Understanding Cat Feces : The Significance of Colour, Consistency, and Smell

1. Introduction

Did you know that cat poop says a lot about a cat? Poop is something we all have in common, and cats-since they emerged from the wild-have continued the same routine. Nevertheless, as the animal has evolved, the type, quality, and quantity of poop have all changed. The litter box is far from the core of a cat’s territory, it is usually located far from the sleeping, eating, playing areas. Hence, pooping is a ritual that makes every cat feel vulnerable. Cats are meticulous creatures, and there is no such thing as regular poop. The poop of each cat tells a unique story! Understanding the poop of a cat from three key aspects (its colour, consistency, and smell) reveals important stories about the cat. Eventually, it improves the overall health of the cat by discovering hidden medical issues (Kasbaoui et al., 2022).

Determining the colour of each cat’s poop is the first thing to do. Usually, a cat’s poop is brown, but sometimes it can vary in colour, like green or yellow; that differs with each particular cat. Thus, the first step is understanding the poop of one's own cat, which may be brown with various shades of lightness/darkness. The cat’s diet should be examined if it is in any of the following situations: the poop appeared to be pink, red, orange, or yellow. This suggests serious medical issues that should be brought up to the vet. The second step is determining the consistency of a cat’s poop. Usually, it would be classified as Hard, Soft, or Diarrhea, but the cat’s food should be examined if it is very hard or very soft. It is not necessarily of great concern if it is very soft. However, the diet should be changed gradually, as dry food is high in fibre compared to wet cat food. Finally, the smell of a cat’s poop should be determined (too much, just right, or no smell at all). If it is found to be too much, it could be examined further; the chances are high that the cat’s food is high in fillers, grain, or gluten.

2. Anatomy and Physiology of Cat Digestive System

The digestive system consists of several organs that work together to digest and absorb food. These organs can be divided into two groups: the alimentary canal and accessory organs. The alimentary canal includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, while the accessory organs include the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. This section focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the alimentary canal. The alimentary canal is a long muscular tube that extends from the mouth to the anus and is involved in the ingestion of food and the elimination of waste. It is approximately 5-6 metres long (Kasbaoui et al., 2022).

The esophagus connects the mouth to the stomach, allowing the passage of food from one organ to another. The stomach aids in food digestion through the secretion of digestive juices, while the small intestine allows the breakdown and absorption of nutrients into the blood. In cats, the small intestine is typically around 6.5 to 8 meters long. The large intestine absorbs water, converts undigested food into feces, and expels it. Understanding the parts and functions of the cat digestive system is important in order to understand the reasons behind the appearance of cat poop.

3. Factors Influencing Cat Poop Characteristics

Understanding why cat poop looks, smells, or has a color can help identify health problems early and take corrective measures or minimize damage if any. This can help eliminate complex or costly medications, vet visits, or surgeries. Thus, it is important to know the factors influencing cat poop characteristics.

Factors Influencing Cat Poop Characteristics: Diet: To produce properly formed cat poop, the right balance of fiber must be included in the diet. If the cat has too little bulk in the diet, the poop will be of a more compact consistency than the vet wants or it will not produce poop at all. This condition is known as constipation, typically caused by the fur that a cat swallows while grooming its own body. It is usually eliminated naturally from the intestines as long as the cat stays healthy. The excess fur sticks together and forms a ball, which the cat is supposed to vomit up. But in some cases, these hairballs cannot make it through the narrow intestine and they grow too large to get passed through. As a result, the bulk of either this mass or the cat food gets stuck in the intestines, causing constipation. As a remedy, a vet may prescribe a special type of cat food with an increased concentration of fiber. This food either contains a natural laxative that helps poop escape easily from the body or swollen husks which increase the volume of the food mass and activate the intestine, increasing the peristaltic motions.

A lack of food or water in the cat's diet can also be a reason for poop not to form properly. If the cat has enough, the poop will be of smaller and drier consistency. This can also be accompanied by difficulties in defecation, the cat can be grunting and pushing much longer than it is supposed to. All these conditions are symptoms of dehydration and are dangerous for the cat's health. Remedies include cleaning the litter tray more often, pouring more water into the food bowl, purchasing a fountain drinker. As an alternative, a sort of vases with a blooming pet plant can be placed on the kitchen window sill; cats are attracted to the smell of fresh grass or wheat.

In some cases, a very different consistency of cat poop may be noticed. Cats on a proper diet and being healthy will produce medium-sized poop tubes, well-formed with two distinct ends, and brown in color. The color of cat poop can also tell something about its diet. Different cat food may contain either the brown dye or some other natural ingredients composing the food that produce 'special' color. If there are no noticeable changes in the cat diet, the presence of a different color of cat poo may indicate problems in the cat's health. Green color usually indicates that the food goes through the intestines too fast, possibly because of diarrhea, and indicates a yeast infection or food poisoning. Red color means that there is either blood in cat feces or that the cat has eaten something strange. Black poop hints that the cat is either eating blood (a strange sign of an ill animal) or that there is either a bleeding ulcer or parasite in the intestines. Dirty yellow color of poop usually means that the cat's liver does not produce enough bile and is accompanied by a decrease in appetite and weight loss. Poop becomes pasty and grey, and presumably greasy. This indicates some problems with the pancreas, lack of digestive enzymes.

If the poop becomes loose, with unexpected, very pungent and different from usual yellow color, and the cat goes to the litter tray several times in an hour, this indicates the presence of diarrhea, perhaps due to kittens being fed with milk. This condition is often accompanied by respective cat behavior when the animal cries loudly, anxiously walks back and forth, and desperately tries to escape. If diarrhea continues for several hours, it is a reason to take the cat to a vet immediately. Diarrhea in cats may be acute (suddenly and immediately develops, and the reasons are usually infections or a change in diet) and chronic (persists for weeks or months and indicates diseases of some organs, parasites).

3.1. Diet

The composition of a cat’s diet plays a pivotal role in shaping the qualities of its poop, a fact that pet owners may not fully comprehend. Diets heavy in dry food can render feces especially hard and dry. A sudden transition from wet food to dry food can trigger constipation or difficulty in eliminating. Conversely, administering too many different varieties, flavors, or types of food can lead to runny poop due to diarrhea. It is imperative to maintain consistency within a diet, as cats may react adversely if there are excessive fluctuations in the food they consume.

It is essential to monitor how much food is provided and how often meals are distributed. Overfeeding generally leads to larger feces because the digestive system is unable to absorb all of the nutrients in the food. Many owners tend to fill the bowl with portions that are too significant for their cats to handle. Alternatively, chronic hunger due to restrictions can manifest in signs of distress, such as eating carpet or other household items. Feeding in moderation throughout the week is the best approach for the long-term health of the pet; the recommended quantity of food is typically indicated at the back of every food packaging. Always consider the pet’s weight, age, and activity level.

Strange-looking poop is usually an indication that the cat has eaten something it oughtn’t to have, such as plastic bags or poison. Cats are known for being curious, especially about what falls on the floor. Items that are often ingested by cats include string, pieces of toys, ribbons, hair ties, and cords. This is especially likely for kittens, but older cats may also have a habit of chewing on inedible things. In this case, poop may have a string hanging out of one end, forming a loop, or parts of other items can be observed in it. If untreated, blockages can lead to severe health issues, such as vomiting, impaired poop production, and even death.

Poop might also look strange if the cat has eaten something toxic. Some household plants are fatal to cats, and cats who have eaten them might experience strange behavior, shaking, debilitating vomiting, and difficulty in eliminating. In these situations, it is paramount to consult a veterinarian immediately.

3.2. Health Conditions

Any concerns regarding your cat’s health should be brought up with your veterinarian, particularly if they relate to the following concerns.

**Diarrhea**: If your cat’s feces suddenly become excessively soft and watery, this indicates diarrhea. If the consistency is similar to that of pudding, the color is irrelevant – it signifies a serious problem not yet treated or diagnosed. Diarrhea should resolve within 24 hours; if it persists beyond this, consult your veterinarian. Diarrhea caused by ingesting spoiled food may resolve quickly, but if spurred by bacterial or parasitic infection, allergies, or digestive tract obstruction, immediate treatment is critical.

**Diagnosis**: A veterinarian will need a fresh sample of your cat’s feces to check for parasites or bacteria and conduct a blood test to evaluate for systemic diseases. Based on this, your cat may need antibiotics or anti-parasitics, medication to stop diarrhea temporarily, or multiple tests to determine the underlying pathology before treatment commencement.

**Treatment**: Until diarrhea resolves, feed only plain boiled rice or boiled chicken (without skin and spices). Clean your cat’s bottom better than usual and keep them off the sofa and bed, as hazards of explosive feces cover human skin, which retains parasites.

**Constipation**: If your cat does not pass feces for more than 3 days, they may become ill, resuming appetite and drinking while showing weakness, reluctance to move, and pain when touched around the belly. Feline constipation typically affects older and/or overweight cats due to decreased activity, less consumption of dry food, renal disease, and medications like diuretics.

**Diagnosis**: A veterinarian will need to examine your cat’s tail and underside for local injuries or irregularities, inspect fecal matter to establish blockage location, and conduct blood and x-ray tests to rule out metabolic disease or feline obesity. Confirmation that the anal glands are not compromised is needed, as this can also lead to constipation or excessive licking. In some cases, a digital examination of the rectum is necessary.

**Treatment**: After a thorough examination and assessment of the condition’s severity, your veterinarian will decide whether laxatives or enemas will suffice or whether manual removal of fecal matter is necessary. If blockage is due to narrowing of the colon or rectum, surgery will be necessary. To avoid recurrence, medication, a diet change, and increased exercise will be required.

4. Interpreting Cat Poop: What Different Colours Mean

On observing a cat’s feces, note the color. It may give vital information about health. To understand fecal color, one has to learn how it is produced.

A hard, dark brown, tubular structure is produced by a healthy cat in an average-sized quantity. It is a product of the digestion of food. When the cat eats food, it gets digested in the stomach and passes into the upper small intestine. In the stomach, protein is attacked and converted into peptides by hydrochloric acid and pepsin. After pepsin action, peptones go to the upper small intestine where trypsin attacks those substances and converts them into amino acids which are absorbed in the blood. The ampulla of Vater is the place where all the pancreatic juices enter into the upper small intestine. All three forms of food, i.e. lipid, carbohydrate, and protein, are acted upon by pancreatic juice. The bile is also poured from the gall bladder to help in the digestion of lipid. Bile appears greenish yellow due to bile salts and greenish brown due to the pigment biliverdin; the latter is converted into yellow bilirubin in the large intestine. The remaining liquid after digestion is passed into the large intestine. The bile salt is removed by the cat and it appears as a brown or yellow color.

Cat food generally contains a large proportion of protein, a little carbohydrate, and some fatty acids. Carnivorous food is acted upon in the body much more than starches and sugars which are not acted upon. The excrement includes the remains of animal food which have not undergone protein catabolism. Hence feces have a larger proportion of nitrogen and sulfur content. As a result, the production of mercaptans by sulfur reducing bacteria takes place. Due to all these facts the color of feces becomes more brown, and dark brownish. The feces also have an intensely nauseous odor.

The color of a freshly passed excrement of a cat is usually dark brown or brown, although brownish-yellow, yellowish-brown, or even green feces may be observed in some cases, due to some particular food. Change of color without a change in consistency as well as food may not cause so much importance. A black color with a loose stool may reveal bleeding from the internal organ like a peptic ulcer or rupturing in the alimentary canal, as the action of pepsin and pancreatin on blood and protein may turn the color of blood into black. In the case of a greenish color, the cause may be the use of some medicinal bile salts or the influence of some particular food. A glistening chalky effluent in white color may indicate the absence of bile due to obstruction.

5. Assessing Cat Poop Consistency

Understanding cat poop consistency not only offers insights into its health, behavior, and well-being but also provides a glimpse into its overall digestive function. Fresh feces can be assessed for consistency, and litter box inspections should be done within 24 hours of pooping. Cat poop can be described as either normal, abnormal, too hard, too soft, runny, mushy, and more.

Consistency describes how firmly formed it is. Taking stool consistency into account is of equal importance as assessing color. Sapient color can vary a lot, but cat poop consistency can be described using common terms.

Cat poop that is perfectly formed has a consistency similar to that of a rolled-up, non-wrinkled piece of parchment paper rather than fluff/chunks. Here’s what to look for while assessing your cat’s stool consistency: It is not too soft, mushy, or runny. There are no loose lumps or gooey mush, and it has well-defined solid shapes. It is not too hard or firm. There are no dry pieces, hard pebbles, or pellets, and it is not too dark tan, brown, or black.

Tips for optimum consistency include keeping your cat well-hydrated and feeding moisture-rich food. Diet changes should preferably take place gradually over a period of one week to avoid severe digestive upset, including hydrate boosters such as bone broth, and preventing excessive hairballs by grooming your cat regularly.

6. The Role of Smell in Cat Poop Analysis

Analyzing the smell of cat poop can provide valuable information regarding a cat’s diet and overall health. Although the odor of feline feces can be unpleasant for many pet owners, it is important to recognize the significant role that smell plays in fecal examination. For cats, an animal that is naturally prone to cover its poop in order to prevent detection by potential threats, the scent of the poop is an important factor to consider. Like all other creatures, cats are creatures of habit. Consequently, they also develop preferences and aversions to specific smells, as well as behaviors. While it is normal for cats to stray from one litter pan to another when using the bathroom, any sudden changes in litter box habits should raise concern. Similarly, any shifts in the classic smell of cat poop may correspond with increased medical attention and thus should not be ignored.

The odor of cat poop is primarily determined by the excretion of different chemical compounds after the digestion of food. Compared to canine poop, the poop of felines tends to have a stronger odor. This is because cats rely heavily on protein to nourish their bodies, and the digestion of proteins generates large quantities of ammonia. Soaked in urine, the strong smell of the waste product ammonia can easily lend its attention to the surrounding environment. Additionally, because cats are obligate carnivores, their food is low in carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. Thus, one cannot expect cat poop to be odor-free. On the other hand, the feces of canine pets, having generally a more diverse diet consisting of veggies and fruits, smell somewhat less unpleasant than the feces of felines.

However, when any noticeable change occurs with the smell of cat poop, this may indicate a shift in feline health. Fecal matter with an unusually strong or pungent odor is symptomatic of malabsorption issues and is often accompanied by the presence of a large number of undigested food particles in the fecal matter. Some other possible internal causes of foul-smelling cat poop include intestinal parasites, pancreatitis, or inflammatory bowel disease. Smell is so vital in cat poop analysis that the first instinct of an owner is often to smell their cat’s poop before examining other aspects. In any case, if an abnormal smell comes packaged with other signs, such as a tummy ache or urine straying, this may be a signal that the health of a beloved feline needs immediate attention.

References:

Kasbaoui, N., Bienboire-Frosini, C., Monneret, P., Leclercq, J., Descout, E., Cozzi, A., & Pageat, P., 2022. Influencing Elimination Location in the Domestic Cat: A Semiochemical Approach. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov