by 
For the first time in two months, Buddy has actually gained weight! He weighs 14 and a half pounds. At his last two monthly visits he weighed 13 pounds. “He does look really boney,” the vet said, I think to make me feel better about being so wrong about his weight.
Bottomline, the vet was not alarmed about the diarrhea that’s been lasting so long. He gave me a new medication called metronidazole that tasted so bad Buddy was running around the apartment foaming at the mouth. There’s a pharmacist nearby who flavors cat medications to taste like tuna, so I’m going to take it to them. The vet also encouraged me to continue the transition to raw food. So I feel better. I’ve got things to do to address the problem.
Buddy is drinking water almost non-stop now, as pictured. Oh, he just went to the bathroom. Still very loose.
Hey..that is great news about Buddy!
I think I’ve mentioned this before (not sure since I comment on other blog owners with cats) but I sometimes use “Pet Pectillin” for occasional diarrhea. It’s like Kaeopectate for people, only minus the aspirin in that OTC product. It is for cats/dogs/birds. Very safe, so if it doesn’t work, will do no harm either. Not a long term solution, just for infrequent diarrhea.
Anyway, you can buy it at most pet stores, not terribly expensive either. One of my cats, Slinky, has a very sensitive stomach, has that issue sometimes. The dogs have had bouts from eating certain table scraps and/or treats. Just some info to keep in mind.
Hi Stacy:
Great news about Buddy.
It’s always alarming when your cat continues to lose weight and you don’t know why. One of my sister’s family cats is down to about 6 pounds, but he eats heartily. He’s also been on a strong medication for a few years (he’s currently 13 years old) for this same problem.
I had a thought that might provide a remedy for Buddy (or not) — you may want to ask your vet. Years ago, my cat, Marceau (whose been gone about 4 years now), had a very different problem in that when he had bowel movements he would puff up like a blowfish. He had had some neurological disabilities (similar to stroke, but not) from which he had recovered and I was worried the straining would cause a recurrence. The doctor recommended psyllium fiber capsules to help him pass the stool easier.
Now while Buddy’s problem, on the surface, appears to be the total opposite, the reason I suggest looking into this is that the fiber capsules contain a “bulk-forming” agent that I have read can also help control the water content of the stool. So while it is a technically a laxative, maybe it can alleviate the diarrhea problem. Of course you would break the capsules open and only administer a fraction of the human dosage. You would mix it right into his food — the powder has an almost sand-like texture.
Again, it might be worth looking into and asking the vet.