Because cat diarrhea stems from a vast range of causes, it can often be difficult to treat a cat with diarrhea. The difficult task with cat diarrhea is actually trying to nail down the cause from the thousands of possibilities. Because diarrhea in cats is a rather common occurrence, many cat owners may be more likely to turn to home remedies as a convenient solution before consulting veterinary advice.
Reasons for Cat Diarrhea
Diarrhea is the natural response of a cat's body to general digestive upset, infection, foreign elements or a more serious health condition. The reasons for which cats can experience diarrhea are vast, with the most common cause for it being general digestive upset and parasitic infection.
A simple switching of food brand or type can throw a cat's digestive system into a quandary and cause problems within the digestive tract. In cases of general stomach upset or food upset, diarrhea and vomiting are two of the main symptoms which indicate that a cat is not adjusting well to his change in food.
Intestinal worms or parasites are one of the more common causes of cat diarrhea. Many parasites, like tapeworms and roundworms, are so easily transmitted between animals that it becomes understandable as to why diarrhea is such a common occurrence. Intestinal worms and parasites are known for causing stomach upset, because they actually take over the intestinal tract and cause a disruption in the ability of food to be digested and eliminated properly.
Probiotics in Yogurt
Using yogurt to treat diarrhea in a cat is one the home remedies that has been in circulation for many years. It was only recently that more research about the interaction of yogurt and the digestive system became more available. New research indicates that the high level of probiotics contained in yogurt is highly effective at treating minor causes of cat diarrhea.
Probiotics are a good, healthy type of bacteria which is normally found throughout the system of a healthy cat. A cat ingests certain levels of probiotics through the meals that he eats, and that good bacterium circulates throughout his body in an attempt to wipe out any bad bacteria that could be potentially harmful to him.
Treating Cat Diarrhea with Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent choice for treating cats with diarrhea at home. Most cats tend to find the taste of yogurt highly agreeable, and do not encounter any side effects or allergies from its usage. Yogurt is packed with substantial amounts of probiotics that are helpful to a cat's digestive system.