Large belly and dark brown diarrhea (after buying different cat food)

She was doing fine with the food she was on and just yesterday we had started her on this different kind of canned food. I don't remember what she was eating before but what we got now is 9Lives Daily Essentials with real flaked tuna and egg bits (my boyfriend does the shopping while I'm home making sure our house isn't destroyed by our toddler).

Opened the can yesterday and feed her a little bit several times a day (usually after every cat nap). It looks like it was barely touched since last night and she's having dark brown diarrhea (same color as the cat food) and was looking very bloated yesterday.

Now could it be the new food or is it something else and we just have some strange timing? She's still her playful self when she's awake and everything else seems okay, but I still have my concerns.

She's also about 10 weeks old.

Cats usually don't have GI problems when you switch canned foods. I don't know what you were feeding her before, but 9Lives is about the worst food choice there is. There's a gazillion things (OK, an exaggeration. But there's a lot of things) in there that could be bothering her and upsetting her stomach. If what you were feeding before wasn't causing a problem, I'd consider going back to it ASAP. If the problem doesn't clear up with that, then she needs to see a vet. :rub:

Try a grain free variety.  There are several.   I am new on the boards, so not sure I can share brands.  Send me a PM if you want to know more about what I've discovered with my kitty with GI problems.

Also avoid fish.  My cats are both allergic to fish, so I do not feed them fish.

There are also limited ingredient diets for kitties with sensitive tummies.

You can talk brands here.

Just to add to this: grain free isn't the only consideration, though it is a major one. :nod: For long term health, carbohydrates are a very important consideration, and grain-free does not necessarily mean low-carb. Cats are carnivores, and their digestive systems are not set up to manage grains and carbohydrates. At the end of this article discussing the cost of feeding various brands are tables that list various canned and kibble products - the tables indicate the carb content of the foods. http://catcentric.org/nutrition-and...y-cat-or-i-can-afford-to-feed-commercial-raw/

Thanks for the info! I'll have to show my boyfriend the site since he's the one buying her food until I can find a job.

If he has to feed grocery store brands, 9 Lives is a really bad one. I'd at least go with the grain free Fancy Feast and/or Friskies. I don't care for those brands much but it's better than 9 Lives.

I told him to stay away from the 9Lives cat food before he left for work (he works in a grocery store).

Just thought I should say she is doing much better today.