Antibiotics & Cats?

Question

My cat had surgery on his ear (Wed).... started giving him antibiotic medication the next morning (Thurs).
He is taking a form of Amoxicillin.... 2 x day.....he has been on the
antibiotic for 3 days now and this evening I found a small piece of poop on the kitchen floor... it was formed but light in color and kinda soft..... I also found what looked like water drops but brownish in color... about 6-8 small drops on a different area of the floor.
My question is:
Can antibiotics cause loose stools or diahrea in cats? After 3 days of taking it plus the fact that he has never had soft/loose stools before or any accidents on the kitchen floor.....could it be the medication causing it? He seems fine otherwise....
I know humans sometimes experience this when antibiotics are taken so maybe cats can too...... any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank You
( sorry for the detailed description of what I saw but I wanted to give as much detail as possible )

Answer 1

Hi there...loose stools and stool discolouration can be commonly seen with some cats who are taking antibiotics because it is eliminating healthy bacteria from the digestive system.

Offer a little bit of plain cultured yogurt (no high fructose corn syrup or fruit flavoured) which help restore some of the good bacteria.

Here's the information on Amoxicillin and it's side effects: http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/amoxicillin-clavulanate-clavamox/page1.aspx

Precautions and Side Effects
While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, amoxicillin + clavulanate can cause side effects in some animals.

Some animals may vomit shortly after administration of amoxicillin + clavulanate. This may occur in as many as 10 percent of dogs. In these cases, it may be helpful to feed the animal some food prior to drug administration to decrease stomach irritation. If vomiting after administration continues to occur, contact your veterinarian.

It is common for animals to develop diarrhea or loose stools from oral amoxicillin, and the same reaction may occur with amoxicillin + clavulanate. This is caused by a change in the bacterial population in the animal's intestine.

Answer 2

The anti-biotics plus the stress from the vet is the problem. If the stool becomes explosive with a foul smell or bloody then i would be worried. Otherwise, you cat will be fine.

Answer 3

Yes, the anitibiotics can cause soft stool even diarrhea in some cases. Contact your vet and see if they want you to continue or change the antibiotic

Answer 4

Yes antibiotics can do this to your cat, although have you considered that it could be a side effect from the anaesthesia that he had. If this keeps happening take him back to the vet and have him checked over to on the safe side.

I hope that your cat gets better and everything returns to normal.

Good Luck

Answer 5

Donot stress about this, part of the side-effects of antibiotics is that it interferes with the normal bugs in the bowel. Some change in stools is to be expected. Always contact your vet about any treatments or drugs he recommends for your pets, he is legally required to guide you on this.

Answer 6

Yes, antibiotics can cause diarrhea. Try giving her some "intestinal" formula food. If she has too much diarrhea, especially liquid stools as you found the drops, inform your vet.

Answer 7

You can feed your cat a little plain cultured yogurt every day until the antibiotics are done. If he won't eat it you can mix it in some canned cat food. Cultured yogurt helps restore the good bacteria that the antibiotics are killing off.

Answer 8

yes it can, and if it gets worse call your vet and have them prescribe and different type of antibiotic. hope your kitty heals fast.

Answer 9

go to an Veterinarian he can help