Intestinal troubles which cause diarrhoea usually arise from improper feeding, such as milk and cereal diet, decomposed or even slightly tainted food. It may also be due to an internal cold. The latter is the most serious, and is relieved by applying hot bran bags, but this need only be resorted to when the cat is very ill and seems in great pain. Instructions how to apply will be found in the chapter dealing with pneumonia, only in this case the bags must be placed underneath just in front of the hind legs. For ordinary diarrhoea and chronic disorder, if slight, give only Robinson's Patent Barley, prepared with sweetened condensed milk. Add a tablespoonful of lime-water to the half pint, feed very little at a time, but often.

Strongheart.

Should food pass through the cat undigested, only medicine should be given for twenty-four hours, then start again, giving a very little of the barley, made weak at first, mixing in a good pinch of carbonate and bismuth or sub-gallate of bismuth, the latter preferred.

In the first stages of this disease one or two teaspoonfuls of olive oil to which one or two drops of laudanum have been added may be given. This is beneficial in clearing away any foreign substance, and the laudanum relieves the pain.

If accompanied with sickness, sub-nitrate and carbonate of bismuth may be given alternately.

These bismuths may be given frequently, even in half-hour doses in severe cases, as they serve to coat the stomach and intestines, so reducing the inflammation mechanically.

If the patient is in great pain and very restless, one-eighth of a grain of cocaine hydrochloride may be given every four hours for the first day; do not continue unless the animal seems in great pain. This is the dose for a cat Young kittens fed on milk foods are very subject to diarrhoea, or should tainted meat be fed, the same thing will occur. Treat as before mentioned, but they will not need the cocaine, though one drop of laudanum may be added to a small teaspoonful of olive oil (not castor).

Kittens usually become ravenously hungry with this trouble, then the point is to satisfy them without making the disease worse, as the greatest cure for this is to give very little nourishment for a few days; weak barley without milk should be given to drink, or water; on no account give cow's milk, whether boiled or not. If there is no improvement on the barley and condensed milk regime, try raw beef juice (how to prepare this will be found in chapters on invalid diet) mixed into the cooked barley or given alone.

When the patient seems better a teaspoonful of scraped beef moistened with lime-water may be given three times a day in addition to a little barley or raw beef juice. Cooked beef tea, lamb broth, or any cooked meat is the worst possible diet at all times and is fatal in this case.

All cats and kittens affected with enteritis should be separated from the healthy ones, as in most cases the disease is contagious. During this illness great care should be taken to keep the patients in perfectly clean surroundings. Have the bedding changed whenever soiled, and should the cat's coat also be soiled, the hair should be combed or cut and then cleaned with dry corn-starch. Never wash if it is possible to do without, but if compulsory wash the soiled parts with warm water, adding half alcohol; dry well with a rough bath towel, then dust with dry corn-starch. The sanitary pan should be changed whenever used. Bismuth is best shaken dry on the tongue, but as it usually upsets the patient, it may be mixed into a paste with a knife on the palm of the hand, then placed on the second finger of the right hand and smeared on the cat's tongue, keeping the head up for a second, so that it adheres to the mouth and the cat is obliged to swallow it. Bismuth can also be given with the food, and used every day until thoroughly cured. The patient should be kept warm if it is winter time and out of draughts, but should it be hot summer weather keep the cat or kitten indoors, in the shade and cool, but not where it is damp.