Causes of Diarrhea and Constipation

Causes of Acute Diarrhea in Cats (according to Cotard)

- Food: Changes in diet, food allergies, food intolerance, overeating.- Toxins: Particularly acetaminophen (the ingredient in aspirin).- Viruses: Panleukopenia , FIP, enteritic coronavirus, FeLV, FIV, rotavirus, astrovirus.- Bacteria: Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, E-coli, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.- Parasites: Ascaris, hookworm, whipworm, coccidia, yeast.- Other: Partial blockage, foreign bodies, such as string, wire, needles.

Few Causes of Chronic Diarrhea in Cats (according to Paragon)

- Osmotic diarrhea: excess load in the intestine, problematic digestion, problematic intestinal absorption; pancreatic or biliary insufficiency; lactase insufficiency; inflammation or tumor of the intestinal epithelium or of the gut wall.- Diarrhea caused by an excessive secretion of the intestinal glands: bacterial toxins; viral, bacterial, parasitic, or toxic affections (ditto acute diarrheas).- Diarrhea caused by intestinal motility disorders: peristaltic attacks, fiber deficiency, partial obstruction.

Few Causes of Constipation in Cats (according to Fayolle)

- Greater consistency of the stools: ingestion of hairs or of cat litter; dehydration. - Obstruction of the intestinal transit: external obstruction (fracture of the pelvis, tumor, dried clumps around the anus), obstructions on or within the intestine (tumor, stenosis, foreign body) - Neuromuscular disorders: disorders in the central nervous system, innervation of the colon (megacolon), idiopatic disorders, feline dysautonomia.- When the cat refuses to defecate: dirty litter, change in the housing conditions, hospitalization, pain when in position to defecate, ano-rectal lesions (anal glands, foreign body, tumor, abscess).