Expert: Jessica - 7/22/2009

Question
I found a cat in my neighborhood that is really thin and I can feel his spine. He has no owner and I decided to take him into my home. I have try feeding him and does not want to eat. I try giving him wet food and he will lick the juices for a little bit, but mostly he does not finish it at all. I try dry food and does not eat it. He seems very tired and recently he has diarrhea. I do not now if this was cause by him eating wet food. help....

Answer
Hi Alma.  This kitty could have a parasitic or bacterial infection that's nauseating him and causing his diarrhea.  Some protozoan infections like coccidia and giardia can be controlled with antibiotics, and bacterial infections usually respond as well.  Parasitic worms can be killed with a dewormer from the vet.

There are more serious diseases that could cause these symptoms that the vet will probably discuss with you if there are other signs of the diseases present.  These include the viral illnesses Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS, and also such problems as kidney failure, liver failure and cancer.  There is also a condition called Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which causes severe diarrhea or vomiting.  While serious and even life-threatening, it is more treatable than the other diseases mentioned in this paragraph.

But sometimes something as simple as severe dental disease can cause a cat not to eat, leading to severe weight loss.  It's important to have any bad teeth removed to help the cat recover from this.  If the kitty needs to gain some strength before he's healthy enough to undergo surgery, sometimes an antibiotic can help get his mouth in decent enough shape that he'll start eating.

I hope it's something with a simple solution!

Jessica