Cats and Drinking Water

Question
I have 4 cats; one (Garfield) is about 7 months old. He seems to constantly want to drink water - excessively compared to my other cats and to any cats I have had in my lifetime. His stool is very runny and he smells like he passes gas all the time. I am wondering if you know of anything I can do to help him be less gassy as well as give me an idea why he is so thirsty. Thanks a lot. BTW - he eats Meow Mix just like the other 3 cats and does not seem fussy about the food.

Answer
Hi, Jen.  Sounds quite possible Garfield is dehydrated from the diarrhea and is trying to make up for it by drinking excessively.  I think that finding the cause of the diarrhea and treating it is the first thing you'll need to do.  That will require the help of a vet.

The most common causes of diarrhea in kittens are parasitic infections.  This includes parasitic worms such as roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms.  These can be treated with a wormer from your vet.  There are over-the-counter treatments available.  The only ones I find to be truly effective are the same ones vets use - pyrantel pamoate for roundworms and hookworms, and praziquantel for tapeworms.  Praziquantel is available online as Tape Worm Tabs.  Pyrantel pamoate is available at pet stores or online, marketed as Nemex for dogs.  You follow the same dosage for cats.  Piperazine, which is sold as a cat wormer, does not work well with my cats.

Coccidia and giardia are protozoan parasites that can be deadly.  These need to be treated with a prescription drug that can only be given to you by your vet.

The diarrhea may be caused by a food intolerance.  Meow Mix contains corn, which is hard for cats to digest and causes gas and diarrhea in many of them.  See about switching to a chicken and rice formula food over the course of a week.  Give it about 4 weeks to see if there's an improvement.

Diarrhea and excessive thirst can be caused by conditions like diabetes, hyperthyroidism and kidney failure, although these are uncommon in kittens.  

There's also a disease called Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which causes diarrhea and gas.  The exact cause isn't known, but it is believed to be due, in part, to an auto immune problem.  It leads to life-threatening malnutrition and can cause organ failure and cancer, not to mention that it is extremely painful.  Fortunately, most patients with IBD can be managed on a steroid and sometimes antibiotics.