My 10-month-old kitten has chronic diarrhea, crystals, and bladder issues. What are my options?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Because this has been going on for so long, I recommend taking Nuru to a vet for a physical exam and a stool sample test. He could have microscopic parasites that need to be treated. Not all dewormer medications treat all intestinal parasites so it helps to know what he has. If that test is negative, I would recommend an infectious disease test (leukemia/FIV). If all that is normal, the vet can discuss his nutrition. Good luck and kisses to Nuru!

I am sorry to hear that Oliver is having prolonged diarrhea. It is good you are not ignoring it as it can be a sign of underlying issues. The steps taken so far- deworming, probiotics and diet change are all great first steps for common causes of diarrhea in kittens. As it sounds like he has had no change, I would proceed to look for less common problems. You can ask your vet about sending out a more involved parasite screen- typically sending one to the lab. I would specifically ask about tritrichomonas and giardia screening as well. In the meantime your vet may want to try a different dewormer and/or diet change (like a hydrolyzed food) as well. If all this is negative and the diarrhea persists, your vet may want to do some imaging such as an ultrasound. I hope this helps and he is back to normal soon!

I would actually recommend starting with a vet visit to check for intestinal parasites at his age. And then explore different food options or pursue other testing as the vet recommends, because there is almost certainly an underlying issue (although that doesn't mean it's something serious or dangerous. Probiotics, a short course of antibiotics, a hypoallergenic diet can all help with diarrhea in cats. If you can't get to the vet and want to try fiber, you can mix in unflavored metamucil with his food (aiming for about 2 tsp) once a day to see if that helps, but it's probably going to be a waste of money (both for the metamucil and the wasted food if he won't eat it). Good luck!

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

Diarrhea can be a sign of a number of different diseases ranging from hyperthyroidism to infections to inflammatory bowel disease or even intestinal cancer. Some of these diseases can be fatal if left untreated, and regardless of the cause of the diarrhea if it goes on it could lead to dehydration and nutritional deficiencies. I think you need to see a veterinarian - you could look into Care Credit as a payment option, or you could ask your local shelter if there is any subsidized veterinary care near you. www.carecredit.com

This is very abnormal for a cat this young to have these chronic issues. If your family vet is stumped then it would be best for your kitty to see a specialist. I would recommend asking for a referral to a veterinary internist. Internists have advanced training beyond a family vet and can diagnose and manage more complex cases such as this one. Any blood work performed? This is a crucial first step. Xrays of the spine? Have these UTIs been diagnosed and treated by running urine cultures? With a chronic history this is very important. Has any endocrine testing been performed? There are some congenital/developmental disorders that should be ruled out as well given the history. An abdominal ultrasound is important as well to assess for structural changes to organs. Unfortunately in order to help your kitty she needs more tests. Not all pet illnesses are easy to diagnose and some cases can be complex. It sounds like you are worried about her so i would recommend reaching out to your family vet with your concerns and/or to ask for a referral. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

That is a very difficult situation. You may talk to your vet about treating for giardia (even if the test was negative), IBD, food allergies, an aggressive dewormer, running a GI panel, or referral to a specialist in internal medicine. The next step may be biopsies through exploratory surgery or endoscopy. Many cats with diarrhea of unknown cause will respond to a prescription hypoallergenic diet.