How to control colitis through diet?

This winter I brought in a feral cat, since winters here can get to below -40. He has been healthy for the last 4 months and mainly stays in my bedroom, and has been indoor since I brought him in. Also, got him neutered and vaccinated. The last 2 weeks he has had diarrhea and bloody stolls. It got really bad 2 days ago with more blood in the litter then before and an accident on the floor so I took him right to the vet. Unfortunately I could not get into my normal vet fast enough so took him to a vet closer to me in the ciity. This was the worst vet experience I've ever had. I was thankful to know there was no uti, but he was diagnosed with colitis. I told the vet, my own cat bee, eats primal raw food and then a rotation of grain-free wet/canned food, and he acted discussed with me and basically told me raw is terrible to feed cats and if I don't know how to take care of a cat i shouldn't try rescuing one? I tried to explain that my cat bee, had herpe flare ups and diarrhea problems and the only way to controls both was with this diet and some probiotics, and I think raw and wet food diet would possibly help with this too. He wanted none of it, and thenhalfhour lecture I got on cat food contradicted everything I thought I knew about feline nutrition..

So now I feel at a loss, I got prescribed a hills I/d prescription diet, typlocin, fortiflora. I hate the ingredients in the hills. Not to mention he won't eat it. i've done some research but I know what colitis is, I've read all the reasons for it, medication and treatment, but can't find good information on a good diet to control this? If anyone has any experience with this and has some advice that would be wonderful!

I don't personally have experience with this myself but wanted to bump this up so other members have a chance to see it.

Couple of quick questions for you. 

1)  What were you feeding the new guy for the past 4 months?  The same thing as Bee?  (Primal and a rotation of canned? or what?)

2)  Has he improved since he started on the meds and new prescription food?

I, personally, have never heard of a cat with colitis, however my sister and father both have it.  I'm just wondering what would have brought it on.  Any ideas?  Usually it's stress (in humans)  

I just googled this and from what I read, it seems it may be a short term issue unless there are underlying conditions.  In that case, you may be able to resume his old diet at some point.  BUT, the main issue here is being able to determine what caused it in the first place.  And therein lies the problem...I think this new Vet thinks it's the food, and may not have looked any further .  I am basing this on the fact that he gave you such a lecture, so am thinking the new cat must be eating the same food as Bee.  Did Bee get sick too?  I'm guessing not, in which case I wouldn't think it's the food, especially after 4 months.  Can you at least CALL your regular Vet and discuss this with him?  Maybe even have the new Vet forward the info to him?

Honestly I had never heard of colitis in cats either? IBS yes but not colitis? But no bee eats the the primal and a rotation of grain-free wet. I fed Oliver (the feral) 1/4 cup nutro dry food, and then he got a can of wet at dinner. But got the lecture from the vet when I told him bee's diet and suggested this would help Oliver too. I'm only in my 20s living on my own in the city, so budget can be tight, which is why Oliver was getting fed some dry and no raw. But i've decided Oliver does well inside and i'm going to keep him so I would be willing to feed him anything to keep him healthy.

I was so confused after leaving the vets too. I read colitis is temporary but why couldn't I control it before it got bad? Two weeks ago when I noticed his stools were runny and smear marks on things I started trying different foods with him, which obviously didn't work. I can also tell he's in discomfort he hasn't been coming out as often and just sleeps under my bed in the furthest corner .

I can't get him to touch the hills prescription food at all. Or any limited ingredient natural balance?I finally gave him a can of weruva with the probiotics in it, and got him to eat and get the fortiflora and tylocin in him. That was this morning his first time really eating since Saturday. Also I should say I have cut all dry food out too. Since he had a pretty bad explosion on Saturday on the way to the vets and hadn't eaten until this morning. I will check the litter box and see how it looks.

Also I didn't take him to my original vets to get neutered and vaccinated to save some money at the time I took him to the spca so my vet really doesn't know anything about him. I wanted to take him to my vets today but the vet on Saturday cost an arm and a leg..almost 3x more then mine would have cost. So I can't take him in again until I get paid. If things don't get better I will be taking him next week though.

my cat had an acute case of bacterial colitis that was cleared with antibiotics. my vet gave me two foods to try: royal canin gastrointestinal high energy was the one my cat liked. but since it wasn't chronic, it was eventually switched to regular cat food. 

Antibiotics will help control bacterial causes. drugs can be used long-term to control or treat chronic colitis. In some animals, cats especially, steroids such as prednisone may be used.

Novel protein diets have effectively controlled clinical signs of colitis  in both dogs and cats. The protein source used should be one to which the animal has not previously been exposed. 

Hydrolyzed diets have also been effective in treatment of colitis. These specialized diets disrupt the protein structure sufficiently to remove any allergens and allergenic epitopes and, therefore, prevent immune recognition.

If feeding a high-fiber or novel protein diet is not beneficial, a commercial, low-residue diet may be tried, especially one that contains FOSs.

Cats with lymphocytic-plasmacytic colitis  may respond to dietary management alone (eg, lamb and rice, 

 In one study, cats were initially treated with dietary fiber or with dietary fiber and pharmacologic intervention (prednisone, tylosin, or sulfasalazine). Most cats were eventually maintained on high-fiber diets or a highly digestible diet.

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/dig...s_in_small_animals.html?qt=colitis cat&alt=sh

Thank you so much for the info and the site! Great information. Went and picked up some other foods with beet pulp as it said and some brown rice. Aswell as a royal canin as you mentioned your cat liked. Tried a few different cans for dinner but so far no luck so I eventually gave him another can of his weruva to get something in him. He hasn't used the litter box since Saturday other then to pee, so we'll see if there's any blood ltr tonight. No blood on the floor though which is good. Hopefully I can get it managed with probiotics and the rest of the antibiotics since I can't get him to eat the recommended foods.

There's a few of the weruva cans with pumpkin in them. Is pumpkin good for diarrhea aswell as constipation if anyone knows?

PURmonster said:

There's a few of the weruva cans with pumpkin in them. Is pumpkin good for diarrhea aswell as constipation if anyone knows?

Click to expand...

yes. good for both. 

Also, if the diarrhea doesn't improve quickly, this thread has some great info on what to do to help with THAT specific issue:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/253036/help-explosive-poop#post_3291827