What to Do When Your Cat Has Indigestion

1 Understanding Feline Indigestion

Feline indigestion is a disorder of gastrointestinal motility, digestion, and absorption caused by mild inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa. If not treated promptly it affects growth and development and can be lethal.

2 Acute Indigestion

Acute indigestion usually follows eating spoiled food such as hamster, fish, or meat. The cat is depressed, lethargic, and reluctant to move, lying with eyes closed or standing dazed, and refuses food. Violent vomiting develops quickly (initially stomach contents, later mostly mucus). Some show abdominal pain, slightly faster intestinal sounds, and varying degrees of diarrhea with a foul odor, sometimes persistent diarrhea with relaxed anus and loss of bowel control. Dehydration makes the skin dry, the coat rough and dull, skin elasticity poor, eyes sunken, mouth dry, breath foul, and tongue coating yellow and greasy, with a full pulse. In severe cases the cat cannot stand steadily.

3 Chronic Indigestion

Chronic indigestion is usually triggered by overfeeding tasty food. Signs are lethargy with lowered head and ears, reduced or absent appetite, and frequent yawning. The abdomen is slightly bloated, with occasional vomiting of undigested food and diarrhea that may contain food residue and smells sour. Temperature is usually normal, the tongue is dry with a greasy coat, and the pulse is slippery and rapid.

4 Herbal Treatment

For the acute type the principle is to clear heat, dry dampness, drain water, and stop diarrhea. Use a modified Gegen Qinlian decoction: Pueraria (kudzu) 20 g, Scutellaria 15 g, Coptis 12 g, plantain seed 12 g, and Pinellia 6 g (doses for a medium dog; halve for a cat). Decoct to about 250 ml and give as a single dose.

In this formula Pueraria clears heat, releases the muscles, and lifts the spleen-stomach yang to treat diarrhea, supported by Scutellaria and Coptis, which are cold and clear intestinal heat and bitter and dry intestinal dampness, so the exterior and interior are harmonized and the fever and diarrhea stop; Pinellia is added to descend counterflow and stop vomiting, and plantain seed clears damp-heat. Together they clear heat, dry dampness, drain water, and stop diarrhea.

For the chronic type the principle is to resolve stagnation, move qi, and harmonize the stomach. Use the Wu Mu Ji powder: Lindera (lindera root) 50 g, costus root (Saussurea) 50 g, and chicken gizzard 45 g, ground into a fine powder and stored. An adult cat gets 6 g per day in 3 divided doses for 7 days.

In this formula Lindera, warm and pungent, enters the spleen and stomach channels and moves qi and relieves stagnation; costus root moves qi, relieves pain, and strengthens the spleen and stomach; chicken gizzard resolves stagnation and fortifies the spleen and stomach. Together they resolve stagnation, move qi, and harmonize the stomach.