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Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart

Ameera Mills
By Ameera Mills, Writer and researcher. Updated: November 28, 2023
Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart
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Seeing abnormal cat poop is likely a sign of a health problem. While it is possible psychological issues can cause changes in your cat's stool, it is more likely to be a result of physical health issues which result in gastrointestinal problems. Changes in a cat's poop can be due to color, consistency, shape or even the presence of blood or other substances. You may see your cat's stool looks green or is much darker poop than normal. It may be more liquid or harder than usual. We can also see behavioral changes when our cat defecates which indicate your cat's poop isn't normal.

At AnimalWised, we help you determine is my cat's poop normal? We do so by providing an explanation of what normal cat stool should look like, as well as an abnormal cat poop chart with photos to help you determine if your cat has a problem.

You may also be interested in: My Dog's Poop Starts Solid Then Goes Soft
Contents
  1. What does normal cat poop look like?
  2. Diarrhea or loose stools in cats
  3. Color of cat poop
  4. Substances in the cat poop
  5. Is my kitten's poop normal?

What does normal cat poop look like?

Before we understand what abnormal cat poop looks like, we should provide a reference for normal cat poop. Generally speaking, cat feces must be consistent and compact, of a uniform color that can oscillate between several shades of brown, depending on the food they consume. When it comes to analyzing your cat’s poop and what it is trying to tell you, the first thing you should take a look at is whether there is a change in cat poop consistency or cat poop color.

If your cat's poop has a sticky peanut butter consistency, it is likely too soft. It needs to hold its shape, although being too hard is also a problem. We can tell the difference between healthy stools and diarrhea in cats as the latter will be practically liquid. Diarrhea in cats is a symptom of various health problems with varying degrees of severity. Below you can see a picture of healthy cat poop.

If your cat’s poop presents inconsistencies that don't stop after 24 hours, a veterinarian will need to establish both the diagnosis and treatment. This can often result in a change of diet, deworming and general administration of antiparasitic treatment or antibiotics.

For more, we recommend reading up on our home remedies for deworming my cat.

Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart - What does normal cat poop look like?

Diarrhea or loose stools in cats

Among the types of cat poop we have loose stools. These poop types could result from different problems, ranging from gastrointestinal conditions, feline parasites, dietary problems and even stress.

If one day your cat’s stool is softer than normal, there’s nothing to worry about. If, however, your cat has diarrhea for longer than one day, you will need to determine the cause. If it gets to the stage your cat's diarrhea is completely liquid, it means the problem is acute.

Does your cat have diarrhea and is vomiting at the same time? Generally, soft stools that indicate a digestive disorder will be accompanied by other digestive symptoms such as:

  • Vomiting
  • Poor coat quality
  • Dehydration
  • Anorexia
  • Apathy

Learn more in our article on why cats have diarrhea and vomiting.

Liquid poop, diarrhea in cats or soft stools may also be caused by intestinal parasites in cats. This is more common in younger cats. Various intestinal parasites in cats can infest a kitten as their immune system is still developing. These parasites can also be passed on by an infested mother via breastfeeding or spread through a litter.

Sudden changes in feeding or inadequate diet can also disrupt a cat’s digestive function. In addition, soft stool in cats may indicate other pathologies such as liver problems in cats.

Either which way, a veterinarian will be the one who will perform an examination, run any appropriate tests, diagnose the issues and administer the appropriate treatment. Below you can see a picture of unhealthy diarrhea in cats.

Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart - Diarrhea or loose stools in cats
Image: barkibu.com

Color of cat poop

As we have already mentioned, normal cat poop should be brown in color. You may notice your cat excretes green cat poop or even yellow cat poop. Different color cat poop will indicate different things. We provide an abnormal cat poop chart which shows the following:

  • Dark cat poop: very dark brown or even blackish cat poop suggest the presence of digested blood. Since it is unlikely your cat will have eaten blood, it suggests a hemorrhage somewhere in the digestive system. These hemorrhages can occur as a result of gastrointestinal ulcers or lesions derived from a parasite infestation. If you notice that there is fresh blood in cat stool, these may have originated in the digestive system or in the anal area often due to injury. For more, we recommend reading our article where we cover everything you need to know about blood in cat feces.
  • White cat poop: although rare in cats, a high consumption of bones can cause the feces to be expelled appearing both white and hard.
  • Green cat poop: this coloration can be seen when the transit of food through the intestine occurs faster than normal. This is often caused by an alteration in the cat’s digestive system.

  • Yellow cat poop: this can also intimate the cat's digestion is too fast. However, green or yellow poop can also be due to parasites, infections or other diseases which can result in changes to a cat's stool.

When a cat has darker poop than normal, it can be a sign of digested blood, but this is not always the case. It is possible your cat has eaten something else which has colored their poop differently. As long as these are not foods forbidden for cats, your feline should be fine. However, we do need to ensure we provide a balanced and nutritious diet.

In addition to offering your cat a proper high quality diet, abnormal stools require veterinary consultation. But what happens if your cat cannot poop? If this is the case, take a look at the causes and treatment of a cat not peeing or pooping.

Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart - Color of cat poop

Substances in the cat poop

Finally, within the different types of cat feces and what they mean, sometimes you may notice plant remains or other elements within your cat poop. This observation means that these elements were not able to be digested by the cat’s organism. In addition, it is common that we can observe feces such as the following:

  • Cat stool with mucus: these stools also usually accompany a softer consistency than usual. This mucus can also often appear with blood. This is usually caused by the presence of infections or parasites in the digestive system.
  • Kitten stool with worms: although this can happen with adult cats, cat poop with worms in ore common in kittens. This occurs when a kitten suffers from a parasite infestation. These parasites can be seen once the fees are expelled, similarly shaped to spaghetti or grains of rice, depending on the species. Do you need to deworm your kitten? Take a look at our article where we tell you everything you need to know about caring for a kitten.

Both of these above mentioned stool types, like all those previously mentioned, require veterinary consultation.

Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart - Substances in the cat poop

Is my kitten's poop normal?

While the abnormal cat poop chart we have provided explains inconsistencies in adult cat feces, it is important to know kitten poop can be different. This will vary according to different factors and it is common for kitten poop to change. However, symptoms of gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or blood in the cat's feces should never be ignored. The relative vulnerability of kittens means extra care needs to be taken.

While the previous types of abnormal cat poop still apply to kittens, it will help to know what normal kitten poop should look like:

  • Color: although adult cat poop should be brown, it is normal for young kittens to have stools which are a little lighter in color, sometimes tan or a little yellow. This is especially the case when they haven't been weaned and are still mainly drinking milk.

  • Consistency: also when the kitten is drinking milk, it is normal for the kitten to have softer stool. This can continue once they are weaned, but it should never be runny or have a diarrhea consistency.

  • Smell: although it should not have an especially foul odor, it is possible kitten poop is a little more pungent than their adult relatives.

  • Health: although kitten poop can be a little different than that of adult cats, it should still be healthy. There should not be the presence of blood, mucus, foam, parasite eggs or anything else which can indicate a health problem.

Finally, it is important to know that a kitten's first poop is very different than those that come after. The first stool of a kitten is called meconium. It is very dark and can even be a little green in color. It is also sticky and glossy looking, with an otherwise liquid consistency. This is because it comes from the nutrition the cat receives in utero. It may last for one or two more bowel movements, but it should turn to normal kitten poop soon after.

Learn more about the early development of cats with our article on weaning kittens.

This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.

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51 comments
Rating:
Jo
I have a 16-year-old cat with no parasites and was checked over by a veterinarian but could not find anything wrong with him. However, he has diarrhea. You can tell he has urgency and his back will hump up before he can get to the box.
Rating:
Mahnoor
Why is she doing poop like this? Is there any problem??
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Patricia Nadine
My cat is licking his butt a lot. Can you tell my anything about his poop?
Rating:
Dianne Clark
Feral kitten I started feeding , has constant formed stool . It breaks off when 1/2 -1 inch long & starts immediately to come out again. Brown in color.
Rating:
Nom
My ⁵ week kitten is pooping like this ..is it ok
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Nom,

It does look like this stool is softer than it should be. If it persists, it is best to speak to a veterinarian.
Rating:
Rabsab
I have a 5 week old kitten which poops like this or some times soft formed type poop..is it related to any health issues
Rating:
Rachael Jackson
My kitten is doing very runny yellow stinking poops.
Rating:
Anne-Marie LOSIER
My cat has Chronic Kidney Disease, end of Stade 2. I give him lactulose (2,5 mm a day in 3 times),mixed with his food along with Metamucil soft psyllium). He has 2 bowls of fresh water. I give him 60 ml of fluids almost everyday. He is in good shape but his feces do not fall IN the litter box, and the problem is much more accurate since 2 days. He poops in the letter but when he comes out, poop is hanging, all expelled but sticked there. Then he drags himself around the house. At one time I succeeded to solve the problem with a good combination but the problem came back 3 days ago. My doctor specialized in Internal medicine tells me : I don't know what to tell you! HELBecause I also have poop on my furniture....
Rating:
nat
so i just bathed my cat and he pooped on the floor instead of his litter box. he's never done this before, why did he do that? his poop looks like a tan/light brown colour, i didn't touch it but it definitely looked like it was soft. should i be concerned?
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Nat,

Have they only done it once?
Rating:
carly
i have cat poop on my boot what kind of cat poop is that it was outside i stepped on it it was mushy
Rating:
chaz
cat 6 months old fixed male , dewormed, all shots....has a puppy brother 6,5 months old both get along great. kitty eats costco hard kitty chow he used to eat the wet turkey/chicken but i stopped to see if kitty poop hardens..never has...i added a second litter box...kitty still wet poops about once sometimes twice under chairs near "2" litter boxes kitty plays, cuddles...eats, sleeps..drinks ...wth? please help.
Rating:
chaz
My cat is 6.4 months old and has had liquid poops for past two+ months...two litter boxes now...as he was pooping on floor by box (cleaned at least twice if not more a day) Food is Costco kitty dry...i was giving the costco kitty turkey/chicken (wet) once a day but stopped..yet kitty still once a day wet pooping outside two litter boxes... I do have a puppy as well 6 mos ...separate eating areas puppy not welcome in litter/feeding area of cat... but both play well otherwise...please help.. Is it the food?
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Chaz,

Diarrhea in cats is a symptom of so many possible disorders and diseases, it would not be possible to diagnose in a comment, nor would it be responsible to try. You will need to seek the advice of a veterinarian who will be able to check their medical history and perform the necessary diagnostic tests.
Rating:
Brett
My 6 month old kitten has been passing stools that are a two-color mix of brown and a pale/yellowish color. Normal consistency. The pale/yellow parts seem to be a different texture than the rest, to me somewhat resembling his wet food. What could be causing this, and when should he see a vet?
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Brett,

It could be the food or something equally benign, but we cannot diagnose the problem. Look for other symptoms and take them to a veterinarian if you are at all unsure.
carly
hi'
Brett you should take him to a vet 2021 April 4
Mahnoor
Yes same as mine
Rating:
Renee
My kitten has been pooping yellow paste like in the picture we took a sample in and no parasites.y vet isn't concerned please help he doesn't play but is fine other wise
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Renee,

We cannot diagnose veterinary medical problems. It sounds like the cat may have a digestive problem, but it is up to a veterinarian to find the correct diagnosis.
Rating:
Drew
5 year old cat suddenly has very thin BMs(poops) and is straining... Stark contrast to her normal healthy and numerous poops. No other change in diet or lifestyle. Can a cat going into "heat" cause inflamation or swelling in the bowels?
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Drew,

The heat cycle will cause inflammation of the vulva, but not the bowels. We recommend going to a veterinarian for diagnosis of the problem.
carly
heat will cause it its hot and it could make the poop gooey so don't keep it so hot
Rating:
Anne
My 5 week old kitten has pasty light brown poop. Is that normal. The last owner gives her dry food.
carly
don't give it dry dry food it will make the poop light brown dry
Rating:
Natalie Sopchak
My cat's poop has a slightly pink/salmon tint to it for the past week and I'm not sure if I should be concerned or if it's just something that will pass. She's 13 and this has never happened before, and she's acting completely normal otherwise.
Administrador AnimalWised
Hi Natalie,

We can't diagnose the problem as it is something only a qualified veterinarian can do. Have you been able to look at the possible reasons listed in the article? Has their diet changed at all or have they eaten something strange?
carly
she must have ate a pink feather it could be eating stuff pink
Rating:
anna
Quite good - my cat has yellowish stools like the pictures. And stomach aches in cats - could be bugs or worms.
carly
ok it might be yellow stuff shes eating
Rating:
Anna Fraser
My cats feces expels like a coil. It is a dark brown in colour and does not appear hard or really soft.
Administrador AnimalWised
This sounds like it is healthy stool, but we could not say for sure. You should take them to the veterinarian if you have any doubts.
Rating:
Stella
This article was really helpful. The pictures made it so c!eat and to the point. My cat has been pooping yellow watery stoo la for the past year. He first had a condition where he couldn't control it. We treated it but couldn't heal this condition.
Image: barkibu.com
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Is My Cat’s Poop Normal? - Abnormal Cat Poop Chart