smelly cat

planetX

cat people - has anyone had a cat with longterm loose stools and gas? I took in a stray with kittens, mother has always had awful flatulence and runny stools. I put it down to starvation and cat flu, but I've had her 2 months now and no improvement. I've tried her on different foods, including plain chicken and rice - no improvement. I've wormed her 3 times, I've treated her with flagyl, and with a kaolin paste, no improvement. Her 2 kittens have runny stools now too, so I'm wondering if it's a virus. It's awful with winter coming cos I just can't have them in the house, they're so messy. I'm also concerned my cats will catch something. There are no more trips to the vet possible over this. Has anyone had a cat like this before, and what did you do?

Just to add- my title is kind of flippant but it's desperate. This has cost me more than I have, has made the cats impossible to rehome, and I'm heartbroken but thinking about euthanasia at this stage.

margio

i remember having a cat when I Was a child and he had a similar problem, otherwise very active and healthy, ended up getting killed by a car at the end, I was heartbroken:(. we never got to the bottom of it as going to the vet back then was not an option. Did you know that alot of cats are lactose intolerant and get diahorrea from drinking milk. is it diahorrea or just loose stools?. my cat farts aswell, but not worried, i put it down to eating too much, or just the way his stomach reacts to the food he's been fed, like us humans and Irritable Bowel syndrome. don't put them down unless their suffering and it's terminal. Atleast their constipated, it would prob be more painful for them:p

Rancid

planetX, as a last resort would you try adding a probiotic to their food, something like Lactobacillus Acidophilus?
Now I know cats are mostly lactose intolerant but it's possible to get vegan-suitable acidophilus and that surely would be ok to use.
Solgar do a vegan one that I use myself, got it in one of the Nourish shops in Dublin.

draiochtanois

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franksm

draiochtanois wrote: »

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As the OP said, " different foods, including plain chicken and rice"

OP, my cats react to different foods too. Felix tinned food is particular 'smelly'. GoCat dried food seems to be neutral enough for them.

If I were in your position, I would talk to a different vet :-/
Hope you don't give up on the cats.

draiochtanois

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planetX

the kaolin paste they were treated with contained a probiotic. I never give them milk of any type. I did try plain yoghurt for a short time tho.
At their worse they had diarrhea, at best loose, foul smelling stools, with some undigested food. The kittens are thriving despite it, but the problem with winter coming is that they are too dirty to have inside. They don't have full control and don't keep their back ends clean, so they have to live in an uninsulated metal shed.
I've tried feeding them...
chicken/rice
only dry food - royal canin ($$$)
only dry food - gocat
only wet food - whiskas pouches.
Now since I seem to have to keep them longterm they're on both dry and tins.
I've never found any difference with different food.
I'm convinced it's viral, and hoping it's not going to be a lifetime thing:(

Ophiopogon

Would you not take a stool sample to the vets?

My cat had issues with constipation/diahorria and it turned out she had Ecoli.

planetX

Ophiopogon wrote: »

Would you not take a stool sample to the vets?

My cat had issues with constipation/diahorria and it turned out she had Ecoli.

thanks for the idea - I don't think it could be E coli as they all had antibiotics for the cat flu they came with.
no more vets at this stage $=-:($

Ophiopogon

Fair enough I know I spent a bomb on vet bills this summer before we found out it was Ecoli, tbh we were very close to getting her put to sleep. Also I was under the impression the antibotics were specific for Ecoli/digestive issues.

The only other thing I would suggest is that maybe you are not given a change of diet long enough to take effect. Oreven that change the diet too much is causing issues. I'm only saying that from human digestive issue, a change of diet can need up to 3 months to take effect.

anniehoo

Id go back to your vet and ask either for a faecal culture to be done or get them tested for Tritrichomonas foetus, which is a protozoan parasites in cats that can cause long term diarrhoea and is resistant to most of the common antibiotics that would be prescribed. Their diet sounds immaculate so it doesnt sound like a food allergy to me.

MsFifers

One of my cats had that problem for a while until I figured out it was the wet food he didn't get on with.

I cut that out and now he's on dry only.

I also find that any change in diet sets him off, and it can take a week or so for his tummy to settle down again. I note you've only had the cat for 2 months but have tried a variety of different foods. I think you should get a good quality one (Royal Canin have on specifically for cats with sensitive stomachs) and just stick with it for a month and see if that makes any difference.

planetX

anniehoo wrote: »

Id go back to your vet and ask either for a faecal culture to be done or get them tested for Tritrichomonas foetus, which is a protozoan parasites in cats that can cause long term diarrhoea and is resistant to most of the common antibiotics that would be prescribed. Their diet sounds immaculate so it doesnt sound like a food allergy to me.

thanks for that link - it certainly sounds like a possibility, mother cat was hanging around farms. I thought we'd covered it by treating for giardia. Doesn't seem any point testing for it though as there isn't really any treatment, I'll see if my vets can even get that off licence medicine. I've just had to clean up after one of my own cats, looks like whatever it is is catching. Maybe I should just give in and replace my carpets with lino at this stage:o

Davy1020

Three, four... sorry lyric from friends -seen you subject and thought of it straight away

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault

They won't take you to the vet
You're obviously not their favorite pet
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault

You may not be a bed of roses
You're not friend to those with noses
I'll miss you before we're done
Or the world will smell as one

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
It's not your fault

(Phoebe) Oh are we done?

One, two, what's that smell?

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
What are they feeding you?
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat
You're getting fat

I think that I'm gonna be sick
It's your ears, and nose and pick
Part of it, tempt me

One, two, what's that smell?

All the dogs in the neighborhood
Are saying this for your own good
What, you're fat, so you can't run
No fun, I bet, No fun

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
Porno makes you eat like that
I saw you in the shopping mall

Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault,
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault
Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat,
It's not your fault

We know what was in your food
They say it might affect your mood

You smell like something dead (3x)

One, two, what's that smell?

(Phoebe)Yeah, that's not the song

Sigma Force

That's a good idea to get a poop sample to the vets, it won't be as costly either just to have it tested for all parasites etc. Just get a sterile jar from the chemist of the vets though.

I'd say by the sounds of it it's not the food.
But if you haven't tried Burns cat food maybe give it a go.