Chronic diarrhea in my 17 year old cat

[LindaThacker]

I don't know what to do next! Maybe one of you might have suggestions. I've had my Schnickle since he was a kitten. He's been an indoor cat the whole time. He's had several health problems over the years - chronic ear infections, polyps in his ear, and now chronic diarrhea! It's been over 18 months since this condition started. He has never had any 'accidents' in the house until this problem occurred. Now he pees in the litter boxes but almost all the time he poos (squirts) just outside the litter box. I have seen him go to the box, pee, then step out to poo!

I've spent almost $2K trying to find answers. We did blood tests, fecal tests, urine tests, we changed his diet to the point of only feeding him prescription Hills Science Z/D. We tried antibiotics, probiotics, B12 shots! Nothing gives much relief. Best we've gotten has been a few days with semi-solid or even a few actual formed stools! (That was a celebration.) But the longest that lasted was about a week and a half - then the diarrhea came back. Mostly it's nothing but a puddle of poo but some days its like a small, soft cow pie. He's still eating and drinking, he's not dehydrated, he runs around and curls up and purrs in my lap many times a day, as usual. He doesn't seem to be in pain. A few weeks ago he seemed unable to even stop 'dribbling' his poo all over the house. I rushed out and purchased some small doggie diapers which he tolerated alright but they leaked all over and didn't help. I spend 2 - 3 hours a day scrubbing the laundry room where the cat boxes are!

We can't seem to find the answer as to why he has this problem, but he seems to be doing alright even through this. If he would at least go in the litter box it would be much easier on me! Anyone have suggestions? Thank you.

 

[verna davies]

I don't know what could be causing it but you could try a pinch of psyllium mixed into his food twice a day or half a capsule of s boulardii daily. Both seem to firm up the stools.

 

[fionasmom]

You have spent a lot of money trying to resolve this. I assume that nothing like IBD was found or you would have said. What is your vet saying about this? It sounds as if you were sent home with a cat who has an ongoing issue.

 

[LindaThacker]

That's pretty much where it stands. She has me giving him a B12 shot every month - and it's helped a bit for about 2 weeks and then it returns. She said the last option is to take him to surgery and get a biopsy of his intestines, but at 17 I hesitate to put him through that. He's not losing weight, he's not dehydrated, he has no parasites, he jumps up on counters (a good size jump for a 17 year old), and seems like a happy cat. Since we can't find an answer for his main problem, my tactic now is to try to get him to at least do his business in the litterbox. He actually DID use the litterbox this morning! I probably clean the litterboxes 6 - 7 times a day and scrub the floor at least a couple of times a day trying to keep the box and area clean for him. I've tried several different litters and a couple of different litterboxes. And he always goes pee in the box but steps out of the box to poo.

Just a bit of further info, I do have another cat - 18 year old Lady. She has no problems but has gone through the dietary changes and litterbox routine the same as him. Trying to keep food and litterboxes separate was impossible. The only things that have changed at our home in the last 18 months is Covid (I think they would have recognized that) and I retired last May - I'm home more.

I do appreciate peoples ideas. Part of my frustration is that I've pretty much run out of ideas.

 

[LTS3]

I'd get a second opinion from an internal medicine vet. If there are none in your area, ask your vet to consult with a veterinary school.

 

[JC fka JClark]

I've been told that an ultrasound can help determine if the cat has IBD or it's cousins. This is obviously less invasive compared to a biopsy.

Probiotics – IBDKitties

 

[LindaThacker]

Really!!? Great. I'll ask the vet about that. Thank you.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Also, just as another interim tactic until you do more testing, try taking a very low sided litter box - even some reasonably sized cardboard box lids - and place puppy pee pads in them. Perhaps, right next to the regular litter box that he pees in. He might go on the pee pads - that would, at least, help with clean up.

 

[LindaThacker]

I did try some pee pads but he tries to be a proper kitty and scatches at them to cover up his job. It makes more of a mess! Maybe, if I put the pads in a shallow box like you suggested, it would help. I'll try that too.