Colitis in Cats: An Overview

Dog Breeds

Colitis in cats is the medical term for inflammation of the colon (also called the large intestine or large bowel), which is the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract, extending from the cecum to the rectum.

Read More >

Definition

Colitis is the medical term for inflammation of the colon (also called the large intestine or large bowel), which is the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract, extending from the cecum to the rectum. The cecum is the first part of the colon and forms a dilated pouch at the termination of the small intestine. The rectum is the last part of the colon, which ends at the anal canal. Colitis in cats can be acute, episodic or chronic.

Causes of Colitis in Cats

The colon is an essential part of the gastrointestinal tract and is responsible for the final stages of digestion, right before the digestive waste products (stool or feces) are eliminated. When the layers of tissue lining the large intestine become irritated and inflamed, the final phases of digestion are disrupted, causing the stool to become loose, watery, greasy and tinged with fresh blood. Colonic inflammation causes a cascade of cellular events that ultimately reduces the ability of the colon to absorb water from fecal matter, causing large bowel diarrhea and a number of other classic symptoms.

Feline colitis can be caused by a number of things, which generally are characterized as either: 1) primary infiltrative intestinal disorders (inflammatory bowel disease, malignant neoplasia/cancer); 2) infectious diseases (acute infectious enteritis, internal parasites, bacterial, fungal, viral or protozoal infection, infection by other microorganisms); or 3) other primary medical diseases or disorders that cause secondary intestinal irritation (administration of antibiotics which upset the normal bowel flora, food allergies, sensitivity to or intolerance of dietary ingredients). Recently, Tritrichomonas foetus has been identified as a gastrointestinal pathogen in companion cats. This protozoal parasite can infect cats of any age, breed or gender, but tends to occur most commonly in young cats kept in crowded and/or unsanitary conditions. Determining the underlying cause of acute, episodic or chronic colitis is critical to successful treatment.

Prevention of Feline Colitis

Preventing colitis in companion cats requires a conscientious owner with good cat care management. Cats should be de-wormed prophylactically in accordance with the attending veterinarian’s anti-parasite protocol. The occurrence of colitis is much less frequent in indoor cats that are not free-roaming. Dietary modification and management may help prevent recurrent episodes of colitis in predisposed animals. Owners should avoid making abrupt changes in their cat’s diet and should keep all medications and household cleaning products well out of their reach. Companion cats should be kept away from other cats that are known to be sick or are showing signs of respiratory, gastrointestinal or other potentially contagious illness.

Special Notes

Some of the organisms that cause colitis in domestic cats have the potential to infect people, especially those whose immune systems are weakened or suppressed. These include: 1) some bacterial microorganisms (enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, certain Salmonella species, Campylobacte and Clostridium); 2) some protozoal organisms (Tritrichomonas, Giardia); and 3) some helminth (worm) parasites (Trichuris), among others. “Zoonosis” is the medical term for diseases of animals that may be transmissible to humans.

Preventing Colitis in Cats