Although cats are characterized by their genuinely independent personality, they also need all your attention, love and care. As owner, you have a responsibility of ensuring their full health and well-being. That's why it is important to know how the most common diseases in cats occur in order to identify them and act accordingly to keep your pet healthy.
This AnimalWised article will tell you all you need to know about gastroenteritis in cats, so keep reading!
What is gastroenteritis?
Gastroenteritis is an inflammation affecting the gastric and intestinal mucosa, causing an alteration in the functioning of the digestive system.
Its severity depends on its aetiology, since as you will see later, gastroenteritis can have several different causes. However, minor causes like those related to the ingestion of spoiled food or a digestive difficulty usually subside on their own within approximately 48 hours.
Causes of gastroenteritis in cats
The causes of gastroenteritis can be very diverse, and they will determine the course and severity of the symptoms. Let's have a look at the most common causes of gastroenteritis in cats:
- Food poisoning
- Intestinal parasites
- Bacterial infection
- Viral infection
- Foreign bodies in the digestive tract
- Tumors
- Antibiotic treatment
Symptoms of gastroenteritis in cats
If your cat is suffering from gastroenteritis you will observe the following symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Signs of abdominal pain
- Lethargy
- Fever
As mentioned above, if you observe these symptoms and suspect gastroenteritis you should go to the vet immediately because, although it is a common disease, it can sometimes be serious.
Treatment of gastroenteritis in cats
Treatment of gastroenteritis in cats will depend on the underlying cause, but the following therapeutic strategies should be mentioned:
- If the vomiting and diarrhea come without warning and the cat doesn't have a fever, treatment is mainly done through oral rehydration solutions and dietary changes. A full recovery is expected within a maximum period of 48 hours.
- If the cat has a fever, a bacterial or viral infection should be suspected. In this case, the veterinarian will usually prescribe antibiotics. If they suspect a particular virus, they will carry out a test to verify the presence of it and consider prescribing antiviral medication. You should note that not all viruses respond to drug treatment. In this case, a rehydration treatment will also be conducted; this is expected to complete the course of treatment and get rid of the disease.
- If, in the two cases mentioned above, the disease does not improve within approximately 2 days, the veterinarian will perform blood, fecal and urine tests. This may also include X-rays to rule out the presence of foreign bodies or tumors in the chest cavity.
The prognosis of gastroenteritis in cats also varies greatly depending on the underlying cause. The prognosis is excellent in the case of indigestion, but it is serious when it comes to tumors or intestinal obstructions.
This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Gastroenteritis in Cats, we recommend you visit our Intestinal problems category.