Large Bowel Irritation

hersheys mom

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My 1 year old Burmese has a large bowel irritation. She has had diarrhea for 2 months, and is now passing bright red blood and mucus in her stool. I have tried pumpkin, yams, rice, Amonium AD and Xanax (for anxiety). My vet recently suggested Pepto Bismol, but she is feral and not yet at the "touchable" stage. She is also a biter, and I am vulnerable to her bites and scratches (been to the ER 4 times, deadly allergic to all but 3 antibiotics and none of them are strong enough to combat animal bites according to my doctor). I can't force it down her throat, and mixing it in with her food results in a bite or scratch. Anyone have any more "natural" aids for this? The poor thing is in pain, and her vet is trying to help, but her last visit resulted in her flying off the walls and ceiling. My vet finally caught her in mid-air in a net, gave her a nap and examined her. Other than this, she is in excellent health. She has had all her shots, been de-wormed, and recently her vet gave her a chalky white liquid we put in her food to kill any parasite the dewormer did not. My vet says this can still be a result of stress, and that sometimes it takes months to go away, but it has been 2 months now and she must be hurting pretty bad. Open to any suggestions.

Lei Ann
 

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My 1 year old Burmese has a large bowel irritation. She has had diarrhea for 2 months, and is now passing bright red blood and mucus in her stool. I have tried pumpkin, yams, rice, Amonium AD and Xanax (for anxiety). My vet recently suggested Pepto Bismol, but she is feral and not yet at the "touchable" stage. She is also a biter, and I am vulnerable to her bites and scratches (been to the ER 4 times, deadly allergic to all but 3 antibiotics and none of them are strong enough to combat animal bites according to my doctor). I can't force it down her throat, and mixing it in with her food results in a bite or scratch. Anyone have any more "natural" aids for this? The poor thing is in pain, and her vet is trying to help, but her last visit resulted in her flying off the walls and ceiling. My vet finally caught her in mid-air in a net, gave her a nap and examined her. Other than this, she is in excellent health. She has had all her shots, been de-wormed, and recently her vet gave her a chalky white liquid we put in her food to kill any parasite the dewormer did not. My vet says this can still be a result of stress, and that sometimes it takes months to go away, but it has been 2 months now and she must be hurting pretty bad. Open to any suggestions.

Lei Ann
I am sorry Lei Ann but your cat is not in excellent health.  I also read and posted on your thread in the Behavior Forum.  This is not the picture of a cat in excellent health, and frankly I am curious as to why you took her from a shelter in Denver to San Diego without finding out more about the commitment you were taking on.
 

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Maybe she is allergic to some type of protein you are feeding her.

Have you tried switching to a cat food that has a single source of protein, say chicken, or duck, or rabbit, with no other proteins.  Preferably grain free?
 

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I'm so sorry, I don't remember what you're feeding her.

I stand by my original recommendations. A good human acidophilus supplement once daily with 10 billion live cultures. A high protein, no grain, low carb, limited ingredient diet, wet food only, or even better, raw food, whether commercial or home made. Many, many kitties have overcome this inflammation problem, often within days, simply by making that switch.

Whether stress based or no, she needs an anti inflammatory diet. It certainly can't hurt at this point, and may provide some much needed relief.


If you want to learn more, we can help.
http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-feeding-for-cats
 

the_food_lady

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With all due respect I think your Vet needs to do his homework if he's recommending that ANY cat be given Pepto Bismol!!!    Pepto Bismol contains a form of aspirin (salicylate...namely, Bismuth Subsalicylate - which is the main/active ingredient).....and cats livers do not produce the enzyme necessary to break down aspirin and as such, should not be given it as it can cause life threatening TOXICITY.

http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/does-pepto-bismol-work-for-cats-and-dogs

Here is a reputable cat website that gives specific info on what meds are considered TOXIC to cats and why, and here is the excerpt there on Pepto-Bismol:

ASPIRIN (ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID, SALICYLATE)   Pepto-Bismol
http://

Sources Many analgesic, antiinflammatory, antipyretic, and anticliartheal (Pepto-Bismol) agents that contain salicylates are sold as OTC preparations. Some keratolytic products contain salicylates.

Mechanism of action Acetylsalicylic acid inhibits cyclooxygenase, which then inhibits production of certain prostaglandins, including protective prostaglandins of the E series. High levels are known to directly stimulate the respiratory center (early) to cause an initial respiratory alkalosis. High doses are also known to uncouple' oxidative phosphorylation and may cause hyperglycemia and glycosuria.

Clinical signs The biologic half-life of aspirin is 7.5 to 8 hours in dogs and 38 to 45 hours in cats at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day. The toxic dose in cats is >25 mg/kg/day in cats and >50 mg/kg/day in dogs. Signs are noted within 4 to 6 hours after ingestion of a toxic dose and include depression, vorniting, anorexia and lethargy, tachypnea (caused by initial respiratory alkalosis), and hyperthermia. The vomitus may be blood-tinged from GI ulceration. CNS depression leads to muscle weakness and ataxia; coma and death can occur within I or more days. Gastrointestinal ulceration or perforation may be seen after the administration of repeated doses over several days' duration. Anemia, bone marrow depression, Heinz body formation (cats), and toxic hepatitis may occur.

Toxic signs may be seen at doses of Pepto-Bismol >7 mL/kg/day in dogs and cats. Two tablespoons of PeptoBismol contain the salicylate equivalent of one 5-grain aspirin tablet.

Treatment There is no specific antidote. The stomach should be emptied by induction of emesis or lavage if within <2 hours of ingestion though there are literature reports that gastric evacuation may be of value up to 12 hours after ingestion of enteric-coated aspirin preparations. Multiple-dose activated charcoal is warranted. Acid-base balance is corrected as needed; diuresis is instituted. Alkalinization of the urine with sodium bicarbonate can be done to hasten urinary excretion, though this requires intense monitoring and is difficult to achieve safely. Peritoneal dialysis allows direct removal of salicylic acid from serum. Gastric ulceration or perforation is treated as needed.

The above excerpt is from this website:  http://maxshouse.com/Drugs_To_Avoid_in_Cats.html

Do you know this cat's history?   Has your Vet obtained/tested a stool sample to check for common things like Giardia or Coccidia?   If not this should be done.   There are specific antibiotics that would be given for either one and if your cat has either of these (they are common in strays, ferals, cats known to drink stagnant water or contaminated water, etc).    If this cat's stool (poop) has never been tested, it should be ASAP.   I'd be requesting it.   I had to do that with my recently rescued kitten who was having major diarrhea (she was found outside).   Luckily I was able to stick a measuring cup under her butt when she was in the litterbox and I got a sample that way, I transferred it to one of those sterile urine collection cups they give you at the doctor's office (but you could just use a small clean plastic food storage container, too) and I took it into the clinic ASAP and they sent it off to the lab for her to be tested for "Ova and Parasites"....which included testing for Coccidia.....and I also had them run another test to test for Giardia.   Luckily she did not have either.....but I think given your cat being feral, this needs to be done ASAP.

Here is some info on Giardia and Coccidia in Cats:   http://pets.webmd.com/cats/coccidiosis-giardiasis-cats-kittens

I'd be concerned this cat is becoming dehydrated from all the fluid loss caused by the diarrhea....and maybe at risk for anemia if having frequent blood in stools?
 
 
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hersheys mom

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With all due respect I think your Vet needs to do his homework if he's recommending that ANY cat be given Pepto Bismol!!!    Pepto Bismol contains a form of aspirin (salicylate...namely, Bismuth Subsalicylate - which is the main/active ingredient).....and cats livers do not produce the enzyme necessary to break down aspirin and as such, should not be given it as it can cause life threatening TOXICITY.

http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/does-pepto-bismol-work-for-cats-and-dogs

Here is a reputable cat website that gives specific info on what meds are considered TOXIC to cats and why, and here is the excerpt there on Pepto-Bismol:

ASPIRIN (ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID, SALICYLATE)   Pepto-Bismol
http://

Sources Many analgesic, antiinflammatory, antipyretic, and anticliartheal (Pepto-Bismol) agents that contain salicylates are sold as OTC preparations. Some keratolytic products contain salicylates.

Mechanism of action Acetylsalicylic acid inhibits cyclooxygenase, which then inhibits production of certain prostaglandins, including protective prostaglandins of the E series. High levels are known to directly stimulate the respiratory center (early) to cause an initial respiratory alkalosis. High doses are also known to uncouple' oxidative phosphorylation and may cause hyperglycemia and glycosuria.

Clinical signs The biologic half-life of aspirin is 7.5 to 8 hours in dogs and 38 to 45 hours in cats at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day. The toxic dose in cats is >25 mg/kg/day in cats and >50 mg/kg/day in dogs. Signs are noted within 4 to 6 hours after ingestion of a toxic dose and include depression, vorniting, anorexia and lethargy, tachypnea (caused by initial respiratory alkalosis), and hyperthermia. The vomitus may be blood-tinged from GI ulceration. CNS depression leads to muscle weakness and ataxia; coma and death can occur within I or more days. Gastrointestinal ulceration or perforation may be seen after the administration of repeated doses over several days' duration. Anemia, bone marrow depression, Heinz body formation (cats), and toxic hepatitis may occur.

Toxic signs may be seen at doses of Pepto-Bismol >7 mL/kg/day in dogs and cats. Two tablespoons of PeptoBismol contain the salicylate equivalent of one 5-grain aspirin tablet.

Treatment There is no specific antidote. The stomach should be emptied by induction of emesis or lavage if within <2 hours of ingestion though there are literature reports that gastric evacuation may be of value up to 12 hours after ingestion of enteric-coated aspirin preparations. Multiple-dose activated charcoal is warranted. Acid-base balance is corrected as needed; diuresis is instituted. Alkalinization of the urine with sodium bicarbonate can be done to hasten urinary excretion, though this requires intense monitoring and is difficult to achieve safely. Peritoneal dialysis allows direct removal of salicylic acid from serum. Gastric ulceration or perforation is treated as needed.

The above excerpt is from this website:  http://maxshouse.com/Drugs_To_Avoid_in_Cats.html

Do you know this cat's history?   Has your Vet obtained/tested a stool sample to check for common things like Giardia or Coccidia?   If not this should be done.   There are specific antibiotics that would be given for either one and if your cat has either of these (they are common in strays, ferals, cats known to drink stagnant water or contaminated water, etc).    If this cat's stool (poop) has never been tested, it should be ASAP.   I'd be requesting it.   I had to do that with my recently rescued kitten who was having major diarrhea (she was found outside).   Luckily I was able to stick a measuring cup under her butt when she was in the litterbox and I got a sample that way, I transferred it to one of those sterile urine collection cups they give you at the doctor's office (but you could just use a small clean plastic food storage container, too) and I took it into the clinic ASAP and they sent it off to the lab for her to be tested for "Ova and Parasites"....which included testing for Coccidia.....and I also had them run another test to test for Giardia.   Luckily she did not have either.....but I think given your cat being feral, this needs to be done ASAP.

Here is some info on Giardia and Coccidia in Cats:   http://pets.webmd.com/cats/coccidiosis-giardiasis-cats-kittens

I'd be concerned this cat is becoming dehydrated from all the fluid loss caused by the diarrhea....and maybe at risk for anemia if having frequent blood in stools?
 
She has been tested for everything. Her stool has been tested, she has been given probiotics and some white liquid (forgot the name) that was supposed to kill everything that does not show in a stool test. She was put on Amonium AD. She is on Xanax. She is from a Humane Society in Denver do I don't know her history, but her foster mom said her diharrea started 2 days before I got her.However, no antibiotics were given as far as I know.  She is still considered feral, so extremely hard to transport. Tomorrow I will call the vet and ask if she was tested for the things you mentioned. She is eating Wellness food, which is what she was on since she was trapped.
 
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hersheys mom

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I am sorry Lei Ann but your cat is not in excellent health.  I also read and posted on your thread in the Behavior Forum.  This is not the picture of a cat in excellent health, and frankly I am curious as to why you took her from a shelter in Denver to San Diego without finding out more about the commitment you were taking on.
Doc did a blood test and said everything was fine, that the diarrhea may be stress caused or she may have a serious digestive problem requiring a biopsy. I knew when I adopted her from the Denver Humane Society that she was feral. I have worked with an abused cat and a food monger with great success. Hershey Rose is coming along nicely and is well acclimated to her room. She flew with me in the passenger compartment of the plane, but was terriorized by the Denver TSA at the airport for 40 minutes. I'm sure that didn't help. It has been just about 2 months, and aside from the biting issue with the food she doesn't like the smell of, this seems to be her only other problem. But it is a problem that scares me, badly. No cat should have diarrhea for 2 months. Two vets told be it could last for 4 months, but her bottom is so red, and she is starting to pass blood. I am really at a loss as how to help her.
 
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hersheys mom

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Maybe she is allergic to some type of protein you are feeding her.

Have you tried switching to a cat food that has a single source of protein, say chicken, or duck, or rabbit, with no other proteins.  Preferably grain free?
I only know of Wellness. Here in El Cajon, we have Hills Science Diet, Eukenuba, Blue, Purina, Friskies and stuff from Canada. The Wellness she has eaten has been turkey and chicken. I believe they are gluten free. What would you suggest?
 
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hersheys mom

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I'm so sorry, I don't remember what you're feeding her.
I stand by my original recommendations. A good human acidophilus supplement once daily with 10 billion live cultures. A high protein, no grain, low carb, limited ingredient diet, wet food only, or even better, raw food, whether commercial or home made. Many, many kitties have overcome this inflammation problem, often within days, simply by making that switch.
Whether stress based or no, she needs an anti inflammatory diet. It certainly can't hurt at this point, and may provide some much needed relief.
If you want to learn more, we can help.
http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-feeding-for-cats
I am feeding her Wellness. She is one year old. I'm sorry, but you lost me. I don't know what acifophilus is, or how to obtain the foots you mention. Where I live, we don't have a whole lot of choices in our pet stores, and the vets here (at least the 4 or 5 I've talked to) do not belive in feeding raw. Can you be a bit more specific or give me some examples? I really want her to get well.
 

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Are you able to apply some kind of barrier cream to her butthole area to help with the redness and inflammation its obviously experiencing due to the diarrhea?   Something like plain Lanolin cream......similar to what they use on babies but with no perfumes at all (that could make things worse).   You should be able to find plain Lanolin cream at any pharmacy or even at Walmart in the section that sells baby wipes and such.   Just look for plain Lanolin, read ingredients.   Plain old vaseline would work too......just to sort of coat this area and act as a barrier so that the liquid diarrhea doesn't continue to essentially inflame and burn it.  

Do you happen have access to a Vet clinic that deals ONLY with cats?   Where I live here we have a few of these "cat only clinics"........and they're great because the vets are simply a lot more knowledgable about everything cat health related.   Look in the yellow pages of your phone book under Veterinarians to see?   If you find one, I'd contact current clinic and request copies of your cats records be sent to you (which is your right to request) or to the other clinic, so that they can see up to date what's been done, tested, tried in terms of meds, etc.

There is also something else kitty should be tested for, a lot of Vets don't know to test for it but it's becoming more known:   Tritrichomonas Foetus, aka TF or T. Foetus

http://www.2ndchance.info/diarrhea-tritrichomonasTolbert2009.pdf

Excellent info on this protozoa, along with symptoms in an infected cat, and best ways for cat to be tested for it.   To note, this isn't something that most vets would routinely test for........sadly it seems a lot of Vets don't know too much about it....so read all you can on it and then you'll know what to ask for.   

Metronidazole wouldn't treat T.F., if that's what is causing kitty's diarrhea, but frankly I'm surprised that your Vet hasn't tried your cat on a course of Flagyl (aka Metronidazole).   In addition to being a common antibiotic for cats with diarrhea, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that help decrease inflammation in an inflamed lower GI/intestinal tract.    When I rescued my kitten end of Sept and she had horrible diarrhea,  she was started on this and it did help quite a lot.    Vet figured her issues (as testing showed she was negative for Giardia and Coccidia) were likely just stress and in her case the diarrhea stopped after about 1 month...and her diarrhea really only happend about 30 minutes after each meal........so it wasn't like she was pooping more than normal...it's just that her poops were loose.

Find out exactly what kitty's stool was tested for....confirm whether tested for Giardia, Coccidia, TF....if none of these were tested for, request testing ASAP and see if you can take a sample in for them to send off for testing.   Then ask for some Metronidazole (Flagyl) (get a sample in for testing prior to starting this as you don't want to impact test results by starting it before you've sent off sample).  

Have you tried a different kind of food?  Or even a prescription food intended for cats with intestinal issues?   Hill's would make one, and so does Medi-Cal Prescription Food (not sure if you're in the U.S. and if you are, not sure if your Vets there carry it, we have Medi-Cal here in Canada...made by Royal Canin, and whenever I've had to put my cats on any kind of Rx food, they always preferred the Medi-Cal.....).    These foods have more fiber in them which can help firm up the poops some, too.    Did your Vet not think to try such a diet?    Would be probably similar to whatever diet they'd recommend for a cat with Irritable Bowel Disease.

I would question any Vet who thinks that it can take 4 months for a cat to get over stress induced diarrhea. 

How many times a day does kitty have diarrhea?  

You say that you were told that kitty's diarrhea started 2 days prior to you adopting.......... can you find out what kind of food they were feeding kitty prior to you adopting?   Perhaps issues are with the food you're feeding, even though wellness is a good food, there might be something in it that kitty is reacting/allergic to.

Something else you might consider trying is Fortiflora.  It's a probiotic that most Vet clinics sell, comes in packets, you give cat one packet per day in their food.   My Vet swears by it and I've heard many good things about it.  Another one is Benebac Gel, I found some at a local pet food store (don't think Vets carry it).

Something else too is Slippery Elm Bark powder.   Helps reduce inflammation of the inflamed intestines.   Here is a good article by Dr Jean Hovre about the use of Slippery Elm Bark in cats w/ diarrhea/GI issues:   http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/

I used to give to my very old rescue kitty who sometimes had diarrhea along with upset tummy (the latter due to high stomach acid due to kidney disease).   I bought it at a local health food store in bulk powder.   That was 10 years ago.  I believe it's much more available now, think it even comes in capsules.   It's very soothing to irritated/inflamed mucous membranes (including lining of intestines) and has no known side effects but it possibly reduces the absorption of other meds if given at the same time (as it sort of 'coats' the stomach) so it should be giving a couple of hours before/after medications...and should be given BEFORE meals (about 30 minutes before).   I would just pour some of the powder into the barrel of a 3 or 5 cc syringe (holding my finger over the tip of the syringe so it didn't leak out), then add 3-4cc of cold water to barrel of syringe.......carefully put plunger into barrel with tip of syringe facing UP, shake really really well then slowly squirt into cat's mouth.  Have to do it quickly after you mix as it becomes rather thick.   Humans use it too.  I tasted it, it's got very little flavor at all, slightly sweet.......
 
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hersheys mom

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Are you able to apply some kind of barrier cream to her butthole area to help with the redness and inflammation its obviously experiencing due to the diarrhea?   Something like plain Lanolin cream......similar to what they use on babies but with no perfumes at all (that could make things worse).   You should be able to find plain Lanolin cream at any pharmacy or even at Walmart in the section that sells baby wipes and such.   Just look for plain Lanolin, read ingredients.   Plain old vaseline would work too......just to sort of coat this area and act as a barrier so that the liquid diarrhea doesn't continue to essentially inflame and burn it. 

Cat is feral, cannot touch her yet.

Do you happen have access to a Vet clinic that deals ONLY with cats?   Don't know, but can look into it.

There is also something else kitty should be tested for, a lot of Vets don't know to test for it but it's becoming more known:   Tritrichomonas Foetus, aka TF or T. Foetus   I will ask her.

Metronidazole wouldn't treat T.F., if that's what is causing kitty's diarrhea, but frankly I'm surprised that your Vet hasn't tried your cat on a course of Flagyl (aka Metronidazole).   In addition to being a common antibiotic for cats with diarrhea, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that help decrease inflammation in an inflamed lower GI/intestinal tract.   

Funny, we must be on the same track. I just called this morning and asked them to put her on an antibiotic. She is going to call me back.

Find out exactly what kitty's stool was tested for....confirm whether tested for Giardia, Coccidia, TF.... Asked same question this morning, waiting for response.

Have you tried a different kind of food?  Or even a prescription food intended for cats with intestinal issues?   Yes, Hills for irritable bowel, she hissed at it and walked away. Can't get her to eat it. She eats Wellness. Have tried other foods, but not Royal Canin.

I would question any Vet who thinks that it can take 4 months for a cat to get over stress induced diarrhea. 

How many times a day does kitty have diarrhea?  Less than 5 minutes after she eats. She has kibble available to her all day and gets wet food 3 times a day, so she poops enough for 3 cats in 24 hours.

You say that you were told that kitty's diarrhea started 2 days prior to you adopting.......... can you find out what kind of food they were feeding kitty prior to you adopting?   Wellness. Had to request my pet store get it for me. Not as popular here in San Diego.

Something else you might consider trying is Fortiflora.  It's a probiotic that most Vet clinics sell, comes in packets, you give cat one packet per day in their food.   My

She is on probiotics from vet, has been for 6 weeks.

Something else too is Slippery Elm Bark powder.   Helps reduce inflammation of the inflamed intestines.   Here is a good article by Dr Jean Hovre about the use of Slippery Elm Bark in cats w/ diarrhea/GI issues:   http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/slippery-elm/ Familiar with Slippery Elm Bark for humans. Not aware you could give it to cats. Thanks for that info. However, would have to mix it in her food as she is feral and I value my fingers and arms too much to attempt this. My immune system cannot handle the bacteria in her mouth, she has sent me to the ER more than once. She is the first cat whose bite has ever had any effect on me. And to make matters worse, I am allergic to antibiotics. My family wants me to get rid of her because of the danger of my losing a finger (or worse) to her bite, but I am not ready to give her up. Actually , that's not true. I have no intentions of giving her up. Will post what the vet has to say. Her passing blood is really scarring me.
 

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Wellness contains carrageenan, a known bowel inflammatory. Read can labels, find a food that does not contain carrageenan.

Eliminate the dry food all together.

I'm not saying this will cure her, there may be more than one issue going on, including stress. But I would definitely get her OFF the food that contains carrageenan.

Like others have mentioned, (and I mentioned in another thread of yours) a raw diet may be the best thing for this cat, for multiple reasons.
 
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hersheys mom

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Wellness contains carrageenan, a known bowel inflammatory. Read can labels, find a food that does not contain carrageenan.
Eliminate the dry food all together.
I'm not saying this will cure her, there may be more than one issue going on, including stress. But I would definitely get her OFF the food that contains carrageenan.
Like others have mentioned, (and I mentioned in another thread of yours) a raw diet may be the best thing for this cat, for multiple reasons.
Please advise me. I have never fed raw food to any of my cats. Do I buy chicken from the market and feed it to her? She won't eat raw beef, I've tried that. Never had a cat that suffered from this problem. Minja, my Tortie, is just fine on the food I feed Hershey Rose. Why is dry food bad for her? Not being a smart alec, just really don't know.
 

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Please advise me. I have never fed raw food to any of my cats. Do I buy chicken from the market and feed it to her? She won't eat raw beef, I've tried that. Never had a cat that suffered from this problem. Minja, my Tortie, is just fine on the food I feed Hershey Rose. Why is dry food bad for her? Not being a smart alec, just really don't know
Lei Ann.

There is an entire forum dedicated to raw feeding.  At the top of the Raw Feeding forum there are some links for raw feeding resources.  That is the best place to start and will answer your questions.  It would be impractical to post all the information you will need on this thread.  You could start a thread under raw feeding, and that way it isn't in the wrong forum as it would be here.  There is also lots of info on why dry food is bad under the main Nutrition forum.  I recently began my 3 on a raw diet and it has been a rewarding experience for both me, and my cats. 
 
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Lei Ann.

There is an entire forum dedicated to raw feeding.  At the top of the Raw Feeding forum there are some links for raw feeding resources.  That is the best place to start and will answer your questions.  It would be impractical to post all the information you will need on this thread.  You could start a thread under raw feeding, and that way it isn't in the wrong forum as it would be here.  There is also lots of info on why dry food is bad under the main Nutrition forum.  I recently began my 3 on a raw diet and it has been a rewarding experience for both me, and my cats. 
:yeah:
Raw solved a severe IBD problem on my cat Bugsy when no amount of medication and no other diet would. He had IBD before raw for all his life..... Has been health and drugs free from day one since gone on raw. Here is the link for the raw forum, by all means, start a thread in there! http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-feeding-for-cats
:wavey:
 
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otto

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Please advise me. I have never fed raw food to any of my cats. Do I buy chicken from the market and feed it to her? She won't eat raw beef, I've tried that. Never had a cat that suffered from this problem. Minja, my Tortie, is just fine on the food I feed Hershey Rose. Why is dry food bad for her? Not being a smart alec, just really don't know.
Many people start with commercial raw products (I did) and gradually work up to making their own. There are many brands to choose from. We do have a raw feeding forum where you can start a thread and we will try to answer all your questions. And please, don't worry about the type of question. Especially since I think you may not have heard much about raw feeding before? We've all been at the beginning at one time.

Dry food is not good for cats for quite a few reasons. Cats are obligate carnivores, this means they need meat to thrive, and they also need moisture from their food to prevent dehydration. You are feeding some canned, and that is a good thing but...the brand you are feeding, possibly because of the carrageenan, could be making things worse for Hershey Rose.

Dry food can also be an inflammatory. Since cats' bodies are not designed by nature to eat food in dry chunks, it can cause all sorts of problems for a cat with sensitive digestive system.

I urge you to go to this site: www.catinfo.org and read what the vet who owns the site has written. She explains at great length why dry food isn't good for cats. This will help you understand better than anything I can say here.

The Raw forum is here:

http://www.thecatsite.com/f/65/raw-feeding-for-cats

And it's a very nice helpful group of people. We can help you understand the benefits, the various methods, and how to transition.
 
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hersheys mom

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There is also something else kitty should be tested for, a lot of Vets don't know to test for it but it's becoming more known:   Tritrichomonas Foetus, aka TF or T. Foetus

http://www.2ndchance.info/diarrhea-tritrichomonasTolbert2009.pdf

Excellent info on this protozoa, along with symptoms in an infected cat, and best ways for cat to be tested for it.   To note, this isn't something that most vets would routinely test for........sadly it seems a lot of Vets don't know too much about it....so read all you can on it and then you'll know what to ask for.   

Metronidazole wouldn't treat T.F., if that's what is causing kitty's diarrhea, but frankly I'm surprised that your Vet hasn't tried your cat on a course of Flagyl (aka Metronidazole).  
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! HERSHEY ROSE was tested for Giardia and  Coccidia (negative) but not TF. She will be tested for that today. My vet did not consider it, you were absoultely right about that. She is also being started on Flagyl today. Doc thought she was already on it, but checked her chart and saw she was not. Just waiting for her to "do her thing" so I can rush it to the vet.

Many thanks,

Lei Ann
 

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Two of my foster cats with feline aids are taking clindamycin which causes extreme diarrhea. I know you already tried pumpkin, I just want to say that I mixed it with BG wet food, chicken flavor and they ate it and showed improvement right away. 

BG is grain free and my immune-deficient cats have done very well with it. 

Another thing I am using is GI Defense powder in their food, I got it from this site http://www.pawsitivityforpets.com/gi-defence ; they sell products for pets where they already put together the homeopathic ingredients and you don't have to shop for a bunch of different things. I swear by the products on this site, I have used them extensively for my own cats plus the ones with feline aids and they have really helped to the point where I started thinking I really need to be taking some of this stuff myself LOL.

In the meantime I really do sympathize with you- one of my own cats had extreme persistent diarrhea when she was my young foster kitten- the litter had coccidia, giardia, and campylobacter all at once. The other kittens got better but Lola did not. She suffered for many months while the vet tried one thing after another. Finally she saw a vet from the practice who gave her zenaquin even though Lola was still very young- the vet warned me about possible adverse reactions but said this has been going on too long. Anyhow, Lola was fine in two days. You cannot imagine how relieved I was (and Lola too!). After that, I'd had her for so long that she became my failed foster lol as I could not part with her. 

Here she is as a kitten and then in the cage with her foster buddies, I had to keep her isolated so the others would not get reinfected, she was such a good sport lol. Her poor little butt was so inflamed too! I can't even tell you how agonizing it was for both of us.



So- don't give up hope for your kitty, I imagine she is in a lot of pain and that her behavior will improve greatly once she is feeling better, poor baby. Some kitties, especially those who may have grown up outside, just don't have a strong enough immune system to fight off the things that other cats do and extra measures are needed. I do recommend what the others have said about stopping the crunchies and getting grain free wet food and/or raw food- if you are still mulling over the raw stuff, you might want to try a small packet of stella and chewys freeze dried raw food, you can serve it to your kitty in place of crunchies since it comes in dry form and can be eaten dry or with water added. That is a good place to start. Good luck with your tests and definitely look at these homeopathic suggestions because they can help the inflammation that accompanies whatever is at the root of this problem for your baby. 

I forgot to add, even though your kitty may have tested negative for Coccidia and Giardia and Campylobacter, it depends on the cycle of these protozoans, sometimes the test will show negative but only because they are in a dormant stage :-(. In the case of my kittens, I also had a situation where one illness was masking another, so I got negatives that turned into positives after one, then another cleared up. But DO look into that GI powder above as it also contains things that will help your kitty's immune system :-).
 
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hersheys mom

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 I do recommend what the others have said about stopping the crunchies and getting grain free wet food and/or raw food- if you are still mulling over the raw stuff, you might want to try a small packet of stella and chewys freeze dried raw food, you can serve it to your kitty in place of crunchies since it comes in dry form and can be eaten dry or with water added. That is a good place to start. Good luck with your tests and definitely look at these homeopathic suggestions because they can help the inflammation that accompanies whatever is at the root of this problem for your baby. 
Okay, San Diego is not a tiny town, so how come we don't have any of the food you ladies menion here? Someone mentioned BG - still don't know if that is a brand name or a type of food, and you mention Stella and Chewys - are you ladies getting these from the internet? Our pet stores (Petsmart and PetCo) don't stock any raw for cats - only dogs. Both stores are dog oriented, not much good nutrition in the cat section. And definitely no raw. Anyone here in Southern California who can recommend where to get these products?
 
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