Introduction
The most common symptoms of colitis in cats involve changes in the stool and frequent trips to the litter box. These symptoms can appear suddenly if the colitis is acute, they can come and go if the colitis is episodic, or they can slowly appear and then become worse over a long period of time if the colitis is chronic.
While many cats do not show any outward symptom of pain, colitis can cause severe abdominal pain. Cats experiencing pain may not want to be touched, or they may hide or sleep much more than usual. Moderate to severe cases of colitis can also cause dehydration and a reduction in appetite. Colitis is not normally associated with weight loss, but long term, or chronic, colitis can cause weight loss to occur in some cases.
Symptoms of Colitis in Cats
Changes in Stool
The changes in stool that are most commonly associated with colitis in cats are stool which has a slimy or mucous-like consistency and appearance. In many cases the stool looks normal at first, then at the end of the movement the stool begins to look a bit like clear jelly. Often there is fresh bright red blood in the stool, and the stool may look watery or loose.
Frequent Urges to Go to the Bathroom
Colitis causes sudden and frequent urges to go to the bathroom, and cats with this condition may be seen constantly straining in the litter box. There may not always be any result of the straining, or just a small amount of stool, and the cat will often try again a few minutes later.