Cat Enteritis

The wall of the cat's intestine is damaged, often through bacterial or viral infection.

These infections are spread in different ways. Some are spread in food, some through the air, some by close contact, some in bodily secretions and some through shared bowls, bedding etc.

The signs and severity of this disease will vary depending on the cause, but some general signs include:

• Abdominal pain. The cat may sit in a hunched position, and his abdomen may feel tense if you touch it
• Loose, watery cat diarrhea, often passed in small, frequent amounts
• Foul-smelling feces
• Bad breath
• Increased thirst
• Cat vomiting
• Lethargy and loss of appetite
• Cat dehydration

If you think your cat has enteritis, you should take him to the vet without delay. Treatment will depend on the cause and the severity of the disease. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. If the cat is severely dehydrated, hospitalization and intravenous fluids may be required.

For advice on health insurance for your cat, click here.

The best known, and undoubtedly one of the most serious and infectious forms of enteritis in cats is cat distemper (also called feline distemper, feline panleukopenia and feline infectious enteritis or FIE). This link gives a list of feline distemper symptoms.


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