Colitis in cats is a form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the colon or large intestine. Colitis can cause abdominal pain in kitties, however as cats are notoriously skilled in hiding their pain, there are other symptoms that you should be on the lookout for if you suspect that your cat might have colitis. Today we’ll look into the symptoms, causes and treatment of colitis so that you’re armed with the knowledge on how to pick up this disease and best take care of your furry best friend.
What is Colitis in Cats?
“Col” (meaning colon) and “itis” (meaning inflammation), is as the name spells out inflammation of the colon. The colon, or large intestine is the lower part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and performs the final stages of food digestion.
Before food reaches the colon, most of the nutrients and minerals will have been absorbed. The colon’s main job is to absorb the water from what’s left and form a solid poop. When the colon becomes chronically inflamed and irritated, it gets bad at doing its job leading to watery diarrhoea which is one of the main symptoms of colitis.
Colitis in cats can be transient only lasting a few days, chronic or episodic meaning it comes and goes in waves. Occasional periods of colitis in cats are common and may be down to digestive upsets, however, if your cat’s poop is regularly looking watery, it may be a sign of chronic colitis and should be investigated by your vet.
Symptoms of Colitis in Cats
Chronic diarrhoea with an unknown cause is the number one symptom of colitis in cats due to the negative effect inflammation has on the colon. Often this may be the only symptom if your cat has acute or episodic colitis.
On the other hand kitties with chronic colitis may also experience symptoms such as:
- Weight loss.
- Fatigue.
- Loss of appetite.
- Bright red blood or mucus in their poop.
- Dehydration.
- Frequent pooping.
- Excessive straining when pooping.
Causes of Colitis in Cats
Colitis in cats can be caused by several factors and affects cats of any age. Acute diarrhoea caused by colitis in cats is common after periods of stress or anxiety such as fireworks, thunderstorms or even going to the vet.
A cat’s colon can also become irritated and inflamed when they eat something that they shouldn’t such as unsafe human food, twigs or toys. Parasites such as whipworms or bacterial infections are also a risk factor for cats developing acute colitis.
In more chronic forms of colitis, food allergies and intolerances are usually the culprits of chronic inflammation. Although food allergies are uncommon in cats, some of the most common allergens for cats are surprisingly beef, chicken, fish, soy, dairy, and egg. This can be difficult to figure out exactly what your cat is allergic to as undoubtedly their food will contain one of these. Therefore if your cat is showing any symptoms of colitis and you suspect it may be due to a food allergy, it’s best to consult with your vet to form a detailed treatment plan.
Other underlying health conditions can also predispose your cat to developing colitis. These include diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid problems, pancreatitis, and cancer. Therefore if your cat is showing signs of chronic colitis, it's always safest to get them assessed by their vet to determine if there is an underlying medical condition that may be masquerading as colitis.
Treatment of Colitis in Cats
Acute colitis will generally resolve itself spontaneously. However, if your cat is regularly having watery diarrhoea and they’re displaying any other symptoms of colitis, you will have to get them assessed by their vet.
If your vet diagnoses your floof with chronic colitis, they will advise you on the specific treatment plan. Overall, the aim of treating colitis in cats is to restore normal bowel function i.e. make your cat’s poop pretty again.
Doing this may be as simple as changing your cat’s diet to a gut-friendly cat food. However, if there is an underlying medical condition that is causing colon inflammation, specific treatment of this will have to begin.
If food allergies or intolerances are the suspected cause of colitis in your cat, your vet may prescribe a hydrolysed diet. This is a form of heavily processed cat food that helps cats with IBD digest their food without an allergic reaction. Once your kitty has finished a 6-12 week course of eating this food, the aim is to slowly reintroduce normal food whilst monitoring symptoms of allergies and in turn discovering exactly what your cat is allergic to.
Vets may also recommend prebiotic cat food or probiotic cat food to increase the amount of good bacteria in the gut, thus soothing digestive upsets and promoting solid bowel movements.
Choosing the Right Food for Your Cat
Colitis in cats can be a complicated condition, with several possible causes. If your cat has colitis or ongoing digestive symptoms, your vet can help determine the most suitable diet for their individual needs.
At Scrumbles, we're all about happy tums and pretty poops! Our dry cat food and wet cat food recipes are made for healthy cats, with carefully selected ingredients and added prebiotics or probiotics in selected recipes for digestive health.
We use quality animal protein, with no added artificial colours or preservatives. Our sensitive stomach cat food range also includes recipes made without ingredients such as soy, beef, lamb and dairy.
If your cat has colitis, always speak to your vet before changing their diet, as they may require a specially formulated veterinary diet.
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