Cat diarrhea: loose or watery poop
Diarrhea means loose, watery or more frequent stools, and in adult cats a mild bout is often linked to a sudden food change, stress or something that upset the stomach. An adult cat that has had one or two soft stools but is bright, eating and drinking normally can usually be watched at home for up to a day, with water always available and without fasting. Blood or black stool, vomiting, not eating, weakness or lethargy, signs of dehydration, a kitten that seems unwell, a possible toxin, or straining with little or no urine needs a vet now.
General health information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your pet, contact a vet.
How urgent is it?
Go down the list and stop at the first row that matches your pet.
See a vet now
- Blood in the diarrhea, or black, tarry stool
- Also vomiting, or has stopped eating
- Weak, very lethargic or not acting like itself, has pale gums or a fever, or the belly seems painful or swollen
- Seems dehydrated, or has severe, very frequent watery diarrhea
- A kitten with diarrhea that is also vomiting, tired or not eating, or a kitten that is not fully vaccinated
- May have eaten something toxic (a poisonous plant, a household chemical, a human or dog medicine) or swallowed string, thread or a small object, even if your cat still seems fine
- Straining in the litter box with little or no urine coming out, especially in a male cat. A urinary blockage can be mistaken for constipation or a bowel problem
See a vet within 24 hours
- Diarrhea has lasted more than 24 hours, or is not improving or getting worse, even if your cat seems fine
- Any kitten or older cat with diarrhea, even if bright and eating
- Mucus in the poop, or going to the litter box much more often or straining to pass stool while still passing urine normally
- Diarrhea keeps coming back, or comes with weight loss or a change in appetite
Watch at home
- One or two soft or loose stools in an adult cat that is otherwise bright, eating, drinking, playing and using the litter box normally, with no blood
- Soft stool after a recent change of food or a stressful event (a car trip, boarding, a move) in an otherwise normal cat: keep watching, and call the vet if it has not settled within 24 hours
Not sure which row fits?
Describe your pet’s symptoms and get a free urgency check in about a minute.
Check my pet’s symptomsCommon causes
| Cause | What you may notice | Usual urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Sudden change of food | Soft or loose stool a day or two after switching food; the cat is otherwise well | Watch |
| Stress | Loose stool after a car trip, a stay at a boarding or vet clinic, or a change at home | Watch |
| Eating something that upset the stomach | Short-lived loose stool after new treats, people food or something found around the house | Watch |
| Worms or other intestinal parasites (for example giardia) | Loose stool that lasts or keeps coming back; a vet can check a stool sample | Within 24 h |
| Food reaction or inflammatory bowel disease | Diarrhea that comes and goes over weeks, sometimes with vomiting, appetite changes or weight loss | Within 24 h |
| Illness outside the gut (for example an overactive thyroid, kidney or liver disease) | Recurrent or long-lasting diarrhea, often in older cats, sometimes with weight loss | Within 24 h |
| Feline panleukopenia (feline parvovirus) | Vomiting, diarrhea that may contain blood, fever, lethargy and not eating; most dangerous for unvaccinated kittens | Now |
| Toxic plant or substance | Diarrhea after contact with a poisonous plant, a household chemical or a medicine; other signs may follow | Now |
| Intestinal blockage | Diarrhea together with vomiting, not eating, lethargy and belly pain or swelling | Now |
What you can do at home
- Keep fresh water available at all times and encourage your cat to drink. A cat with diarrhea can quickly become dehydrated.
- If your adult cat has mild diarrhea but seems well, there is no need to withhold food. Offer small, frequent meals of plain, easily digested food, such as plain cooked chicken or white fish with no skin, bones or seasoning, or a vet gastrointestinal diet. Ask your vet first for kittens, older cats and cats with an illness.
- Once the poop is firm again, switch back to the usual food gradually over several days to a week.
- Note how often your cat goes, what the stool looks like (watery, soft, color, blood, mucus, straining) and take a photo. Check that your cat is passing urine normally too.
What not to do
- Do not fast your cat or let it go without food unless a vet tells you to. Cats that stop eating for a few days can develop a serious liver problem, and overweight cats are at greater risk.
- Do not give human medicines, leftover pet medicines, home remedies or supplements unless a vet tells you to. Some over-the-counter products are harmful to cats.
- Do not feed rich or fatty foods while your cat has diarrhea.
- Do not wait to see if it passes if your cat may have eaten something toxic or swallowed string or an object, or if your cat is straining with little or no urine. Call a vet right away.
What to tell the vet
- When the diarrhea started, how many times a day your cat goes, and whether it is getting better or worse
- What the stool looks like: watery or soft, color, blood, black or tarry, mucus (show the photo)
- Anything your cat may have eaten: new food or treats, people food, plants, household products or medicines
- Other signs: vomiting, appetite, energy, drinking, weight change, and whether urine is passed normally
- Your cat's vaccinations and deworming, whether it goes outdoors, and any recent changes or stress at home
Questions owners ask
My cat has diarrhea but seems fine. Should I worry?
If your adult cat has had mild diarrhea for less than 24 hours and is still bright, eating, drinking and playing, you can usually watch at home. Keep water available and offer small, plain meals. Call your vet if it lasts more than 24 hours, does not improve or gets worse, or if your cat is a kitten or an older cat. Blood or black stool, vomiting, not eating or lethargy need a vet now.
Why does my cat have diarrhea?
Common causes are a sudden change of food, stress such as a car trip or boarding, eating something that upset the stomach, and worms or other parasites such as giardia. Diarrhea that keeps coming back or lasts for weeks can be linked to food reactions, inflammatory bowel disease or illnesses outside the gut, such as an overactive thyroid, kidney or liver disease. Mild cases often settle without the cause ever being found.
Should I stop feeding my cat if it has diarrhea?
Not without your vet's advice. For mild diarrhea in an adult cat, small, frequent meals of plain, easily digested food are usually suggested instead of fasting. Cats that go without food for a few days can develop a serious liver condition called hepatic lipidosis, and overweight cats are at greater risk. If your cat refuses to eat, call your vet straight away.
What can I give my cat for diarrhea at home?
Fresh water at all times, and small meals of plain food such as cooked chicken or white fish without skin, bones or seasoning, or a vet gastrointestinal diet. Do not give human medicines, home remedies or supplements without asking your vet first, because some products are harmful to cats. Your vet can suggest a suitable diet or supplement if it is needed.
Is diarrhea in a kitten more serious?
Yes. Kittens become dehydrated more easily than adult cats, so always speak to your vet if a kitten has diarrhea. Go now if the kitten is also vomiting, tired or not eating, or is not fully vaccinated, because feline panleukopenia causes vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy and is often fatal in unvaccinated kittens. Kittens can also get diarrhea while their gut adjusts to solid food, and this too is worth a call to your vet.
Related symptoms
Sources
- Diarrhea in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals
- Diarrhea, Cornell Feline Health Center
- Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines in Cats (Pet Owner Version), Merck Veterinary Manual
- Diarrhoea in cats, PDSA
- Diarrhoea in cats, International Cat Care
- Feline infectious enteritis (feline parvovirus / panleukopenia virus), International Cat Care
- Hepatic Lipidosis: A Serious Problem When Cats Stop Eating, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
- Urethral Obstruction in Cats, The Animal Medical Center, New York
- Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease, Cornell Feline Health Center
Last reviewed October 25, 2026