What to feed a cat with diarrhoea
For a cat with mild diarrhoea who is otherwise bright, eating and drinking normally, a plain, easily digestible diet fed as their usual meals — rather than any home remedy or a change of routine beyond the food itself — is generally the sensible starting point. Unlike some old advice for dogs, cats should not have food withheld, and anything beyond a short, mild episode needs a vet rather than dietary management at home.
What a bland diet for cats actually means
A bland or easily digestible diet usually means plain, cooked, boneless white meat such as chicken or a small amount of white fish, or a cat food specifically labelled for sensitive digestion. The idea is to give the gut something simple to process rather than the fat, additives or unfamiliar ingredients in a rich or new food.
This is a short-term approach for a mild, ongoing episode, not a way to treat the underlying cause, which could be anything from a sudden diet change or a new treat to a parasite, an infection, stress or a food intolerance. A vet is who can actually work out which of those it is if the diarrhoea does not settle quickly.
What to check on a sensitive cat food label
If you are looking at a commercial sensitive or digestive-care cat food, the ingredients list and analytical panel are worth reading together — a shorter ingredients list with a single named protein is generally easier for a sensitive gut to process than a food with several different meats and a long list of additions.
Introduce any new food gradually, mixed in increasing amounts with what your cat is already eating over several days, rather than switching overnight — a sudden food change is itself a common trigger for loose stools in cats, which can undo the point of changing food in the first place.
Fresh water should stay available throughout, and a cat drinking noticeably more or less than usual alongside the diarrhoea is worth mentioning to your vet, since it can point to what is going on rather than being incidental to it.
When it needs a vet, not a diet change
Ring your vet promptly if the diarrhoea contains blood or looks black and tarry, if your cat is vomiting as well, off their food, lethargic, or if the diarrhoea has lasted more than a day or two without improving. Kittens, elderly cats and cats with an existing health condition should be seen sooner rather than later, since they dehydrate and decline faster than a healthy adult cat.
A cat who stops eating for more than a day, for any reason, is a separate concern in its own right and worth a call to your vet regardless of what their stools are doing, since cats can develop serious complications from not eating relatively quickly.
Outdoor cats who hunt are also worth mentioning to your vet if the diarrhoea started suddenly, since something eaten outside — prey, spoiled scraps, or a plant — is a genuine possibility a vet will want to rule in or out alongside anything to do with their usual food.
Foods formulated for this
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Whiskas 1+ Salmon Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete salmon dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1+ Lamb Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete lamb dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1 Tuna Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete tuna dry food for adult cats, offered in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for kittens, available in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas 1 Chicken Adult Dry Cat Food
A complete dry food for cats 1+, with chicken present only in the brown kibbles
From£3.19
Whiskas 7+ Senior Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in a 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 7+ Chicken Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in an 800G bag
£6.09
Whiskas 2-12 Months Kitten Complete Dry Food Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for kittens aged 2-12 months in a 7KG bag
£30.15
Whiskas 1+ Adult Cat Complete Dry Food Tuna
Complete tuna dry cat food for adults in a 7KG bag with 30% protein
£30.15
Whiskas 1+ Adult Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry cat food for adults in a 7KG bag with 30% protein
£30.15
Burns Adult/Senior Cat Sensitive Grain Free Duck & Potato
Grain-free duck and potato food for cats with digestive or food sensitivities
£16.49
James Wellbeloved Light Adult Dry Cat Food Fish
A lower-calorie fish dry food for adult cats managing their weight, with joint-support ingredients
£24.65
Common questions
- Should I withhold food from a cat with diarrhoea?
- No. Unlike some older advice for dogs, cats should not have food withheld, even during a mild stomach upset, since they can develop complications from not eating quite quickly. Offer a plain, easily digestible diet instead of their normal food, and speak to your vet if you are unsure.
- How long can diarrhoea last in a cat before I need a vet?
- A day or two of mild, improving diarrhoea in an otherwise well cat is often manageable at home with a plain diet. Anything longer, or any sign of blood, vomiting, lethargy or a cat going off their food, is worth a call to your vet rather than waiting it out.
- Can a sudden food change cause diarrhoea in cats?
- Yes, it is one of the most common causes. Cats generally do better with a gradual transition between foods over several days rather than an overnight switch, which gives their gut time to adjust rather than reacting to a sudden change.
- Is milk good for a cat with diarrhoea?
- No, it is best avoided. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant to some degree, and milk is more likely to make loose stools worse than to help settle them, whatever older habits or advertising might suggest.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.