Why Does My Bengal Cat Have Diarrhea?

Bengal cat owners often experience their furry friends having issues with their digestion and therefore with wet stool.

If you are one of them, do not worry - Bengal cats simply need special care regarding their food, compared to other breeds.

Most often the reason for an upset digestive system of your Bengal is the so-called Tritrichomonas foetus, which is harmless for a healthy kitten with no overgrowth of this pathogen.

Most Frequent Causes for Diarrhea in Bengal Cats

Although Bengal cats are hyperactive and belong to the rather exotic group of felines, they still are domesticated cats, not wild animals.

Therefore it could also be possible for your Bengal to simply be experiencing common cat problems like her less exotic fellows.

These common and less common issues include:

Nervosity

Cats are extremely sensitive animals regarding their surroundings.
If you have recently moved furniture around, or even your Bengal's litterbox or bed and diarrhea has started soon after, that is most probably the culprit for your cat's malaise.

Other than that, it might also be possible that if you moved recently or are traveling, got another pet or have a guest sleeping over, that is the cause for your bengal kitten's diarrhea.

Basically, whenever your Bengal is being confronted with unfamiliarities or changes, it might result in nervosity which then could lead to wet stool.

Tritrichomonas Foetus

This is a very common pathogen that often causes loose stool in Bengals.
If your cat has been tested positively for this, it may be very likely that it is the cause of your pet's diarrhea.

Luckily, it can most often be treated with dietary changes.

To be sure whether your Bengal is affected by this pathogen, please do visit your veterinarian.

Wrong Cat Diet

Bengals are - like every other kitten - carnivores and their digestive systems are highly adjusted to extracting nutrients from meat-focused diets.
Therefore, another typical reason for diarrhea is the "wrong" kind of cat food.

Simplify It

Try to simplify your Bengal's nutrition and take away any treats or human food that you usually might feed to her, so that she only gets her basic cat food.

This way, it is easier to rule out potential causes for your cat's diarrhea if it hasn't gotten any better after specific changes.

Keep Old Patterns

In case you have recently changed your cat's diet, try to revert to the nutrition she was having before. Especially if you started to give your Bengal cooked or boiled food, reverting these changes might ease the situation.

Contamination

Another possibility that's not to be ignored is the quality of your cat's food. If you didn't change the food at all, the most recent can or batch might be contaminated. Also, you should never store your Bengal's wet food outside the fridge when it's warm since wet food gets bad very easily.

Allergy or Intolerance

If your Bengal has a food allergy or intolerance, it is likely that she will experience relief from diarrhea when switching to hypoallergenic or low-antigen food.
To ensure to get the best of low-antigen foods, consult with your veterinarian.

Reduce Fiber Intake

If your cat is having diarrhea or producing lots of stool, too much fiber in her pet food might be the cause.
Try switching to low-fiber, highly digestible cat food that's being advertised as adequate or even good for "sensitive stomachs".

Increase Fiber Intake

Some kinds of cat diarrhea respond well to the exact opposite of reducing fiber in cat nutrition.
This is especially the case for those types of diarrhea that show in your cat going to the litterbox often but only producing tiny amounts of feces each time.

An easy way to add fiber to your Bengal's diet is by supplementing her food with canned pumpkin or unflavoured psyllium.

Avoid Dehydration

Bengal cats with diarrhea need to consume a sufficient amount of water to prevent potential dehydration.
As cats usually tend not to drink much water, we have to find other ways around.
Try giving your Bengal kitten canned food instead of kibbles if your feline is having issues with diarrhea so she doesn't dehydrate.

To be sure, you should add one or two tablespoons of warm water to your cat's canned food.
Other than that, you could also try out adding another bowl of diluted chicken or beef broth for your Bengal to eat off.

What Should My Bengal Cat Eat?

Although Tritrichomonas foetus is the main cause of diarrhea in Bengal cats, this issue can be - over time - greatly diminished by simply making modifications to the diet of your cat, as you have noticed in the above paragraph.

To be a little bit more specific, I'm going to explain what foods your Bengal should eat in the following.
As usual, consult with your vet to properly adjust your Bengal's diet.

Raw Meat

Although most veterinarians are against it, many Bengal owners feed their beloved darlings raw meat.
This can actually be beneficial for fighting your cat's gastric problems or skin issues.

If you are certain you want to feed your feline unspiced raw fresh meat, ensure to research the topic comprehensively and visit your veterinarian.
Supplementing your Bengal with vitamins might help her digest it more easily and live healthier.

Again, research and visit your vet, to ensure your kitty is getting the best preconditions for a healthy and happy life.

Fish

Like most other cats, Bengals enjoy fish quite a lot, but feeding her too much of it might result in malnutrition due to nutritional deficiencies.
Therefore, ensure to give it to her in adequate amounts.

Feeding your Bengal white fish at least once a week helps to keep your kitty's coat shiny thanks to the oil.
It does also support your cat's joints by keeping them flexible and healthy.

Some of the options could be tinned fish, mackerel, pilchards or sardines.

What Should My Bengal Cat Not Eat?

Although Tritrichomonas foetus is the main cause of diarrhea in Bengal cats, this issue can be decreased by simply making modifications to the diet of your cat, as you might've noticed in the above paragraph.

But it is also as important to know which foods to avoid for your furry friend to get a healthy digestive system and not be harmed in any way.

As usual, I encourage you to visit your veterinarian for deeper insights into a cat's diet before starting to experiment with your Bengal's nutrition.

Grain-Rich Foods

Usually, the easily accessible cat foods contain large amounts of grain, such as rice, corn or barley, which is added to help stretch the pet food.

Cats, especially Bengals, are unable to digest significant volumes of grain.
Feeding it to your feline anyway will most probably result in her getting diarrhea.

This is why you should make sure to only buy grain-free or at least heavily grain-reduced foods.
This might be more expensive, but you won't have to deal with the mess your cat could cause and she will be much more balanced.

Chocolate

Although most cat owners know this, it simply can't be stressed enough.
Feeding your cat chocolate - including white chocolate - may lead to extreme heart rhythm, seizures, tremors, and even death.

Cheese and Milk

This may be surprising, but if you want to be sure don't feed your cat dairy products.
Most cats are lactose intolerant, so consuming such food would lead to diarrhea and vomiting.

Raw Meat, Fish, Eggs or Fat Trimmings

We said that eating raw meat could be beneficial for your Bengal.
While this might be true, it's still best to consult with your vet before feeding your cat raw meat or fish.

Excessive fat consumption could result in pancreatitis, which is a very painful condition and also salmonella or an E. coli bacteria infection could be caused by giving your Bengal the wrong types of food.

Garlic, Onions, and Chives

Onions, be it in any size or type of serving, breaks down the red blood cells of your cat which can lead to amenia.

Garlic, being five times as potent, and also chives may be the culprit for several dangerous life-threatening conditions, so be sure to never feed these to your Bengal.

Caffeine

It can be found in tea, coffee, energy drinks, soft drinks, cocoa, and chocolate.
The consumption of too much caffeine can result in major health issues for your Bengal, including muscle tremors and heart palpitations.

These can ultimately result in your kitten's death, so act wisely regarding your cat's food!

Conclusion

If your Bengal is suffering from diarrhea, it most likely is due to the so-called "Tritrichomonas foetus".

However, if you give your cat the right kinds of food and avoid feeding her potentially harmful ones, this issue can be greatly diminished over time.

The most significant adjustments of your Bengal's diet would be to lower the intake of fiber for some time, and if that doesn't help, increasing it.

Nevertheless, you should make an appointment with your veterinarian before making any major experiments regarding your Bengal's nutrition.

Does your Bengal experience diarrhea on a regular basis?
What have you tried to counter this issue?
Has it been successful?

I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comment section below!