Diarrhea and increased appetite.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that this little guy is not doing well. Diarrhea in cats is often a very tough thing to figure out. I won't have an exact answer for you but I can give you some ideas.

If he is eating lots and drinking lots I worry a bit about diabetes. There are not many things that cause an excessive thirst and urination in young cats, but diabetes certainly is a possibility. This can cause all sorts of problems with the immune system. Diabetes is treatable, but almost always needs insulin injections. Some cats who get treated with insulin can revert to become non-diabetic after some time. If he has not had blood tests done, then it is worthwhile to ask your vet to run a general blood panel on him to determine if diabetes is a possibility.

A kidney problem can cause an excess of thirst and urination as well but doesn't usually cause an increase in appetite. A kidney problem would show up on blood tests. Kidney problems are not common in young cats unless they have something like feline leukemia virus or have gotten into something toxic. But, if Beau had eaten something toxic he would be very sick.

There could be an immune system problem that is causing problems with the intestines absorbing food properly. Sometimes cats with autoimmune problems will have multiple immune system issues. The bumps on the chin could be related to this as well. If this was my case and I had ruled out other medical conditions then I might consider putting him on some steroids to see if this helps. If he does have a chronic immune system problem then a very small dose of steroids given regularly might be effective.

The other concern that I have any time a young cat has diarrhea is a condition called FIP. FIP is very serious and there is no cure for it. It can cause diarrhea, and other issues. There is no direct test for FIP. Often there can be clues on the general blood profile. There are other tests that can give clues as well. It's worthwhile to ask your vet if FIP is a possibility but hopefully this is not it.

It may also be a good idea to have your vet do additional tests to look for unusual parasites although this would be lower on my list of possibilities.

I wish I had an exact answer for you as I know this type of problem is very frustrating.

Dr. Marie.



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