What Is Colitis in Cats?

Colitis in cats is not a life threatening situation and will occur
in all cats at some point in their lifetime. However, if it becomes
chronic, it can cause potential dehydration as well as a very
substantial weight loss in your cat. If this does happen, it can very
easily threaten their overall health. There is also one other very
troubling aspect about colitis: it can have several potentially very
dangerous diseases or conditions that are causing it to move from the
mild or acute stage to the chronic stage.What is Colitis?Colitis in
cats is an inflammation of the lining of the colon or the large
intestine, and will come in two different forms; acute and chronic. It
can and does affect all breeds of cats and can develop at any age, and
even with the acute form, it can cause a lot of discomfort in your
cat. It is considered to be acute when it hits your cat very suddenly
and lasts for only a few days. In this stage, it will cause vomiting,
diarrhea, as well as abdominal pain in your cat. Vomiting in short
bouts can very easily occur in even the healthiest of cats, and is not
considered to be any type a real threat.Diarrhea is also considered to
be a normal on occasion, especially if your cat has eaten something
that upsets their system. However, if these two conditions remain
active in your cat for more than two weeks, it has moved way past both
a normal occurrence as well as the acute stage; it is now in the
chronic stage which is a whole new ball game.The colon in your cat is
a part or segment of the intestine, and it is critical in the
defecation process that helps to flush the toxins out of their body.
Both the colon and the large intestine in your cat can very easily
become infected, and when it does, it is referred to as colitis.
However, if your cat's small intestine has become involved, it is
referred to as enterocolitis, and this can be much more
dangerous.Symptoms:symptoms of colitis in cats will be quite obvious,
as it will usually start with vomiting that is quickly followed by
diarrhea. Every cat can develop either one of these symptoms several
times in their lifespan, but when it is combined, it is a much larger
threat. However, the next symptoms will confirm to you that it is
colitis, and has moved to the chronic form if it has now lasted for
several days. Fresh and bright red blood will start to appear in your
cats stool, as well as mucus. Your cat will also begin to defecate
several times a day and will quite often not make it to their litter
box.As a cat owner can attest to, most cats are extremely immaculate
in their behavior when it comes to their litter habits, and these
accidents will not only be stressful to you, but to them as well. By
now they will also have severe abdominal pain, and combined with their
loss of control, will become even more stressed. Once the stress sets
in, they may also start to demonstrate other behavior changes and will
start or howl or cry out. In some cases, you may see worms or worms
segments in their feces, which is another real warning sign.Potential
causes:Colitis in cats is almost always the result of inflammatory
disorders, and collectively they are referred to as inflammatory bowel
disease. These specific disorders include Lymphocytic-plasmacytic
enteritis, or granulomatous. Lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis, also
known as LPE, is a form of inflammatory bowel disease in cats that has
the presence of very minuet cells, including plasma cells that are
present within the intestinal wall of your cat. However, colitis can
also be the result of infectious agents and this includes bacterial,
viral, fungi, or parasite infections.Colitis can also be caused by a
dietary intolerance, a dietary allergy of some type, or cancer of the
colon. Colon cancer in cats can be a life threatening situation, and
colitis is one of the main signs of this killer. It can also be the
result of what is referred to as Intussusception, which is a condition
where the bowel in your cat actually wraps around itself. HE or
Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis is another inflammatory disorder that is a
situation where a hemorrhage has occurred in your cat's intestinal
tract. The signs of this will be a seeded like appearance, resembling
raspberries, in your cats stool.It can also be the result of an
inflammation of your cat's pancreas, referred to as pancreatitis. This
can be a very serious development in your cat as it is caused by the
leakage of active digestive enzymes into your cat's pancreatic
tissues.Treatments:There are several treatments for colitis in cats,
and the treatment will depend on which form it is. If it is acute, a
very simple one to two day fast that is followed by a very bland diet
is usually quite successful. The bland diet can include chicken or
duck mixed with rice, and after a few days, you will start introducing
regular food back into their diet.However, if it is chronic, you may
have to use a hypo-allergenic diet. This is a diet that will contain
some very basic ingredients and is geared toward food intolerance or
an allergy that may be triggering the colitis. The typically will
contain on single source of protein that may be fish, duck, or lamb,
as well as a minimal amount of fiber to begin with.. You can buy this
diet commercially, or make them on your own.However, you should always
consult with your veterinarian on the correct mixture. Once this is
settled, you slowly introduce this new diet to your cat.Anytime you
introduce a new diet to your cat, it must be done very slowly, simply
because cats are perhaps the most finicky eaters of any animal alive.
In some cases, fiber supplements may also have to be utilized just to
ensure that your cat is getting enough fiber.If there are any signs of
worms in your cat's feces, deworming products will also have to be
utilized. Parasites are one of the leading causes of colitis in cats,
and even if you do not see any signs, you should still request that
your veterinarian utilize this treatment. Antibiotics will also be
used in the chronic form as they will also help to kill any parasites
as well as to help prevent them from shedding in the stool of your
cat.In the most severe of cases, anti-inflammatory as well as
immunosuppressive drugs such as corticosteroids may be used. However,
these drugs can have some very serious side effects and you may want
to get a second opinion before you use them.Summary:Colitis in cats in
the acute form is a natural occurrence that every cat will experience
at some point in their life. However, if it becomes chronic, not only
is the potential dehydration and weight loss a real danger, so is the
underlying condition or disease that is causing it.