Everyone develops a stomach problem from time to time, including cats. If you're worried because your cat is suddenly having diarrhea, there's good reason to be concerned, but you can do a lot to ensure that your kitty is okay. Here's what you should do when your cat has diarrhea.

Check it Out

It may sound awful, but you ought to take a closer look at what your cat is leaving behind in the litter box. Most cases of diarrhea are caused by problems with what your cat ate, a random stomach bug that's going around, or from an internal problem, but sometimes parasites are to blame.

When a cat has diarrhea due to stomach parasites, they'll typically pass some of the parasites or at least some of the eggs or larvae out with their stool. If you see anything moving in your cat's defecation or find any white, rice-sized looking things in it, you should see a vet immediately, as this is likely tapeworm larvae.

Hydration

Maintaining hydration is a must for anyone with diarrhea, and cats are no different. It's important to ensure that your cat has plenty of water available to them while they're having diarrhea, as they're losing a good amount of hydration with their stool. That's where the wateriness of it comes from, after all.

However, it's also a good idea to take an extra step when maintaining your cat's hydration during this time. Your cat may need to keep its electrolytes balanced, too. Believe it or not, you can give pedialyte to your cat. The glucose in it will help to give your cat a boost of energy and restore its lost electrolytes.

Monitor For Additional Signs

Lastly, you should always watch for your cat having other symptoms. While occasional diarrhea isn't a huge problem, if it's paired with other symptoms, like straining in the litter box, it could be. If your cat vomits, strains, loses its appetite, or won't drink, you need to seek help from a vet immediately. These symptoms could indicate that something more serious is going on than a one-time stomach upset, and your cat needs medical help.

Veterinarians are there to help out with even the smallest of problems. If in doubt, seek help from your vet regarding your cat's diarrhea. It's better to have them checked out and find out that it's a momentary stomach upset than to put it off and find out that your cat needed serious help.