What to do when your cat has diarrhea

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Most short bouts of diarrhea in adult cats clear up on their own within a day or two. Your job is to keep your cat hydrated, keep things gentle, and watch for the signs that it's more serious. Kittens, senior cats and cats with other health problems are the exception: they can go downhill quickly, so call your vet early.

What counts as diarrhea?

Healthy cat poop is brown, formed and firm enough to pick up. Diarrhea is stool that is soft, mushy or watery, often passed more often than usual, sometimes with straining or accidents outside the litter box. A single soft stool after a new treat isn't a worry. Repeated loose stools over a day or more deserve attention.

Common causes

• A sudden change of food, or eating something new like a treat, table scraps or prey
• Milk. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant.
• Stress, from moving, a new pet, construction work or a vet trip
• Parasites such as roundworms, giardia or coccidia, especially in kittens
• Infections, viral or bacterial
• Longer-term conditions, including food sensitivity, inflammatory bowel disease and hyperthyroidism, if it keeps coming back

Is it an emergency? Check this first

Call your vet now if any of these apply:

• It's a kitten, a senior cat, or a cat with an existing condition such as diabetes or kidney disease. They dehydrate fast.
• There's blood (red, or black and tarry), or a lot of mucus
• Your cat is also vomiting, isn't eating, or seems weak, wobbly or hiding
• The diarrhea is very watery and frequent
• You think your cat may have eaten something toxic, such as lilies, medicines or cleaning products
• Their gums are pale, dry or tacky

How to check for dehydration

Gently lift the skin between your cat's shoulder blades into a tent, then let go. In a well-hydrated cat it springs straight back. If it falls back slowly, or the gums feel dry or sticky rather than wet and slippery, your cat may be dehydrated and needs a vet the same day.

Home care for a mild case

This is for an otherwise bright, healthy adult cat that's still eating and drinking.

1. Make sure water is always available. Put out extra bowls, and offer wet food or a little water mixed into food.
2. Don't starve your cat. Unlike dogs, cats shouldn't be fasted for long, because not eating can cause a serious liver condition (hepatic lipidosis). Instead, offer small, frequent meals.
3. Feed something bland. A vet gastrointestinal diet is best. In the meantime, plain boiled chicken breast with no skin, bones or seasoning is a reasonable short-term option for a day or two.
4. Go back to normal food gradually over 3 to 5 days once stools firm up.
5. Cut out milk and treats until things are back to normal.
6. Keep the litter box clean so you can see what's happening, and note how often your cat goes and what the stool looks like. Your vet will ask.

A probiotic made for cats (see cat probiotics) may help some cats recover faster. Pumpkin is often suggested online, but there is little evidence for it in cats, and too much can make diarrhea worse.

Never give

• Human anti-diarrhea medicines like loperamide (Imodium) or bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). They can be dangerous for cats.
• Any human painkiller. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is deadly to cats even in small amounts, and ibuprofen and aspirin can cause serious harm.
• Cow's milk "to settle the stomach". It usually makes things worse.

See a vet if

• It hasn't settled after 48 hours, even if your cat seems well
• It keeps coming back
• Your cat is losing weight

Take a fresh stool sample in a clean container if you can. It helps your vet test for parasites. Your vet may also suggest blood tests if diarrhea keeps returning, to look for causes like thyroid or bowel disease.

Preventing it

• Change foods gradually over 7 to 10 days
• Deworm regularly, as your vet recommends
• Keep milk, scraps and toxic plants away from your cat
• Keep treats to no more than 10% of daily calories (see our guide to healthy cat treats)

Common questions

How long does cat diarrhea usually last?

A mild bout from a food change or stress usually settles within 24 to 48 hours. If it lasts longer than two days, or your cat seems unwell at any point, see your vet.

Can I give my cat rice for diarrhea?

Cats are carnivores and don't need rice. A vet gastrointestinal diet or plain boiled chicken is a better short-term option. Small amounts of plain white rice aren't harmful, but they don't add much.

Is diarrhea in kittens more serious?

Yes. Kittens are small and dehydrate quickly, and parasites are a common cause. Call your vet the same day if a kitten has diarrhea, especially if it's also vomiting, not eating or lethargic.

My cat has diarrhea but is acting normal. Should I worry?

A cat that is eating, drinking, playing and has only a soft stool or two can usually be watched at home for a day or two with the steps above. If it doesn't settle within 48 hours, book a vet visit.

Written from published veterinary guidance. How we write our guides.