HELP HELP $2,500 into medical advice with the same answer EVERYTIME

Hello, we have a 6 year old black cat named Norman. He was rescued about a year ago from the human society, when we got him he had to have all but 4 teeth removed. Then he was having bloody/mucus on his SOLIED poop. We then went to the vet and they put him on science diet. After that he began having runny/ diarrhea . The diarrhea has not stopped for close to 9 months. We have seen 4 vets now and spent 1,000s on tests (one vet even said she would put him down!!!) but here is the thing he is acting 100% Norman his eyes look alive and happy! So I'm thinking I'm just missing somthing???
So let me break it down to what he has been on/doing. 1st the diarrhea , then we switched his food. He lost 2 pounds in a couple of months (he is already a small cat anyways). His diarrhea has still not stopped. The vet then put him on steroids everyday and a v12 shot every Friday. Still didn't help his poop. Then we came home to poop OUTSIDE the box . We went to ANOTHER vet and she thought it was his pancreas So she put him on pancreas enzymes . The pooping outside the box got way worse so we went to yet ANOTHER vet and she told us to put him down but his test she said seem normal?!?!? So then we ditched that vet and went back to our original and he said to stop with the pancreas enzymes. So now he is on science diet ZD with a powdered probiotic VSL#3 and his steroid(every day) and shot every Friday. WE NEED HELP! He keeps pooping outside and why hasn't the diarrhea stopped?! Sorry it's so long and confusing: / be happy to answer any questions you have just love my cat to death and I just know we're missing somthig!!!

Has any of those vets done a fecal test on your cat? Diarrhea can be caused by many things. It could also be the food. 

Science Diet is not really good food, in spite of what vets think. You would be better off with one of the pate foods - Fancy Feast or Friskies. Try adding a teaspoonful of pumpkin to the food to help stop the diarrhea. Use unflavored pie pumpking.

Sounds like he might have IBD.  First, you want to rule out something like tritrichomonas foetus or other parasites, so request a PCR diarrhea panel. 

It seems like every time we switch somthing he gets worse : / he is also SUPER picky we tried the pumpkin but he wound not eat it. And the vet gave him a pill to kill parasites and it did nothing : (((. We just started him on the probiotic. Thank you guys for responding!!

Just seems like when we try anything he gets worse

The parasites found in the PCR test are not found in the regular in-house fecal float.  It would be a good thing to rule out any of the less common parasites that might be lurking.  Have you contacted the rescue to see if he had any of these same issues while in their care? 

Yes they said he was clear. Maybe changing his litter? Just don't want him to be in pain

The litter isn't causing the problem.  Most likely he has a sensitive tummy or IBD.  I have one who is on a Rx food. If he doesn't eat it, he gets very runny poops.  We feed all of our kitties grain-free canned and dry, but he gets his Rx food mixed in with his grain-free dry to keep his stool nice and formed. 

Since the Science Diet ZD is for skin or food sensitivities it seems that the vet is attempting to treat for food allergy as a possible culprit for the diarrhea.

Have you discussed the possibility of IBD with your vet?

Do you feed the dry ZD or canned? I know you said your kitty is very picky...there are a lot of us out here that understand that all to well

There are quite a few members who have experience in this area, regarding IBD. There are lots of threads that discuss how others are dealing with this regarding food, supplements, medications, diagnostic tests etc.

I am by no means diagnosing your cat as I am not a vet... I think that maybe your kitty could benefit from the same elimination diet and stomach settling techniques that are used when a cat is suspected to have IBD.

It really sounds like he isn't tolerating this food since the diarrhea started after changing him to SD ZD. He had mucous on solid poop which prompted the visit where the food change was made, correct?

What were you feeding prior to that?

it's so frustrating when our kitties aren't feeling well and especially when they are avoiding their box.

I know I threw a lot of questions out there for you but I do think it will help others give advice.

We started our cat who has IBD on Tiki brand chicken wet food and it's done wonders!

@carcarlyho, I took in a cat a couple of years ago that seemed very healthy, but would have liquid diarrhea almost every single time he ate, despite everything I tried, including potions, powders, pills, etc,, etc.  An expensive vet visit didn't find anything, either.  She had prescribed Science Diet food too, which I wasn't too happy about, but 3 months of his dirty feet and my stress level of catching him in time before he tracked on the floor, and I was ready to try anything.  It didn't help.

I finally found an article online about food allergies possibly causing it.  Basically, if a cat (or dog) eats the same protein for years, they can develop an allergy to it and have issues like diarrhea.  The common denominator in every food I was feeding was chicken in some way, shape or form, including by-products.  I researched and researched until I found a food with absolutely no chicken of any kind whatsoever in it.  It is Nature's Logic in the rabbit formula.  After a few days on it, my cat stopped having diarrhea and began having normal poo.  I kept him on it for a couple of months for his gut to heal and then re-introduced him to Nature's Logic Chicken without any problems.  I now rotate my 6 cats every few months between the two flavors and everyone is happy, shiny and healthy.

Because I have so many cats, I buy the dog food version, which is more economical and is the same formula as the cat version (I recently re-verified that with them).  I've found the chicken version is cheapest at chewy and the rabbit at amazon in the dog food sizes.  Nature's Logic also will send you a free sample if you contact them, if when you check their website, they don't have anyone near you that sells it or you want to just try one or a few cans of it right away. 

I remember how awful those days were with Julien, trying to figure out what was causing his diarrhea and trying everything I could get my hands on that might help.  My heart goes out to both of you.

carcarlyho said:

 

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Some cats with IBD respond to ZD with even worse diarrhea.  You can also try a prescription (not OTC) novel protein diet.