Feline inflammatory bowel disease causes chronic gastrointestinal discomfort and is a common welfare problem in middle-aged and senior cats. Diagnosis and dietary management improve quality of life.
Feline IBD causes chronic, often poorly controlled gastrointestinal discomfort that significantly reduces quality of life. Cats with uncontrolled IBD experience nausea, abdominal pain, urgency, and the discomfort of chronic weight loss. Many cases are managed suboptimally because owners attribute symptoms to hairballs or aging rather than recognizing them as signs of a treatable disease. Appropriate dietary management — with novel or hydrolyzed protein diets — and corticosteroid treatment can achieve meaningful remission in many cats, transforming their daily experience. The challenge is that diagnosis requires referral-level investigation, and ongoing management requires owner commitment to specialized diets and medication.