gastroenteritis typically have large amounts of diarrhea several times a day. 

Here are other symptoms of gastroenteritis in cats to watch for:

• Gas
• Lethargy
• Reduced appetite
• Social withdrawal/isolation
• Tender, painful abdomen

Diagnosing Feline Gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis is considered a diagnosis of exclusion, diagnosed after other health conditions are ruled out. However, a gastroenteritis diagnosis does not indicate its cause; your veterinarian may need to perform diagnostic testing to determine that.

Because many cases of feline gastroenteritis in cats are mild and resolve on their own, not every cat with tummy troubles needs a veterinary visit. Your vet can recommend some home remedies to relieve your cat’s discomfort.

How will you know if you need to schedule an appointment? Here are three indications:

• The symptoms have persisted for more than 24 hours
• Your cat has recurrent gastroenteritis
• Symptoms other than vomiting and diarrhea are present

During a veterinary workup for gastroenteritis, your vet will perform a physical exam and get a detailed history of the problem. They will ask you questions, such as those listed below, to start identifying some potential underlying causes:

• What symptoms have you noticed? When did they start?
• What is your cat’s regular diet? Have you changed it recently?
• Is your cat on antibiotics, steroids, or NSAIDs?
• Does your cat have other medical conditions, like diabetes or liver disease?
• Is your cat up to date on their vaccinations?
• Do you have other cats?

For the physical exam, your vet will pay close attention to your cat’s abdomen in addition to examining your cat from head to toe.

Imaging and laboratory tests provide clues for what’s causing a cat’s gastroenteritis:

• Bloodwork: Basic bloodwork can indicate inflammation, dehydration, and systemic disease, as well as diabetes.
• Fecal exam: A fecal exam can show the presence of intestinal parasites, like roundworms.
• Urinalysis: Urinalysis can detect diabetes, dehydration, and kidney disease.
• Thyroid hormone tests: Measuring thyroid hormone levels helps rule out or identify hyperthyroidism.
• Abdominal imaging: Abdominal x-rays and ultrasounds can identify an intestinal blockage and may also reveal possible tumors in the stomach or intestines.

Gastroenteritis in Cats Treatment

If you’re wondering how to treat gastroenteritis in cats, the answer is that it depends on the severity and underlying cause.

Gastroenteritis in Cats Home Treatment

Mild cases of feline gastroenteritis don’t require much treatment beyond fasting your cat for about 8 to 12 hours and ensuring adequate hydration. Cats with gastroenteritis don’t have much of an appetite anyway. Still, they need to drink water to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes like sodium that were lost in the vomit and diarrhea.

After fasting, the cat can slowly be reintroduced to food with a bland, highly digestible diet, like white rice and boiled, unseasoned chicken. Your vet can advise you on which foods to give your cat after fasting.

Hospital Treatment

Severe cases of gastroenteritis require hospitalization. In addition to fasting and bland diets, cats with severe gastroenteritis need a range of treatments to recover and regain their strength, such as:

• Intravenous fluids: IV fluids provide rehydration and replace electrolytes.
• Anti-vomiting medications: Anti-vomiting medications include maropitant and metoclopramide. Both are given by mouth.
• Gastroprotectants: Gastroprotectants, such as sucralfate, famotidine, and ranitidine, coat the stomach lining and protect it from further irritation, allowing it to heal. They are given by mouth or intravenously.
• Antibiotics: Antibiotics are given if a bacterial infection is present. Usually, the antibiotic is broad-spectrum, targeting a wide range of common bacterial pathogens. They are given by mouth or intravenously.
• Dewormer: If intestinal parasites are present, dewormers are given. Examples include pyrantel and praziquantel. They are liquid and given by mouth.

Surgery is required for cats with gastroenteritis due to intestinal blockage.

So, how much does it cost to treat your cat for gastroenteritis? It varies. If your cat’s case is mild, you may not have to pay anything if you already have the ingredients for a bland diet at home and your vet does not think your cat needs to be examined.

For severe cases requiring hospitalization, expect a very large veterinary bill that could reach thousands of dollars. Here’s what goes into that bill:

• Physical exam
• Diagnostic testing
• Medication
• Fluid therapy
• Surgery (if cancer or blockage)
• Hospitalization
• Monitoring

Pet insurance can significantly defray the cost of treating your cat for gastroenteritis.

How to Prevent Gastroenteritis in Cats

Gastroenteritis is not always preventable, but you can reduce the risk of your cat suffering from it. Here are some prevention strategies to keep your cat in good health and keep gastroenteritis at bay:

• Keep your cat up to date on their vaccinations.
• Take your cat for regular veterinary check-ups.
• Block access to non-foods, toxic substances, and the trash.
• If you have multiple cats and one is sick, isolate the sick cat to prevent the spread of infection.
• Keep your home environment clean to reduce the chances of infection.
• Give your cat a dewormer as instructed by your veterinarian.
• Introduce new foods slowly to allow your cat’s tummy to adjust.

Related Conditions

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Gastritis