Introduction

Colitis is the medical term for inflammation of the colon, which is also called the “large” intestine and is between the cecum and the rectum. The cecum is the first part of the large intestine, and the rectum is the last. There are a number of different types of colitis, and each has different causes and clinical signs. Typically, colitis is characterized as being chronic, episodic or acute. These different forms of colitis are distinguished by their frequency, severity and duration. However, the clinical signs of colitis are essentially the same across these types.

Types of Colitis in Cats

Acute Colitis

Acute colitis is more common in dogs than in cats and typically is self-limiting. The underlying cause is rarely diagnosed, because the condition tends to resolve on its own. The clinical signs (diarrhea with fresh blood and/or mucus, straining to defecate, and possibly constipation) tend to appear suddenly, although many cats seem to feel good and act fairly normally despite the diarrhea. Mild depression may be noticed by owners. In many acute cases, the cat acts fine one minute, and the next appears painful or otherwise “off.” Acute colitis, which usually is caused by stress, ingestion of toxins or foreign bodies, dietary indiscretion or intolerance, internal parasites, drug administration or bacterial overload, generally lasts only a few days.

Episodic and Chronic Colitis

Episodic and chronic feline colitis are characterized by sporadic mild to severe clinical signs. Episodic cases generally last only a few weeks per episode, while chronic colitis persists for months and tends to worsen with time. Purebred cats are prone to feline lymphocytic-plasmacytic (LPC), also called inflammatory bowel disease. The clinical signs are the same as in acute cases; they just last longer and tend not to resolve without treatment. Chronic or episodic colitis typically are caused by an underlying medical disorder such as neoplasia, feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or some other viral or bacterial systemic or gastrointestinal infection.