Cats are sensitive animals and there are many things that can upset their tummy so here is our guide on cat diarrhea treatment over the counter. Often they might just have problems because of something they ate and this doesn’t necessarily require professional assistance so here are some things you must know and a guide on what to do.
Is a Vet Required?
Diarrhea isn’t uncommon in cats and it usually only lasts a day after which it clears on its own but if it goes on for several days then it can cause dehydration, weight loss and lethargy so in those cases some medication will be required.
Of course, the first thing you should do is try to determine the cause since if you give them something that causes them problems and once they get diarrhea they continue to eat that then it is obvious that medication won’t do too much good.
A vet should be contacted if the condition lasts for several days and is accompanied by vomiting or overall lethargy. Also if the diarrhea is profuse, very watery and frequent or has blood in it then a vet is required.
Home Solutions
The medicine that you can get over the counter has to contain kaolin and pectin and there are several options available such as Proviable-KP. These will absorb the excess fluid in the intestinal tract and reduce the intestinal movement. Make sure you read the prospect carefully and have a syringe or some other way of measuring the exact quantity if the medication is liquid.
Some probiotics might also help since they will help balance the digestion since they add good bacteria into the gastrointestinal system and you can find many over the counter products for this purpose. If you decide to include probiotic supplements then read the instructions and often you will have to continue administering these for about a week even if the diarrhea has stopped.
If the cat doesn’t vomit then you shouldn’t withhold food from them but if they are also vomiting then giving them food won’t help so refrain from doing that for about 12 hours. After that time, begin with small portions and choose bland options such as boiled white chicken meat (without the skin or bones) combined with some white rice and if the condition gets better then gradually return to their normal food.
If you cannot go for this option then normal food is also an option but it might take longer for them to recover. Metamucil is also an option that you can add to their normal food once a day to help with their digestion as it is high in fiber and will help. Add around half a teaspoon and choose the unflavored kind.
Water should be available to the pet at all times since the pet can get dehydrated otherwise and you can even add some small quantities of chicken or beef broth to provide them with some nutrition. You can check to see if the cat is dehydrated by pinching the loose skin at the back of their neck and if it remains tented or it smooths back slowly then the cat is clearly dehydrated. In those cases a vet is required to intervene.
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