Why is my cat sick? Digestive problems, allergies, or something else?

Certainly mild to moderate food allergies can be the cause of intermittent GI disease, however Shirley's signs seem a bit more serious that what I typically see what food allergies. I hope that you have considered blood work and imaging (x-rays, ultrasound) of the abdomen, because you need to also consider whether this could be due to an intermittent blockage in the stomach or intestines due to a foreign body. Before you consider a diet change to test for food allergies I would want to be sure you have ruled out more serious problems.

Allergies do not typically cause fever, lethargy, and decreased appetite in cats so he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can do a physical examination, blood work, and x-rays, if needed, to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat the problem. He could have an infection that needs to be treated.

Food allergies could be one of the reason for the persistent diarrhoea and weight loss, but these conditions must be differentiated from IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases) and unfortunately from more sinister conditions like tumors. Weight loss in old cats can have different causes as well, and endocrine diseases (hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus) are frequently associated with intestinal diseases as well. Considering all these possible clinical scenarios, I would recommend a check up and more tests (blood test+urine analysis including thyroid hormone and feline pancreatic lipase and possibly an ultrasound of the abdomen) to determine underlying cause and treat appropriately. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I would recommend that you have Alfie examined by a veterinarian. His symptoms could be caused by food intolerance, food allergies, intestinal parasites, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal lymphoma, hyperthyroidism, systemic disease (liver, kidney, pancreas, diabetes), among others. After a thorough physical exam and review of his history, the vet may recommend bloodwork, intestinal parasite screening, or ultrasound to determine what could be the cause. They may also recommend that you do food trial for possible food allergies.

Hi there. Millie looks like a very cute kitten. If her symptoms started immediately after the change in diet it is likely it is from the diet change. You can try going back to her previous diet, give it a few days, and see if her symptoms improve. If you go back to her previous diet and she stops eating, becomes lethargic and/or continues having vomiting and diarrhea I would recommend to have her examined by her veterinarian. Best of luck with Millie.

Chronic diarrhea in an older cat with vomiting can be a sign of an inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal cancer. The only way to differentiate between the two disease is a surgery to take biopsies of the intestines and have them analyzed. Based on the diagnosis, the diet may be changed or vitamin supplements or steroids may be added to manage her symptoms. They will check for parasite and check her labs for any renal or endocrine disease

It sounds like your cat has a severe case of colitis, or an inflammation of the colon. This condition causes diarrhea. Colitis can be caused by many different things. Some of the more common causes include intestinal parasites, dietary indiscretion, food intolerance, irritable bowel disease, pancreatitis, a foreign body/blockage and viruses. Food intolerances/allergies can start at any age. This is why it may only now be affecting Ella when she has been eating the same food for a long time. If the diarrhea is server you may want to consider taking Ella to the vet. She may need fluids to correct any dehydration, a fecal examination performed and antibiotics and/or probiotics to help the diarrhea clear up. There are specific prescription diets that your vet can recommend to help with this type of issue. Two I commonly recommend are Hill's i/d and Royal Canin GI low fat. A hydrolyzed protein diet may also be helpful. If you want to try an over the counter food first I would recommend something that is labeled as "limited ingredient" or for "sensitive stomachs". I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.