Your Guide to Cat Poop: When to Worry and When Not To

Have you ever noticed that almost every time you visit your doctor they ask you about your bowel movements? This is because bowel movements are a good indicator of health and can help to identify many problems. The same is true of cats. When you see your cat’s poop, you may realize that it is sometimes different colors or consistencies to your cat’s usual poop. While sometimes this is nothing to worry about, it can sometimes be an indication that something is not quite right with your cat. So, when should you worry about your cat’s poop?

Kitten’s Poop

Just like babies, kittens are little pooping machines. They tend to poop more frequently than adult cats. It is important to monitor the poop of a kitten because they are so small and any health problems they experience can become more severe because of their size and age. If your kitten does not poop for a day, don’t worry too much as minor constipation will not cause a problem. On the other hand, if it is two or more days since your kitten pooped, you need to schedule an appointment with the vet. The opposite problem of constipation is diarrhea and any kitten with diarrhea needs to see the vet. This is because they can easily become dehydrated.

Adult Cat’s Poop

Constipation and diarrhea are conditions that adult cats also suffer from. The most common cause of constipation is hairballs that a cat is having difficulty passing. If this is the case, giving a cat hairball ointment will help them to pass the hairball.

Diarrhea is typically caused by either a food allergy or an infection. However, it can be a sign of something more serious, such as inflammation of the colon or inflammatory bowel disease. Recurring episodes of diarrhea are a cause for concern and your cat will need to see a vet. They will conduct a number of tests and may use a cat poop color chart to check the color of the cat poop. The vet will identify the cause of the diarrhea before advising on the best course of treatment for the problem.

If the diagnosis is colitis, the vet will need to determine the cause of the colitis before they can begin treatment. Some of the potential causes of this condition include bacterial infection, parasitic infection, food allergies, overeating, changes in the diet, stress, Giardia, and eating something they shouldn’t. Each of these is treated in a different way. For example, infections will need medication, but some other causes simply require changes to the diet.

Senior Cat’s Poop

As cats get older, they become prone to a wider range of potentially serious health conditions. One symptom of many of these is diarrhea. Just like cats of other ages, a senior cat can experience a bout of constipation or diarrhea that is nothing to worry about, especially if it only lasts for a day. On the other hand, a prolonged period of diarrhea or recurring bouts of diarrhea are potentially an indicator of a more serious problem.

Diarrhea that lasts more than two days is an issue, even if the cause is not serious. Senior cats are more fragile than a healthy adult cat and the dehydration caused by suffering from diarrhea can seriously impact on their health. If the issue is not addressed quickly by taking them to vet, then a senior cat can deteriorate rapidly.

A vet will conduct tests to clarify the cause of the diarrhea so that they can then make a treatment plan. These may include a physical examination, taking a stool sample, and conducting blood tests. Regardless of the cause, the vet will most likely rehydrate your cat.

One of the serious problems in senior cats for which diarrhea is a common symptom is hyperthyroidism. Other symptoms of this condition include excessive thirst and urination, sudden weight loss, and increased appetite, and vomiting.

Overall, regardless of the age of your cat, they will suffer from both constipation and diarrhea at some point in their lives. In most cases, you do not need to be too concerned. However, if the symptoms last for two days or more, you should get your cat checked by the vet to identify the cause of the problem and have them treated if necessary.

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