Stool Finally Firming Up

Ever since we adopted Oliver about three months ago, he had very loose stool. At first, our vet told us just to wait for him to get used to his new food. After a month and a half, when the stool was still loose than ever, I slowly changed out his food to a non-allergenic brand with no corn or wheat, hoping that would help. I also threw in some canned pumpkin, since I read on this site that that sometimes helps. But after a few weeks on the new food, his stool was liquid and smelly, and he had pretty bad gas.

Yesterday, we went back to the vet. No worms or bacteria in the stool, and no fever or other symptoms. He gave Ollie an antibiotic shot and a dose of oral antibiotics. He also gave us prescription wet food that is easy to digest.

Less than 20 hours later, his stool is more firm than I have ever seen! It is a thin cigar shape, rather than just a blob of liquid. I shared the news with my bf, but he just doesn't understand how exciting this is. I knew people on this site could share my joy, so I thought I would share the news.

Anyone else have problems with loose stool? What solved the problem for you? Any tips on ensuring that his stool stay firm?

Thanks!

We had problems with brand new Ocicat kittens. The breeder did a wonderful job loving them and socialising them in their first few weeks of life but I think her litters were overrun by intestinal parasites and we soon discovered signs of both giardia and coccidia in our kittens, who developed diarrhea with all the unpleasant side-effects you described, such as overpowering flatulence. It was very, very unpleasant, especially in such active, mischievous little animals and we'd come home to find poop on the floor, poop in their coats, poop on the furniture. Fortunately, persistent medication got rid of the symptoms and both cats now have a clean bill of health; I share your sense of elation and relief at the sight of a firm stool! Cats seem to have very sensitive stomachs, though, and the diarrhea can return in an instant, provoked (according to our vet) by dietary changes or traumatic events such as a recent heatwave here which was responsible for a brief relapse. So, congratulations on escaping from a world of poop but make sure to keep your fingers crossed.

What food are you now feeding ... I want to know before recommending

Originally Posted by sharky

What food are you now feeding ... I want to know before recommending

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Are you talking to me? Or skoshkie?

I can understood totally the joy of finally seeing some firm stool! My kitty has been having loose stool problems ever since I got her at just a few days old. Even while pre weaning, her stool did not firm up at all. Just like you, I read that pumpkin is a good addition to her diet to help this problem, so I tried it and it worked, only as long as she eats pumpkin along with her food. Once I stop, the loose stool came back.

Sharky here recommended that I try Bene Bac to ease the adjustment from liquid to semi solid food, so that really helped Lucy Belle. I also switched food from EVO to Wellness after the weaning period and ta-da, no more loose and smelly poop!

I think the factors contributing to my kitty's loose stool were partly transition from liquid to solid and also from her stomach not being able to tolerate EVO well. I really do believe you are what you eat, so the first thing to do is to identify the type of food which causes the loose stool.

Originally Posted by Bahger

Are you talking to me? Or skoshkie?

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The op .... As he/she is asking for advise

Question - how do you feed the pumpkin? I do need to get my "kids" stools tested - perhaps they have a parasite problem. However, they are bengals and they do tend to have senstive tummies so their stinky soft stools may just be due to that. They're due for their 6 month checkups so I'll have stool samples tested since it has persisted, but I'd like to try the pumpkin too.

Do they actually like it on it's own? Or do you mix it with their canned food? one of mine does't really like the canned food, so I can't imagine getting her to eat pumpkin! She'll barely even eat the sloppiest, stinkyest canned food I can find!

kRISTI

I mix it with cat food ...

YES get the stool tested ...

I posted a few days ago about my kitty Boo and his chronic diarrhea. I have one more week of the B12 then blood work then I will change his diet to the Wellness, just called Wild Oats and they carrry it, maybe I can add the pumpkin or the yogurt too at that time.

Originally Posted by skoshkie

Anyone else have problems with loose stool? What solved the problem for you? Any tips on ensuring that his stool stay firm?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

You'll find lots of tips and advice here :

http://thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133698

And the thread about the resolution:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...rm+loose+stool

For about the first 2 months after we adopted Forrest his stools were rather a "blob" and not really formed. The vet checked him a few times for parasites, but he was clean and had no other health issues. FINALLY about 2 weeks ago they have started to be normal.

He's a little over 6 months old now. I will say that sometimes his output seems...umm...large (big enough I made my husband look ), but maybe he's just going to be a big boy when he grows up. My girl Lilly's are never large, but I've had male cats before whose stools were monstrous.

He been eating Evo and Wellness canned and Evo dry for the past month.