While there are many reasons a cat can develop diarrhea, oftentimes we can manage the symptoms at home and they will quickly settle.
Feeding cats their regular diet is not generally advised as it may be too rich, so having the best cat food for diarrhea ready to go in your kitchen cabinets is strongly recommended.
During their lifetime, many otherwise healthy kitties will have the odd upset stomach for a day or two and will need supportive care from us until it passes.
Simple events like changes in the weather or changes in their routine can bring on a bout of runny stool in a cat.
Stresses within the home such as having a party or getting some remodeling done, can also wreak havoc on their bowels.
It’s important to mention that diarrhea that is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of energy or weight loss, or diarrhea that does not settle in a few days, is reason enough for a check-up with the vet.
The same can be said for runny poo that contains mucus or blood.
In these cases, even after a visit to the vet, a specific cat food such as those in this article will likely be beneficial.
When it is time for your cat to go back on their regular diet afterwards, make sure to gradually wean them on to it over several days, as sudden food changes are not tolerated well.
The following foods are also great to use long-term for those cats with chronic digestive issues such as irritable bowel disease.
Some individuals seem to constantly have loose stools and infrequent vomiting, and many owners will notice an improvement with these guys after switching to one of the following food options:
Top 5 Best Cat Foods for Diarrhea in 2019
Product
Rating
Where buy?
Carry on reading to see our reviews, as well as a buying guide and some of the most frequently asked questions about feeding cats and kittens with diarrhea.
Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Energy Canned Cat Food
Coming top of the list, and what is in my opinion the best cat food for cats with diarrhea, is this offering from Royal Canin.
The proteins within this food are highly digestible and should not put too much pressure on an intestine that is already over-worked.
Within a day or two, you should notice the stools becoming noticeably more firmer and less frequent.
The best thing about this food is that it is particularly useful for those cats who are lacking condition and need extra calories.
Cats with chronic gastrointestinal issues that find it hard to keep weight on will really benefit from this diet as it can often be tricky to get them to reach their daily calorie requirement through eating their regular diet.
Just a small portion of this wet food contains a very high energy content, meaning that there is less pressure put on the intestines and less risk of bloating and abdominal discomfort.
For fussy or picky eaters, this food is a good option as it is not only highly palatable, it is so high calorie that even if they do not eat their full portion, they should be receiving a good quantity of the nutrients that they need.
The prebiotics in this food help to settle the gut and are extra beneficial for those cats that may be suffering from diarrhea due to a bacterial infection or those that are receiving antibiotic medication (which can be harsh on the gut and can kill off the good bacteria).
As this is a high calorie food, it should be avoided in obese cats, or those on a calorie-restricted diet, as it may lead to weight gain.
With a relatively high fat content, this food would not be ideal for cats prone to pancreatitis as it may cause unwanted flare ups.
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Pros
- The proteins within this food are highly digestible
- Best for cats with chronic gastrointestinal issues
- The prebiotics in this food help to settle the gut
- For fussy or picky eaters, this food is a good option
- Just a small portion of this wet food contains a very high energy content
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Cons
- As this is a high calorie food, it should be avoided in obese cats, or those on a calorie-restricted diet
- Not be ideal for cats prone to pancreatitis
Royal Canin Gastrointestinal High Energy Canned Cat Food
Hill’s Digestive Care I/D Canned Cat Food With Chicken
Hill’s is preferred by many veterinary practitioners, and for good reason.
This food is well-accepted by most cats and can settle the gut within a short period of time.
With good palatability, most cats eat it willingly, even if they are not feeling all that well.
Instead of feeding one or two large meals a day, as is suggested for most other gastro-intestinal diets, this food works best if fed in several small meals throughout the day.
Similar to the Royal Canin option listed above, Hill’s I/D is packed full of important nutrients that help support the cat as it recovers from diarrhea.
The antioxidants within the food help to boost the immune system, while the digestible fiber and prebiotics will firm the stool up.
The Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty acids contained can help to reduce the gut inflammation and have the added benefit of improving skin and fur quality, resulting in a glossy coat.
This food is a good option for those kitties that are prone to urinary stones as it is formulated to reduce the risk of them forming within the urine.
The high moisture content also makes it a suitable option for cats that are losing a lot of water in their feces.
Importantly, this food should always be offered alongside water.
One of the best things about this food is that it can be safely used in both adult cats and kittens.
It can be rare to find a kitten friendly food that is specifically formulated for the digestive tract and this is the ‘go-to’ option for most unwell kittens and immature cats seen in veterinary clinics.
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Pros
- Can be safely used in both adult cats and kittens
- Good option for those kitties that are prone to urinary stones
- Contained the Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty acids
- The antioxidants within the food help to boost the immune system
- Chicken flavor a firm favorite of most felines
- This food is safe to give both short-term and long-term
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Cons
- This food should always be offered alongside water
Hill’s Digestive Care I/D Canned Cat Food With Chicken
Applaws Cat Pots Chicken with Rice
Applaws make a huge variety of delicious wet food options, including tuna and crab and a tuna and seaweed variety.
However, their chicken and rice pot is one of the best cat foods for diarrhea out there.
This food is especially useful in those fussy eaters who may not like jelly or patè foods and rather eat something that looks a little more like the real thing.
Try offering a small portion of Applaws warmed up from your hands to tempt a cat that is refusing to eat.
This is also a great option for those owners who like to feed their cats more ‘natural’ food options but perhaps don’t have time to cook and prepare a meal of chicken and rice three times a day!
This food contains no additives whatsoever and has a whopping 60% chicken listed in its ingredients.
Other than chicken, the only two remaining ingredients are chicken broth (35%) and rice (5%).
This small list of ingredients is particularly beneficial to those cats that suffer from food allergies and may not be able to eat certain ingredients that are found in most other foods, such as wheat or pork.
A short ingredient list gives owners the peace of mind that they know exactly what their cat is eating.
The high protein content of this food will aid in muscle retention while your cat is unwell, as well as preventing unwanted weight loss.
It is important that owners are aware that this food is a complementary food, which means it is not a complete diet and should not be used long-term unless supplemented with a complete wet or dry cat food.
This food, however, really comes into its own when fed for a day or two to unwell cats.
The average cat can be fed two pots a day, and the food comes in small pots which are easy to divide up.
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Pros
- No additives whatsoever and has a whopping 60% chicken listed in its ingredients
- Particularly beneficial to those cats that suffer from food allergies
- The high protein content
- This food, however, really comes into its own when fed for a day or two
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Cons
- It is not a complete diet and should not be used long-term
Applaws Cat Pots Chicken with Rice
Applaws Chicken Breast with Pumpkin
Following on from the simple Applaws with chicken and rice, comes number four on our list: Applaws Chicken Breast and Pumpkin.
This is a great option if you wish to offer cats with sensitive stomachs a bit of variety in their life.
The pumpkin adds an earthy taste which cats go wild for.
As well as a great flavor enhancer, pumpkin is high in fiber, which is necessary for firming up stools and keeping the gastrointestinal system healthy.
As with other Applaws products, all of the ingredients are natural and this company uses no artificial flavors or colors.
The company guarantee that the chicken is hormone and antibiotic free.
The chicken that they use is such high quality that it has even been labelled safe for human consumption!
This makes this complementary food a nice option for cats with food allergies who are also prone to bouts of diarrhea.
With 24% of pumpkin, there is plenty of veggie in there, though with a respectable 50% of chicken, Applaws have not skimped on the good stuff either.
At only 0.2% fat, this tin is ideal for cats that need to lose weight or cannot eat a lot of fats due to underlying health conditions such as chronic pancreatitis.
As with the Applaws chicken and rice option, it’s important to note that this food should not be fed exclusively as it is not a complete diet.
However, this food can be safely given for a short period of time and also makes a good treat for those cats that have irritable bowels.
Owners always tell me that their cats go crazy for the chicken and pumpkin flavor, and unlike other cat foods, it doesn’t leave an unpleasant aroma around the house.
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Pros
- Pumpkin is high in fiber, which is necessary for firming up stools
- All of the ingredients are natural
- The company guarantee that the chicken is hormone and antibiotic free
- Complementary food a nice option for cats with food allergies
- At only 0.2% fat, this tin is ideal for cats that need to lose weight
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Cons
- This food should not be fed exclusively as it is not a complete diet
Applaws Chicken Breast with Pumpkin
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain Free
This highly digestible food works well for cats that have developed a short bout of diarrhea.
Turkey and potato is a slightly unusual flavor, and some cats may prefer this to the standard chicken options on offer.
Interestingly, a surprisingly high number of felines are allergic to chicken, so trying a chicken free food may be worth a go.
This food is grain free, which makes it a super option for cats that don’t tolerate grains well.
The vast majority of supermarket cat foods will contain some form of grain and it can actually be quite difficult to find a grain-free cat food, making Blue Buffalo Basics one of our favorite food choices.
In fact, not only is this option grain-free, it is also free from dairy, soy and eggs.
This is another nice and natural product, perfect for the savvy pet owner who likes to know exactly what their cat is putting into its body.
With yummy ingredients that include peas, carrots and cranberries, this cat food looks almost good enough for us humans to eat.
Packed with plenty of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, this food supports the skin and keeps the coat lovely and shiny.
Oftentimes, cats with upset stomachs will not be too keen on grooming, so supporting their coat from the inside out is the next best thing.
There are also duck and fish flavors available, so feel free to vary up your cat’s diet.
All of the options come in handy 3 oz cans, with roughly 80 calories in each can.
For larger cats, there is also a 5.5 oz tin.
These cans come with pull lids that are super easy to open.
This product is not suitable for kittens or growing cats, though there is a kitten food option available in the same range.
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Pros
- This food is grain free
- Free from dairy, soy and eggs
- Plenty of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids
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Cons
- This product is not suitable for kittens or growing cats
Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Grain Free
Wrapping It Up
If you have come to this website today in search of the best cat food for diarrhea, look no further, as one of these wet food diets is sure to tick all of the boxes.
Feeding you cat a wet food can help it to maintain its hydration while it is losing excess moisture through its intestines in the form of diarrhea.
Cats should also be offered as much fresh water as they like alongside their food.
Remember, cats can be precious and often don’t like to be fed beside their watering hole, so always keep their food and water bowls separate.
All of these diets are highly digestible and are gentle on the stomach and you should see the stool solidify within a few short days and don’t be afraid to try different flavors if your cat sticks it’s nose up at one.
Write comment below to us about your choice Best Cat Foods for Diarrhea.
A source: Catcareadvices.com
Hello all, need help, why does my indoor cat have diarrhea?
Hi Grueser,
It can heppend when cat eating a new food, people food, rodents or birds in your home, or other stuff they shouldn’t (such as foreign home objects or toxic substances) can all give cats diarrhea. Making changes to your cat’s diet should be done gradually. Intestinal parasites such as tapeworms can also cause diarrhea.