Acute Pancreatitis in Cats: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment & Prognosis

Introduction

Acute pancreatitis is a true medical emergency, but with prompt treatment most cats survive and recover fully. Acute pancreatitis is a sudden-onset inflammatory condition of the pancreas that can range from mild to life-threatening ^[1]. It is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation (inflamed tissue infiltrated by a type of white blood cell called neutrophils) and is considered completely reversible once the inciting cause is removed, unlike chronic pancreatitis, which causes permanent scar-tissue changes that cannot be undone ^{[2, 3]}.

Once thought to be rare in cats, modern necropsy studies (post-mortem examinations) have revealed that histopathologic evidence (microscopic tissue changes) of acute pancreatitis alone is present in about 6% of cats, with another 10% showing a mix of acute and chronic features ^[3]. The pancreas serves two essential functions: it produces digestive enzymes and the hormone insulin. In acute pancreatitis, digestive enzymes are prematurely activated inside the pancreatic cells themselves, leading the organ to begin digesting itself and triggering local and systemic inflammation ^{[1, 4]}.

Veterinarians classify acute pancreatitis by severity (mild, moderate, severe) and by its histopathologic form, including edematous (swelling), necrotizing (tissue death), and hemorrhagic (bleeding) variants, which guide both prognosis and treatment intensity ^{[2, 5, 6]}. Because the duration of symptoms before veterinary presentation is directly tied to the risk of death, recognizing the warning signs early is critical ^[2].

Symptoms and Red Flags: What to Watch For

Acute pancreatitis in cats is famous for vague, subtle signs; lethargy and refusal to eat are the most consistent red flags. The clinical signs of acute pancreatitis are notoriously nonspecific, easily mistaken for a dozen other feline illnesses ^{[3, 5]}. Lethargy (appearing in 51–100% of cases) and partial or complete anorexia (not eating, seen in 62–97%) are the most consistent findings, while vomiting occurs in roughly 35–52% of affected cats ^{[3, 7, 2]}.

Other common signs include weight loss, dehydration, hypothermia (an abnormally low body temperature), and diarrhea. Jaundice (a yellow tint to the skin, eyes, or mouth) is seen in a minority (6–37%) ^{[8, 2, 4]}. Abdominal pain is reported in only 10–30% of cases, not because cats don't hurt, but because they hide pain instinctively. Subtle hints such as a "prayer position" (forepaws on the ground with the hindquarters raised) or resistance to abdominal palpation suggest discomfort ^{[2, 4]}.

Mild cases may show only partial anorexia or a single episode of vomiting; some cats are subclinically affected, meaning they have the disease but show no obvious signs ^[4]. Moderate cases involve more obvious dehydration, vomiting, a palpable cranial abdominal mass (a lump felt in the upper belly), and possibly fever ^{[5, 2]}. Severe acute pancreatitis is a veterinary emergency, expect shock, persistent vomiting, marked hypothermia, jaundice, breathing difficulty, and signs of multi-organ failure ^{[8, 2, 3]}.

Causes and Triggers of Acute Pancreatitis in Cats

In more than 95% of cases, the cause is never found, but a few real triggers are worth knowing. Feline acute pancreatitis is overwhelmingly idiopathic (meaning the cause is unknown) in over 95% of cases ^{[3, 7, 2]}. When a cause can be identified, severe blunt abdominal trauma, such as that sustained in high-rise falls or traffic accidents, is a well-documented trigger ^{[9, 4, 7]}. Hypotension (dangerously low blood pressure) and ischemia (reduced blood flow), which can occur during prolonged anesthesia or shock, may also precipitate pancreatic injury by starving the tissue of oxygen ^{[9, 3]}.

Concurrent diseases are extremely common, appearing in up to 83% of cases, including diabetes mellitus, hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), cholangitis (bile duct inflammation), inflammatory bowel disease, and nephritis (kidney inflammation). Whether these conditions cause the pancreatitis or simply appear alongside it remains unclear ^{[3, 7, 9]}.

Unlike in dogs, dietary indiscretion (such as a stolen high-fat meal) is not an established trigger for feline pancreatitis ^[8]. Infectious causes, including Toxoplasma gondii, coronavirus, herpesvirus, and certain parasitic flukes, are possible but rare ^{[7, 3]}. Drugs such as potassium bromide and phenobarbital cause pancreatitis in other species but have not been reported in cats ^{[3, 2]}. Because cats share a common entry point for the bile duct and pancreatic duct into the small intestine, infected bile can reflux backward and trigger inflammation ^[3].

Severity: How Vets Classify Acute Pancreatitis

Severity classification guides treatment intensity and gives owners a realistic sense of what to expect. Acute pancreatitis is categorized clinically as mild, moderate, or severe based on systemic complications, organ involvement, and the extent of pancreatic necrosis (tissue death within the pancreas) ^[2]. Mild cases have minimal necrosis, few systemic complications, and a low mortality rate. Severe cases feature extensive pancreatic necrosis, multi-organ failure, and a guarded to poor prognosis ^[2].

A semiquantitative histopathology scoring system for feline pancreatitis has been developed by a consensus panel to standardize pathology reporting. It scores individual histopathologic parameters — including neutrophilic inflammation, edema and fat necrosis, lymphocytic/mononuclear inflammation, fibrosis, and cystic degeneration — on a graded scale (e.g., 0–1 or similar). This system is used for diagnostic pathology reporting rather than direct clinical severity classification. Clinical severity (mild, moderate, severe) is assessed based on systemic complications, organ involvement, and extent of pancreatic necrosis, not by combining these histopathology scores ^[2]. Under the microscope, acute pancreatitis appears in two main forms: acute necrotizing pancreatitis (with acinar cell death, meaning loss of the enzyme-producing cells, plus fat necrosis) and acute suppurative pancreatitis (neutrophilic inflammation without extensive necrosis) ^{[5, 3]}. A hemorrhagic variant (severe necrotizing pancreatitis with bleeding) carries the most aggressive clinical course ^[6].

This mirrors the human classification of a mild interstitial form (with little or no necrosis) and a severe necrotizing form ^[2]. Severity directly influences treatment decisions: mild edematous cases may be managed on an outpatient basis, moderate cases require hospitalization, and severe necrotizing or hemorrhagic cases need intensive care ^{[1, 6]}.

What this means for your cat: the worse the damage inside the pancreas and the more body systems affected, the more aggressive (and expensive) the hospital care your cat will need.

How Vets Diagnose Acute Pancreatitis

No single test confirms acute pancreatitis, which is why diagnosis combines clinical signs, blood work, and imaging. Diagnosing feline acute pancreatitis is challenging because no single test is definitive; veterinarians must combine compatible clinical signs, laboratory findings, and imaging results ^{[9, 5]}. Routine blood work often reveals nonspecific changes such as hemoconcentration (thickened blood from dehydration) or nonregenerative anemia (low red blood cell count), leukocytosis (high white blood cell count) or leukopenia (low white blood cell count), and elevated serum cholesterol (in up to 72% of cases) ^[9].

Serum feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI or SPEC-FPL), a blood test that measures a pancreas-specific enzyme, is the most useful biomarker; a positive result supports pancreatitis but does not rule out other diseases ^{[6, 9]}. Abdominal ultrasound is the primary imaging tool and may reveal pancreatic enlargement, hypoechogenicity (darker-than-normal tissue on ultrasound), or hyperechoic mesentery (brighter-than-normal surrounding fat). However, approximately 50% of cats with acute pancreatitis have an entirely unremarkable ultrasound exam ^[9].

Abdominal radiographs (X-rays) are not sensitive for pancreatitis but remain useful to exclude other causes of vomiting, such as an intestinal obstruction ^[9]. Histopathologic examination of a pancreatic biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis but is rarely performed in acutely ill cats because anesthesia carries real risk; biopsy is usually reserved for uncertain cases or research settings ^{[8, 3]}.

Diagnostic Tool	What It Tells Vets	Key Limitation
fPLI / SPEC-FPL blood test	Pancreas-specific enzyme elevation	Cannot rule out other diseases; lower accuracy in mild cases
Abdominal ultrasound	Pancreatic enlargement, fat changes, fluid	Normal in up to 50% of confirmed cases
Blood work	Dehydration, inflammation, organ involvement	Changes are nonspecific
Pancreatic biopsy	Definitive tissue diagnosis	Rarely performed in acutely ill cats

What this means for your cat: Your vet may begin treatment based on suspicion alone rather than wait for a confirmed diagnosis, because early intervention improves survival ^[2]. Distinguishing a first acute episode from a flare of underlying chronic pancreatitis is often impossible without a biopsy ^{[3, 9]}.

Treatment for Acute Pancreatitis in Cats

Treatment is supportive rather than curative; the goal is to buy the pancreas time to heal while preventing complications. Because a specific inciting cause is rarely identified, management focuses on restoring perfusion (blood flow to tissues), controlling pain, managing nausea, and providing nutrition ^{[7, 3, 2]}. Intravenous fluid therapy with a balanced crystalloid (a salt-based replacement fluid such as lactated Ringer's solution) is the cornerstone of early therapy, correcting dehydration and supporting pancreatic blood flow; early aggressive hydration measurably improves outcomes ^{[9, 2]}.

Electrolyte disturbances are corrected as needed: potassium supplementation according to serum levels, and calcium gluconate if hypocalcemia (dangerously low blood calcium) is symptomatic ^[9]. Pain control is essential and is typically achieved with opioids such as buprenorphine or fentanyl; the antiemetic maropitant also provides visceral analgesia (pain relief for the internal organs) ^[9]. Antiemetics (maropitant, ondansetron) are given to control vomiting and nausea, which also encourages voluntary food intake ^{[2, 9]}.

Early enteral nutrition (feeding through the digestive tract) is prioritized because prolonged fasting can quickly lead to hepatic lipidosis in cats ^{[3, 2]}. Appetite stimulants such as mirtazapine (also an antidepressant that stimulates hunger) or capromorelin are often used in mild to moderate cases ^{[3, 2]}. Antibiotics are not recommended for uncomplicated acute pancreatitis; they are reserved for suspected infectious causes, systemic sepsis (life-threatening bloodstream infection), or concurrent bacterial disease ^{[9, 5]}.

There is insufficient evidence to recommend corticosteroids for the routine treatment of feline acute pancreatitis, and their use is generally discouraged because of potential adverse effects, including the risk of diabetes mellitus. Corticosteroids should be reserved for documented concurrent immune-mediated conditions (e.g., chronic inflammatory enteropathy, sterile cholangitis) rather than as a treatment for pancreatitis itself ^{[9, 3]}. Hospitalization for 2–4 days of IV fluids, analgesia, and antiemetics is standard for moderate to severe cases; mild edematous pancreatitis in a stable cat may be managed with outpatient subcutaneous fluids and oral medications ^{[1, 6]}. Surgery is rarely indicated and is usually reserved for complications such as infected necrotic tissue or extrahepatic bile duct obstruction, though even there clear benefit is unproven ^{[3, 2]}.

Adjunctive therapies such as trypsin inhibitors (drugs meant to block the very enzyme driving the disease), antacids, calcitonin, and selenium have not proven efficacious and are not recommended ^{[3, 2]}.

What this means for your cat: Hospitalization is the backbone of treatment, but the intensity depends entirely on severity. In the US and Canada, expect ICU-level hospitalization costs in the range of $1,500–$4,000 for several days, with total bills potentially higher if complications develop.

Feeding and Diet: What to Feed (and Avoid) During Recovery

Early nutrition is essential; fasting a cat with pancreatitis can be deadly. Unlike old recommendations for dogs and humans, fasting is not advised in cats with acute pancreatitis because it can rapidly trigger hepatic lipidosis, a serious fatty liver condition ^{[2, 8]}. Enteral nutrition (oral or via a feeding tube) is preferred over parenteral nutrition (intravenous feeding that bypasses the gut), and cats receiving only parenteral nutrition have been shown to have lower survival rates ^{[2, 3]}.

If a cat does not eat voluntarily within 48 hours or has a history of prolonged anorexia, an enteral feeding tube (a tube placed directly into the digestive tract), such as a nasoesophageal tube (threaded through the nose into the esophagus) or esophagostomy tube (placed through the skin into the esophagus), should be placed ^{[5, 3, 2]}. Highly digestible therapeutic gastrointestinal diets are recommended during recovery; these are often sold as prescription "GI" or "intestinal" diets ^{[3, 2]}.

Contrary to advice for dogs, routine low-fat diets are not necessary in cats. Feline patients naturally tolerate higher dietary fat, though extremely high-fat treats or table scraps should still be avoided ^{[8, 1, 4]}. Adequate protein intake is vital to meet the cat's high metabolic demands and support tissue repair; the diet must not restrict protein ^[2]. Appetite stimulants (mirtazapine, capromorelin) are often effective in restoring voluntary intake, especially in mild to moderate cases ^[3].

After vomiting is controlled, small, frequent meals of a bland, easily digestible diet should be reintroduced, with a gradual transition to the cat's long-term diet over one to four weeks. If concurrent conditions such as diabetes mellitus or chronic enteropathy (long-term intestinal inflammation) are present, dietary management must be tailored accordingly, and hydrolyzed (pre-digested) or novel protein diets may be considered when food sensitivities are suspected.

New and Emerging Treatments for Acute Pancreatitis

Most "new" treatments for feline acute pancreatitis are still experimental or extrapolated from human medicine. Feline-specific research on novel therapies is extremely limited, so most management protocols are extrapolated from human and canine medicine ^[10]. The use of corticosteroids for acute pancreatitis is being re-evaluated in other species, but currently no clinical trials exist in cats, so routine use is not supported ^{[9, 2]}.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, has been proposed to reduce inflammation and oxidative injury, but no studies have evaluated its safety or efficacy in cats; experts do not currently recommend it ^{[3, 2]}. Antioxidant supplementation with S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) and vitamin E has been recommended by some clinicians for cats with a history of pancreatitis, but evidence supporting its efficacy in acute disease is lacking.

Immunomodulatory therapies, such as anti-TNFα agents (drugs that block a key inflammation-signaling molecule called tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and stem cell treatments, are being explored in human acute pancreatitis but have not reached clinical investigation in cats. Probiotics (live beneficial bacteria given as supplements) and techniques to modulate the intestinal microbiome (the community of bacteria living in the gut) are under active investigation in human medicine but remain unvalidated for feline acute pancreatitis.

Capromorelin, a newer appetite stimulant, is now available and may facilitate earlier voluntary food intake; while not a new pancreatic treatment, it supports overall recovery ^[2]. Well-designed prospective clinical trials are urgently needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these and other interventions specifically in cats ^[10].

Complications and Long-Term Risks

Severe acute pancreatitis can damage the pancreas permanently and threaten the entire body. Acute pancreatitis can lead to severe systemic complications, including hypotensive shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC, a dangerous clotting disorder that uses up the body's clotting factors and then causes uncontrolled bleeding), and multiple organ failure, all of which dramatically increase mortality ^{[5, 3]}. Local pancreatic complications include pancreatic necrosis, peripancreatic fluid collections (pools of fluid near the pancreas), pseudocysts (fluid-filled sacs surrounded by scar tissue), and abscesses; infected necrosis is rare but may require surgery ^{[5, 4]}.

Respiratory complications such as pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, life-threatening lung inflammation that prevents oxygen transfer), and pulmonary thromboembolism (a blood clot blocking lung arteries) are frequently seen in severe cases and contribute to breathing difficulty ^[3]. Some cats progress from a single acute episode to chronic pancreatitis, experiencing recurrent low-grade inflammation that may be difficult to manage long-term ^{[8, 9]}.

Destruction of insulin-producing β-cells (the specialized cells in the pancreas that make insulin) can result in diabetes mellitus, necessitating lifelong insulin therapy ^{[6, 8]}. Loss of exocrine acinar cells (the enzyme-producing cells) leads to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a condition in which the pancreas can no longer make enough digestive enzymes; symptoms include weight loss, voluminous loose stools, and malnutrition, all treatable with enzyme supplements ^{[6, 8, 9]}.

Hepatic lipidosis often develops secondary to prolonged anorexia and represents a serious concurrent condition that worsens the prognosis ^[5]. Electrolyte abnormalities, particularly ionized hypocalcemia (blood calcium below 1.00 mmol/L on an ionized calcium test) and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), as well as azotemia (elevated kidney values in the blood), are recognized poor prognostic indicators ^{[5, 3]}.

Prognosis and Recovery: Will My Cat Survive?

Most cats with mild to moderate acute pancreatitis survive with appropriate care, and recent outcomes are far better than historical figures suggest. Prognosis is highly variable and depends primarily on severity at presentation. Mild to moderate acute pancreatitis generally carries a good prognosis with appropriate supportive care ^{[6, 3, 2]}.

Reported mortality rates for feline acute pancreatitis range from 9% to 41%, and recent case series from 2004–2011 document a mortality rate of approximately 16%, reflecting improvements arising from earlier diagnosis and better supportive care ^{[3, 2, 9]}. Cats with severe acute pancreatitis, especially the necrotizing/hemorrhagic form and those with complications like DIC or multi-organ failure, have a guarded to grave prognosis ^{[2, 1]}.

Key negative prognostic factors include hypocalcemia (ionized calcium below 1.00 mmol/L), azotemia, hypoglycemia, concurrent hepatic lipidosis, and the presence of shock ^{[5, 3]}. Early aggressive therapy, especially IV fluid resuscitation, is directly linked to improved survival; cats treated soon after clinical signs appear fare better ^[2].

Most cats that recover fully from a mild episode have no permanent consequences, but severe episodes can leave lasting pancreatic damage leading to chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, or EPI ^{[8, 6]}. Recovery times vary: mild cases often improve within a few days of short hospital care, while severe cases may require weeks of intensive hospitalization and nutritional rehabilitation ^[6].

Preventing Acute Pancreatitis in Cats

Because most cases are idiopathic, prevention focuses on general health rather than a specific vaccine or supplement. Because over 95% of cases are idiopathic, there is no guaranteed way to prevent acute pancreatitis, but certain measures may lower risk ^{[3, 2]}. Providing a balanced, high-quality diet appropriate to the cat's life stage is foundational; routine low-fat diets are unnecessary, but avoid feeding excessive fatty human foods ^{[8, 1]}.

Reducing environmental stress and using calming aids such as pheromone diffusers (plug-in devices that release synthetic calming cat pheromones) are often recommended as general supportive measures, although direct evidence linking them to pancreatitis prevention is lacking. Managing concurrent illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease, and cholangitis carefully may help, as these are frequently found together with pancreatitis ^{[1, 2]}.

A thorough drug history should be taken, and medications strongly associated with pancreatitis in other species should be avoided when safer alternatives exist ^[2]. Preventing trauma by keeping cats indoors or supervising outdoor access reduces the risk of high-rise falls and road accidents, both documented triggers ^{[9, 4]}. Periodic veterinary wellness visits can detect concurrent conditions that might predispose to pancreatitis, but no specific screening test exists to prevent the disease.

There is no evidence that routine supplementation with probiotics, antioxidants, or other nutraceuticals prevents the development of acute pancreatitis in cats.

Caring for a Cat Recovering from Acute Pancreatitis

At-home care is the bridge between hospital discharge and full recovery, and your daily observations matter. Follow all dietary recommendations closely; introduce the prescribed therapeutic diet gradually and avoid sudden changes ^[3]. Cats recovering from acute pancreatitis should be monitored daily for appetite, demeanor, hydration, and the occurrence of vomiting or diarrhea; any recurrence or worsening warrants prompt veterinary evaluation.

Administer all prescribed medications (pain relief, antiemetics) exactly as directed; never use human over-the-counter pain medications, as many are toxic to cats ^[8]. If a feeding tube is in place, follow the veterinary team's instructions for flushing, feeding, and caring for the tube site ^[9]. Offering small, frequent meals helps digestion and reduces nausea during recovery. Providing a calm, stress-free environment with a quiet resting space supports appetite and overall healing.

Attend all scheduled recheck appointments; follow-up blood work (such as fPLI) and possibly ultrasound may be used to gauge resolution, though fPLI sensitivity is lower in mild disease ^[2]. Be vigilant for late-emerging complications: signs of diabetes (increased drinking and urination) or EPI (weight loss, loose, greasy stools) can appear weeks to months after the acute episode ^{[8, 6]}. If chronic pancreatitis or other concurrent conditions develop, long-term management plans will be needed; partner with your veterinarian to adjust therapy over time ^[8].

Similar Conditions That Can Look Like Acute Pancreatitis

Many feline illnesses mimic pancreatitis, which is why a thorough diagnostic workup is essential. The vague signs of acute pancreatitis, vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, are shared by many feline illnesses, making diagnosis challenging without specific tests ^[8]. Gastrointestinal foreign bodies or obstructions can cause identical vomiting and abdominal pain; abdominal radiography or ultrasound is used to rule these out ^{[9, 8]}.

Hepatic lipidosis, often a complication of anorexia, can itself mimic pancreatitis with jaundice and lethargy; blood work and imaging help differentiate ^{[9, 5]}. Cholangitis and cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of bile ducts and surrounding liver tissue) frequently occur alongside or instead of pancreatitis, producing similar biochemical changes; liver enzyme patterns and bile acid testing may point to these ^{[3, 9]}. Acute flare-ups of chronic pancreatitis are clinically indistinguishable from a first episode of acute pancreatitis; differentiation often requires history or biopsy evidence of chronic changes ^{[3, 9]}.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA, a life-threatening diabetic emergency in which the blood becomes dangerously acidic), can present with vomiting, anorexia, and dehydration; concurrent hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and ketonuria (ketones spilling into the urine) easily distinguish it ^[9]. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently overlaps with pancreatitis in a phenomenon called "triaditis" (simultaneous inflammation of the pancreas, liver/bile ducts, and intestines) and can cause similar chronic gastrointestinal signs; intestinal wall thickening on ultrasound and response to diet therapy aid diagnosis ^[9].

Importantly, fPLI assays have reduced specificity in cats with non-pancreatic illness, and it remains unclear whether extra-pancreatic inflammatory diseases can elevate fPLI on their own. Therefore, diagnosis should always be based on a combination of clinical signs, fPLI results, imaging, and response to therapy ^{[5, 2]}. Veterinarians often begin treatment based on clinical suspicion while running diagnostics to rule out the most dangerous mimics, allowing early supportive care even before a definitive diagnosis is reached ^[8].

What We Still Don't Know: Gaps and Current Research

Feline acute pancreatitis remains a field where much of the practice is extrapolated from other species. There is an overall lack of robust clinical research specific to feline acute pancreatitis, with most knowledge extrapolated from dogs, rodents, and humans ^[10]. No standardized classification system for pancreatitis exists in cats, hampering consistent diagnosis and comparison of clinical studies ^{[2, 10]}.

The precise cascade of systemic inflammatory and compensatory anti-inflammatory responses during acute pancreatitis has not been characterized in cats ^[3]. Over 95% of cases are considered idiopathic, and specific factors such as genetic influences, the intestinal microbiome, and environmental triggers have not been identified ^{[3, 7]}. Optimal nutritional strategies, including ideal nutrient composition, have not been determined, though cats have high protein requirements and are susceptible to protein-energy malnutrition ^[3].

Controlled trials evaluating corticosteroids, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, antioxidants, and other proposed treatments are lacking, leaving veterinarians to rely on anecdotal or extrapolated experience ^{[9, 3, 2]}. Reliable early markers of severity beyond ionized calcium and azotemia are needed to guide treatment intensity ^[3]. Some cats that recover from an acute episode may later develop chronic pancreatitis or diabetes mellitus, but the incidence of these sequelae (long-term consequences of the disease) has not been well quantified in prospective studies ^[8].

Multicenter prospective studies are urgently required to establish evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis, standardize care, and improve outcomes for cats with this serious condition ^{[10, 3]}.

Connect with Other Cat Owners

If your cat has been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, you'll quickly find that this condition often overlaps with inflammatory bowel disease in cats, and the day-to-day questions about diet, medications, and flare-ups you'll be navigating are ones IBD owners are actively working through too. A group like this can be a great place to ask the practical, lived-experience questions a search engine just can't answer:

• IBD cats

These groups are run by fellow cat owners rather than veterinary professionals, so it's worth confirming any medical advice you pick up there with your own vet, and checking that a group is still active before you join.

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