Expert: Jessica - 1/5/2012

Question
Hello!

I have an 11 year old male cat that has had diarrhea for more than two weeks now.  We took him to the vet and had blood work done, and it seems likely that he has cancer.  All we can really do is keep him comfortable and happy, and eventually have him put to sleep once he becomes uncomfortable.

He's still eating and drinking good, hasn't lost weight, purrs when you pet him, wants to play and appears happy and comfortable.  But his diarrhea continues.  We've tried giving him pumpkin and kaolin, but the picky eater will not eat either.

Do you know of a diet we can give him that might help his diarrhea and make him more comfortable?  A breeder recommended chicken and boiled rice, but since all the higher quality cat foods have no rice or grains, I'm skeptical about giving him rice.

He's currently on Blue Buffalo Wilderness kibble and Wellness Core canned food.

Answer
Hi Bethany,

Boiled chicken breast and white rice is actually a very well accepted diet for cats who are suffering from diarrhea, by both allopathic and holistic vets. Rice is generally the easiest of the grains to digest, and it can help add bulk to his diet to bind stools. You would boil the breast until fully cooked and boil the rice until mushy, then mix the two with a good deal more chicken than rice. In general, we only want to feed this for a matter of days, or sometimes a couple of weeks to get a cat through a critical period, because it's not nutritionally balanced. But because you are in a hospice situation, and the idea is to keep him comfortable rather than nurse him back to health, this might be okay to feed him as a permanent diet if he responds well, and you can give him a vitamin supplement such as Nutri-Cal to keep things as balanced as possible. Ask your vet for his or her opinion.

If he will accept it, you could also talk to the vet about going with a prescription diet like Hill's i/d. This is easy on the gastrointestinal tract, as well, but it is balanced nutritionally. Most of my cats have not gone for it, but it is money-back guaranteed, and you can return any food you don't use for a refund. It comes in canned and dry.

If he's not on any medications, I definitely suggest asking your vet about some prednisone. The most common types of cancer that cause diarrhea are lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract, and these can cause inflammation that lead to diarrhea. Prednisone can help reduce some of that inflammation. There is also a very small chance that the cancer can respond mildly to prednisone, as this medication is used as part of chemotherapy protocols against many lymphomas. While it alone won't cure cancer, it can sometimes slow the growth. Prednisone also has the great side effect of increasing appetite in pets who are prone to finicky eating habits. Cats tolerate it well with very few experiencing any side effects.

Best wishes,
Jessica