My 3 yr old cat Tiger has been diagnosed with idiopathic diarrhea. The vet said they don't normally have a full life and that I should start feeding him non-diet food. I've been feeding him Iams weight control for awhile now. Does anyone know anything about this disease? How long he might live? Thanks in advance

Could you possibly fill us in, tell us whatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s going on with your baby? How long has he had diarrhea? Also, what kind of food have you been feeding and how long?
Has he been on any medications? And, can you think of any of the underlying causes your vet has ruled out so far?

What your vet has told you makes this situation sound very sad and hopeless but I would like to believe that with the help of a specialist you will be able to determine the cause and find treatment for your kitty. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m saying this because according to the wonderful vet who shared this information, there are many causes of diarrhea in the cat. 126 possibilities listed in one diagnostic database and 194 in another. So I believe there is hope that a specialist could do something to help Tiger.

I sent you a PM, important info from a specialist. I believe it will be helpful to you. You might want to print it out and discuss some of the details with your vet.
Please, if at all possible, get a referral to a specialist in your area as soon as possible.

The term "idiopathic" basically means "of unknown origin". If your vet hasn't run any extensive tests, it is idiopathic to him/her. If you don't know what causes a disease, there is no real treatment options other than trial and error. In the case of diarrhea, that involves finding the right food that doesn't trigger it. Unless you have an exact name for the disease, you have no idea how it will affect your baby and if it would have an effect on the length of his life.

I agree with Violet, investigate this more thru a specialist.

I am assuming he has checked for worms and infectious disease?

The cat probably has a touchy digestive system. It could be the equivalent of the human irritable bowel syndrome... If you can find something that doesn't trigger his indigestion, it will clear up.

I would suggest trying a easier to digest food ... one without by products from animals and lots of corn

Originally Posted by Momofmany

The term "idiopathic" basically means "of unknown origin". If your vet hasn't run any extensive tests, it is idiopathic to him/her. If you don't know what causes a disease, there is no real treatment options other than trial and error. In the case of diarrhea, that involves finding the right food that doesn't trigger it. Unless you have an exact name for the disease, you have no idea how it will affect your baby and if it would have an effect on the length of his life.

I agree with Violet, investigate this more thru a specialist.

Click to expand...

I have never heard that diagnosis, but I guess it makes sense. I have a cat with idopathic hypercalcimia. (His blood calcium is too high & they do not know why) I refused further diagnostics because of what would have been required.

What tests were run? The basics would be, fecal to check for worms or parasites, blood test to check organ functions, and possibly x-rays. I can think of at least 2 differnt causes right off the top of my head that would not show up on standard tests, but as someone else said, can you provide more details. Another question, what treatments have been tried, and have you tried easy to digest foods as others have suggested. You can also add something called Culturell to their food (I'm not sure what it is, but I know it supports healthy digestion.)

You might also search Tritrichomonas Foetus, special tests and handling need to be done and it is often misdiagnosed as other disorders, including IBS, IBD, etc. It is a newly emerging parasite in cats and few Vets have knowledge of it. If you Google Jody Gookin you should find her website, she is the Dr. doing the research. MY cats have it and after 2 years of just about every test and diagnosis possible we got a postive test and I started treatment today.
Good Luck

Hi
I ould try to rule out ibd. I would try to feed canned foods with no grains like wellness. If that doesn't work I would consider raw food and a novel meat like vennison or rabbit.
In the meantime you can get some acidoupholous from a health food store and sprinkle some in the food each time you feed. Best of luck

hey,
Have you tried to consult another vet?

I don't know how long they live but I do know there is a special cat food that will help them live longer.  It is a prescription diet food that your vet will need to write a prescription out for it and you can purchased it online.  It is called Royal  Canin  Veterinary  Diet  Feline Gastrointestinal  High  Energy  HE.   It is available in the dry and in the cans.  It is 41.99 at chewy.com.

I took my cat to UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital to get the best diagnosis and treatment possible.  I would seek a specialist or if available to you a vet teaching school. 

I feed my cat a prescription cat food due to weekly vomiting & weekly diarrhea.  My kitty is eating Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Hypoallergenic Selected Protein Pv Dry Cat Food.

Hopefully with the grace of God, a specialist and with the right diet your kitty may be bless to have a normal longevity.