Why Is My Kitten Having Diarrhea?
There are many potential causes of diarrhea in kittens, and it’s impossible to identify the cause based on the appearance of the diarrhea. Looking at a kitten’s age, history, and what has been going on may help narrow down the potential causes.
Common causes of kitten diarrhea include:
Bacterial Infection
Various bacterial infections can cause diarrhea in kittens. This includes bacteria that are normally found in a kitten’s intestines but grow out of control, as well as bacteria from the environment.
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Escherichia coli (E. coli): E. coli (also known as colibacillosis) are bacteria found in the intestines. When kittens are stressed or ill, E. coli can multiply. It can also be picked up from various food sources and the environment. Young kittens may be exposed to E. coli in an overcrowded, dirty environment, or by their mothers if they are battling an E. coli infection due to the stress of pregnancy and raising kittens.
In kittens under 2 weeks of age, you may see sudden bouts of watery diarrhea along with vomiting, lethargy, weakness, or sepsis.
In older kittens, E. coli typically manifests as a sudden onset of diarrhea with vomiting and decreased appetite. Kittens with E. coli can quickly become dehydrated and should be seen by a veterinarian right away.
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Salmonella: Salmonella infection is more likely to occur in cats and kittens that are stressed, in an overcrowded environment, or on a raw diet. Kittens suffering from salmonella may have bloody diarrhea with mucus, vomiting, decreased appetite, and a fever. These kittens may also be straining to defecate and seem like they have a stomachache.
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Clostridial enterotoxicosis: This is caused when the Clostridium perfringens bacterium that’s normally found in the intestines overgrows due to stress, antibiotics, raw meat, or illness. It can cause diarrhea with mucus and traces of blood, and you’ll often see your kitten straining to poop. Infections may get better within a week, or they can flare up every couple of weeks.
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Yersinia: Kittens may be exposed to Yersinia enterocolitica after eating raw or undercooked meat. Affected kittens may poop more often and strain to poop.
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Campylobacter: Campylobacter is not a common cause of diarrhea in kittens, and it tends to affect kittens under 6 months of age that have other issues, such as intestinal parasites or a suppressed immune system. It is sometimes seen in kittens eating a raw diet. It may cause chronic diarrhea that can range from watery to bloody, with or without mucus).
Viral Infection (FIV, panleukopenia, FeLV, rotavirus)
Viral infections can also lead to diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset in kittens. Many of these can be prevented with routine vaccination.
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Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), often called feline parvovirus, is a highly contagious virus that can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset in kittens. It is common in kittens that are 2-4 months old, but it can happen at any age.
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Feline herpesvirus or feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR) can also result in diarrhea in young kittens. Cats catch this from other cats or from objects that have been exposed to an infected cat’s saliva or eye or nasal discharge.
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Feline calicivirus (FCV) is another potential viral cause of diarrhea in kittens, which more often results in upper respiratory illness.
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Rotavirus can result in diarrhea in cats and kittens and it can be transmitted to humans, so be sure to wash your hands well when handling kittens with diarrhea and cleaning up after them.
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Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is often transmitted to kittens from their mothers or other cats, although symptoms may not be visible for months or even years.
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Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is often transmitted between cats via bite wounds, but it may also be transmitted from mother cats to their kittens around the time of birth. Similar to FeLV, FIV often results in persistent diarrhea caused by bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection. It tends to cause more clinical signs in adult cats than in kittens.
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Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) can show up with various clinical signs. In some instances, it will cause stunted growth, decreased appetite, and chronic diarrhea in kittens.
Intestinal Parasites
Intestinal parasites, or worms, are common in kittens. Kittens can get worms even if they are strictly indoors, have had a stool sample taken before, and/or have been dewormed in the past. Similarly, you may not be able to see worms in the feces, so even if you don’t see anything, you can’t rule out intestinal parasites.
Some of the more common parasites that affect kittens include:
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Roundworms have a spaghetti noodle-like appearance and can spread to kittens from eggs in the environment or while the kitten is still in their mother’s womb.
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Roundworms may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss. Affected kittens may look like they have a full, bloated belly.
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Hookworms are smaller worms that can cause diarrhea, dark and tarry stools, constipation, weight loss, decreased appetite, and even a dry cough.
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They can infect kittens before they are born or may be picked up from the environment.
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Tapeworms often have a “cucumber seed” appearance and infect kittens after they eat an infected flea or a small mammal, bird, amphibian, or reptile.
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Most kittens with tapeworms won’t show many signs of illness, but there may be some diarrhea, weight loss, and itchiness around the rectum.
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Whipworms are small worms that may cause bloody diarrhea with mucus, weight loss, dehydration, and anemia. Whipworms in the environment may infect your cat and cause symptoms even before eggs show up in their feces.
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Giardia is an intestinal parasite that can cause heavy diarrhea in kittens. The diarrhea may be intermittent or chronic and may have a strong odor and soft, greasy appearance.
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Giardia is typically found in water sources. Kittens that come from catteries, shelters, or other densely populated areas are more likely to have issues with Giardia.
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Tritrichomonas foetus can cause diarrhea in kittens and often causes symptoms that are very similar to giardia.
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Coccidia may cause diarrhea as well as vomiting, decreased appetite, and abdominal pain. The diarrhea may be watery with mucus or blood-tinged.
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It often occurs during times of stress (weaning, moving to a new home, changing diets).
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Toxoplasmosis can result in diarrhea, vomiting, and decreased appetite in kittens. Depending on how a kitten got toxoplasmosis, a variety of other signs can be seen.
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Toxoplasmosis can spread from cats to people, so using good hygiene when cleaning up kitten feces is a must.
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Stress
Stress can wear down a kitten’s immune system and cause diarrhea. Your kitten could be under stress from an infection, changes in their living situation, such as moving to a new home or a new pet being introduced, or simply from weaning.
A Change in Food
Switching to a new food too quickly or getting too many new treats can cause inflammation in a kitten’s intestines that leads to diarrhea and/or vomiting. Also beware that kittens are not able to digest cow milk, and even though many kittens will readily lap it up, the lactose in cow’s milk may cause diarrhea. Some kittens may also have intolerances to various ingredients. If a kitten has recurrent or ongoing diarrhea and no evidence of infection, they might have an intolerance.
Toxins
If you suspect your kitten has eaten something they shouldn’t have, have them evaluated by a veterinarian right away. Some common toxins that may cause diarrhea in kittens include cleaning agents (e.g., bleach, carpet fresheners and shampoos, dryer sheets, fabric softeners, and tablets used for toilet cleaning), rat poisons, human pain medications (ibuprofen and acetaminophen), and household plants (make sure any plants you get are not toxic to kittens).
Eating Strings and Other Things
Some kittens are drawn to strings, ribbons, rubber bands, hair ties, plastic, and other non-food items. When kittens eat indigestible items, it can irritate their stomachs and intestines and cause vomiting and/or diarrhea.
In some instances, these objects can also get stuck in a kitten’s stomach or intestines, and this can lead to vomiting and/or diarrhea.