You shouldn’t throw away your cat’s stool. Cat poop chart can reveal a great deal about their health and even say illnesses such as their vomit colors. Healthy cat stools are smooth and sausage-shaped.
Your cat is doing well, so keep up the good work. If your cat’s stool seems to be runny, the poop size is unusual or hard, or the cat’s stool colors are odd, take them to the vet.
You can see many health issues, like diarrhea, constipation, parasites, and more in a cat’s poop. When is cat poop an issue? How can you help? Always check the cat poop color guide as well.
Cat poop color meaning
This cat poop color guide covers normal cat poop of different cat breeds. It also shows what to do if you’re worried about your cat’s poop. And, questions that arise after cat stool color changes, and more. Understand why our cat poop chart could help you track your cat’s health by reading the section below.
| Poop color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dark brown | Normal, no need to worry |
| Yellow / Orange | For biliary or liver problems, a vet is to be consulted |
| Green | Gallbladder issues, are to be discussed with the vet |
| White spots | Indicates intestinal parasites |
| Grey & greasy | Pancreas or biliary issues to be checked |
| Black & tarry | Sign of bleeding in the upper GI tract |
| Red streaks | Due to cuts on the cat’s anus, resulting in blood |
Also read: A Guide to read Cat Tail
Healthy poop colors
How should you inspect the cat’s litter box? Examine a few basic characteristics from the cat poop chart. Brown, firm cat poop is healthy. Most brown cat poop is normal, but sudden color or texture changes should be tracked and reported to the vet. Abnormal cat poop may be hard and pebble-like or soft and runny and hard to scoop.
- Dark brown – vets consider this color safe and you don’t have to consult them. Yet, you should check the appearance thoroughly.
- Dark brown – as it appears to be like a smooth and sausage-like stool, then it is fine.
- Dark brown – if it appears mushy stool with some shape then you may consider this to be discussed with the vet.
- Dark brown – if it appears to be a watery stool then it is definitely indicating diarrhea. You must approach the vet.
Brown or dark brown, sausage-shaped cat poop is normal. It should be firm but not hard. Modeling clay-like. It should be segmented and leave a little residue when picked up. Poop should not contain blood or mucus.
Normal poop shows good health and proper feeding for age, breed, and activity level. And, this is an important thing to look for in a cat.
Normal stool is light to dark brown in color
Dr. Wakim-Fleming
“Healthy stool is dark brown in color, but not too dark, as blackish poop can mean blood in the stool. Poop that is too light also may indicate a more serious issue like liver disease as it can be an indication that there is complete obstruction of the bile duct,” says PetWave.
Unhealthy poop colors
Unhealthy cat poop may be hard and pebble-like or soft and runny and hard to scoop. Any color apart from brown is concerning, especially if it’s not diet-related.
Reporting changes in your cat’s diet and environment to your vet can help determine the cause of an abnormal poop color or consistency and the best treatment.
- Yellow or Green Cat Poop: Cats that pass stool too quickly may have digestive issues. Intestinal parasites, bacteria, liver, or gallbladder problems may cause this. Discuss diagnosis and treatment with your vet.
- Red cat poop may indicate lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding. Constipation, colitis, infection, or parasites can cause this. Vet to figure out the exact cause and symptom.
- Black cat poop may indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Blood digested by cats leaves a black, tarry stool.
- Intestinal parasites may cause white spots or specks in your cat’s poop. Most owners find rice-shaped tapeworm segments, but long, skinny roundworms are also common and visible. Your vet must diagnose intestinal parasites to prescribe deworming.
Stool consistency can reveal your cat’s digestive health. Watery, runny cat poop has no shape. Diet change, stress, intestinal parasites, viruses, and bacteria cause most cases.
Cats with mushy poop often have stomach issues. This can be caused by diet changes or other factors. Constipation is often caused by dehydration or a lack of fiber in the diet.
No stool! Point to be noted
Vets diagnose constipation when a cat defecate or passes hard and pebble-like stool. Many conditions, such as stress, allergies, dehydration, or swollen bowel, can be the reason of constipation.
If you notice your cat defecating hardly, consult with your veterinarian to find a remedy. Your vet will suggest your cat a diet that contains a good amount of fiber to help ease their constipation.
If your cat is unable to pass stool at all, this indicates that they are experiencing severe constipation. You should take it to the vet immediately.
Many different things in cats can cause constipation. This includes hairballs, the ingestion of foreign materials like bones. Moreover, pelvic injuries, obesity, and diabetes. Get in touch with your veterinarian as soon as possible if you notice that your cat is unable to defecate at all.
Also read: Cat Ideal Weight by Age and Height
What one can do?
The treatment that your cat needs will, in the end, be determined by the reason behind their odd bowel movements.
When treating inflammation in a cat, a veterinarian could recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications like metronidazole or prednisolone, for instance.
However, if your veterinarian suspects that an allergy, intolerance, or inflammatory bowel disease is the root cause of your cat’s odd bowel movements, they may suggest that you feed your cat a particular diet.
Medications for deworming or probiotics may also be prescribed, however, this will depend on the underlying cause.
Because of this, if you are concerned about the feline’s feces, you should take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian will be able to conduct tests and provide a formal diagnosis regarding what is causing problems with the animal’s bowel movements.
They will also be able to provide the appropriate treatment in order for your cat to make a full recovery in the shortest amount of time feasible.
You can also do a variety of things to protect your cat’s feces from becoming unhealthy and to avoid the poop anomalies mentioned above. Do not give your cats any dairy products because the majority of cats are unable to properly digest dairy and eating it makes them more likely to get diarrhea.
If you are thinking of switching the food that you feed your cat, you should spread the transition out over a few days rather than doing it all at once. This allows them time to acclimatize to the new meal and reduces the likelihood that they will have an upset stomach as a result of the transition.
Final Words
Most healthy cats poop twice a day. Their poop should match their food intake. Call the vet if your cat doesn’t poop at least once a day, produces little stool, strains to poop, or can’t poop at all.
Cleaning your cat’s litter box daily requires intention. Your cat’s poop can reveal their health and indicate a problem with the help of a cat poop chart.
Healthy cat poop is brown, well-formed, and proportionate to your cat’s diet. One-time abnormalities should be monitored. Visit the vet if the problem persists or is accompanied by illness.
