Expert: Jessica - 5/21/2011

Question
My cat, SamiSue, is almost 7 years old and is diabetic.  I give her 2 insulin shots a day and she does well except that she has extremely loose stools which are so terribly stinky that the best litter, Lysol, and other sprays just won't completely cover.  Her stools are orange and she has one after every meal.  I have tried the foods that the vet recommends but she won't eat them or if she does, she throws up immediately afterward.  So I give her a good quality dry food which she loves and she doesn't throw up.  But what can I do to firm up her stools and is there any way to keep the odor down?

Answer
Hi Joyce,

Have you talked to the vet about her stools? It sounds like she could have a bacterial or protozoan infection based on the color, consistency and odor of her stools. An antibiotic should help with that if this is true.

However, dyes in foods can also cause the stool to be abnormally orange, and a high-protein diet, which is best for diabetic cats, also has the unfortunate effect of causing very smelly stools. It's healthiest to keep your cat on this diet and try to deal with stool odor by using a litter that contains carbon.

Also, you can try mixing some pea baby food into canned food, which should help firm up her stools. A lot of cats will also eat pea baby food straight if she will eat dry food only. If not, try giving it to her with a syringe. She should get at least a teaspoon (3 cc's) twice a day, preferably with meals. This is a good source of fiber that should help bind her stools, and it often helps to reduce stool odor a bit, as well.

If your cat will take to wet food, it may be best to gradually switch her over to canned food. This is best for diabetic cats in general, and many cats with sensitive bellies benefit from a canned food only diet. As a rule, cats fed canned food versus dry will usually have stronger smelling stools. But because canned is easier to digest, you may find that her stool firms up. And firmer stools are typically less smelly than loose stools.

Good luck!

Jessica