Food and soft stools - Nothing works!

[andy gren]

Really hoping I can benefit from someone's experience on here, as I'm pretty much at my wits end.

Ziggy (18 months old - Russian Blue), started having regular soft stools and occasional vomiting (about once every 2 weeks approx) about 3 months ago. At the time it began he was on a grain free diet, mix of wet and dry.

Obviously we took him to the vet. Poo test (for parasites etc) negative, blood tests - clear. Will most likely have ultra sound in the coming weeks. He is fine, energetic in himself, seems absolutely fine otherwise, but I really want to get to the bottom of this if I can.

Over the last 3 months he has had periods of 2-3 weeks on the following foods, all to no avail. James Wellbeloved (wet and dry), Purina Pro plan (wet and dry), Blink (wet food only for a few weeks). Latest attempt has been dry food only - Royal Canin (Hypoallergenic). No better. Next option will be plain cooked chicken (no dry food). But after that, I'm out, no ideas!

The final, really weird thing to my mind, is every time we make a change in his diet (slowly changing over a period of a week or so usually) his poo firms up and becomes solid for a few days. Once he gets used to the new diet the stools slowly soften again and we are back to square one. This has happened in the transition between foods several times! Isn't that just bizarre?

No easy answers obviously, but anyone got any ideas or suggestions - please!

 

[Jem]

I'm going thru the same thing. I'm also currently in a trial and error stage. I don't really have anything to help you in terms of suggesting specific foods, but wanted to post to follow this thread.
I'm currently working on an "allergy suspicion" and have introduced a chicken free food option...I'll let you know if it works or not. Today is actually the first day of the full transition to the new food without mixing with old...wish me luck!

 

[tigreyes]

I am having the same trouble with my cat Buster. He seems fine but is losing weight so I am concerned. Had a blood test & it was fine so don't know why this is happening.
It is an intestinal thing the Vet says but no answers.
He poops on the rug & different places. he is 14 years old.
Does anyone know what it can be from?

 

[tigreyes]

I'm going thru the same thing. I'm also currently in a trial and error stage. I don't really have anything to help you in terms of suggesting specific foods, but wanted to post to follow this thread.
I'm currently working on an "allergy suspicion" and have introduced a chicken free food option...I'll let you know if it works or not. Today is actually the first day of the full transition to the new food without mixing with old...wish me luck!

 

[andy gren]

Well, yes, at a certain point after medical checks allergies became prime suspect for us too. But he's now on a hypoallergenic food (supposedly) and nothing else (even his treat drawer had been welded shut), and still no joy...

 

[Alldara]

Well, yes, at a certain point after medical checks allergies became prime suspect for us too. But he's now on a hypoallergenic food (supposedly) and nothing else (even his treat drawer had been welded shut), and still no joy...

Which Royal Canin is he on? Can you check if it has psyllium in it? I had a huge problem with my older cat getting bad diahreah on food with psyllium.

The issue could be allergies to multiple things OR things coinciding such as an issue with the psyllium moving too fast through his tummy and an allergy on the other food.

 

[maggie101]

Trial and error. Instead of wet and dry,just wet, one protein. Most likely to cause allergies is tuna or chicken so anything else.

 

[andy gren]

Which Royal Canin is he on? Can you check if it has psyllium in it? I had a huge problem with my older cat getting bad diahreah on food with psyllium.

The issue could be allergies to multiple things OR things coinciding such as an issue with the psyllium moving too fast through his tummy and an allergy on the other food.

He's on the hypoallergenic dry Royal Canin. I'll check the ingredient list.

 

[Furballsmom]

Would S. Boulardii help? After about a week, it seems to for my Captain.

 

[Alldara]

He's on the hypoallergenic dry Royal Canin. I'll check the ingredient list.

Is that the hydrolyzed protein or just a single protein?

 

[andy gren]

Is that the hydrolyzed protein or just a single protein?

Hydrolysed. Do you think it's worth switching to a single protein hypoallergenic? I was thinking about Kattovit and/or Wainwrights dry, maybe?

 

[Alldara]

Hydrolysed. Do you think it's worth switching to a single protein hypoallergenic? I was thinking about Kattovit and/or Wainwrights dry, maybe?

Hydrolysed for 3 to 6 weeks will tell you if it's a protein allergy causing the issue. If he's been eating that for 6 weeks, it's likely not a protein based allergy. No point in doing a single protein diet if the hydrolyzed doesn't fix it.

Is there any new plants or newly chewed plants in your home?

Are you using a different cleaner?

Most importantly, you stated that this happens after using the new food for a bit.
1. How are you storing the dry food
2. How often are cleaning the bowls and with what cleaner and what object?
3. What are the bowls made out of?

Probiotics are certainly worth a try.

 

[andy gren]

Hydrolysed for 3 to 6 weeks will tell you if it's a protein allergy causing the issue. If he's been eating that for 6 weeks, it's likely not a protein based allergy. No point in doing a single protein diet if the hydrolyzed doesn't fix it.

Is there any new plants or newly chewed plants in your home?

Are you using a different cleaner?

Most importantly, you stated that this happens after using the new food for a bit.
1. How are you storing the dry food
2. How often are cleaning the bowls and with what cleaner and what object?
3. What are the bowls made out of?

Probiotics are certainly worth a try.

We are going to stick with the hypoallergenic (hydrolysed) for another week or 2. The dry food has been decanted from the bag into individual portions in small plastic tubs which are washed up after every use, but that is an interesting point! Could the tubs really be an issue? His actual feeding bowls are porcelain and are washed after every feed.

We have used the fortiflora probiotic at times with little noticeable effect.

 

[Furballsmom]

We have used the fortiflora probiotic at times with little noticeable effect.

This product is a better flavored topper than a true functional probiotic.

The S. Boulardii is a different type of pre and pro biotic that is recommended by many members here.

in small plastic tubs which are washed up after every use

I'm wary of plastics, honestly. Even if the container states it is BPA free, as I understand it what the manufacturers replace that with is not necessarily safe.

Additionally, even if you're using an automatic dishwasher, if it is like mine I have to re-rinse all the plastic items by hand to remove residue.

 

[andy gren]

This product is a better flavored topper than a true functional probiotic.

The S. Boulardii is a different type of pre and pro biotic that is recommended by many members here.


I'm wary of plastics, honestly. Even if the container states it is BPA free, as I understand it what the manufacturers replace that with is not necessarily safe.

Additionally, even if you're using an automatic dishwasher, if it is like mine I have to re-rinse all the plastic items by hand to remove residue.

Ok, thanks. Maybe I'll experiment with going direct from bag to bowl and cut out the tubs for a bit. Certainly worth a try.

And I intend to try the Boulardi pro biotic too. Good info, thanks.

 

[Alldara]

We are going to stick with the hypoallergenic (hydrolysed) for another week or 2. The dry food has been decanted from the bag into individual portions in small plastic tubs which are washed up after every use, but that is an interesting point! Could the tubs really be an issue? His actual feeding bowls are porcelain and are washed after every feed.

We have used the fortiflora probiotic at times with little noticeable effect.

Yes. You cannot be storing it in plastic tubs. The dry food puts microscratches in the plastic and bacteria builds up in the plastic and can cause illness. It sounds like your cat is fighting it off well enough that it's not showing up on tests, but not well enough to stop him from having the runs. It can be as simple as one batch had a low amount of a bad bacteria, and now that's continued to breed in the plastic and slowly infect each batch of new food.

It's recommended that the food be stored in the original packaging, in an air tight container. Some people have had luck with storing it in the original bag in the freezer, which is also fine. Especially if your cat goes through it slower.

Proper Storage of Pet Food & Treats


most posters use different probiotics: Probiotics

 

[tabbytom]

And I intend to try the Boulardi pro biotic too. Good info, thanks.

If you are going for probiotics, here's an article for you to read :- My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?

My boy had chronic diarrhea early this year and it was resolved after taking the recommended brand of probiotics mentioned in the attached article and since then, he's taking it twice daily at a lower dose and since, his has very well formed poop. I'm also taking the same probiotics as my boy.

 

[andy gren]

Yes. You cannot be storing it in plastic tubs. The dry food puts microscratches in the plastic and bacteria builds up in the plastic and can cause illness. It sounds like your cat is fighting it off well enough that it's not showing up on tests, but not well enough to stop him from having the runs. It can be as simple as one batch had a low amount of a bad bacteria, and now that's continued to breed in the plastic and slowly infect each batch of new food.

It's recommended that the food be stored in the original packaging, in an air tight container. Some people have had luck with storing it in the original bag in the freezer, which is also fine. Especially if your cat goes through it slower.

Proper Storage of Pet Food & Treats


most posters use different probiotics: Probiotics

This is very interesting, and falls into the category of 'no harm trying' so I will discard the little plastic portion tubs and weigh out directly from the bag. All I would say, and this is a real head scratcher for me, is why would his poops seem to solidify and show improvement in the immediate period after a change of dry food before slowly reverting back to soft over a period of weeks? If there are bacteria issues in the tubs (despite washing) wouldn't that be problematic from day 1? Anyway, like I say, it's a good idea and one I hadn't thought of so I'll definitely try. Thanks.

 

[Alldara]

This is very interesting, and falls into the category of 'no harm trying' so I will discard the little plastic portion tubs and weigh out directly from the bag. All I would say, and this is a real head scratcher for me, is why would his poops seem to solidify and show improvement in the immediate period after a change of dry food before slowly reverting back to soft over a period of weeks? If there are bacteria issues in the tubs (despite washing) wouldn't that be problematic from day 1? Anyway, like I say, it's a good idea and one I hadn't thought of so I'll definitely try. Thanks.

Takes time for the bacteria to infect the food if it's just a small amount. You're also washing them which lowers the amount of bacteria in the containers, the containers are just plastic so you can't get rid of the bacteria fully.

Bacteria is a living contaminant. It grows over time. Unlike a chemical contaminant which does not grow. You could consider it like fleas for example. When you vacuum you'd be limiting, but not completely getting rid of the flea infestation. When you wash the plastic you are limiting but not completely eraticating the bacteria in the plastic. Same reason commercial kitchens put their plastic cutting boards through high-temp dishwashers. No regular wash can get bacteria out of the scratches in plastic.

 

[andy gren]

Takes time for the bacteria to infect the food if it's just a small amount. You're also washing them which lowers the amount of bacteria in the containers, the containers are just plastic so you can't get rid of the bacteria fully.

Bacteria is a living contaminant. It grows over time. Unlike a chemical contaminant which does not grow. You could consider it like fleas for example. When you vacuum you'd be limiting, but not completely getting rid of the flea infestation. When you wash the plastic you are limiting but not completely eraticating the bacteria in the plastic. Same reason commercial kitchens put their plastic cutting boards through high-temp dishwashers. No regular wash can get bacteria out of the scratches in plastic.

Ok. Well, let's give it a try then. I'd be delighted to see it work, for sure. No more plastic tubs! Thanks so much for the insight.