What’s your cat’s poo trying to tell you? Before you chuck out your cat’s poo, take the time to check its colour, contents and coating to help determine your cat’s health status.
If you’re curious about the state of your cat’s internal health, examining their poo is one of the simplest ways to assess their well-being and if they’re being fed the right diet for them. Even though the thought might make you squeamish, a quick glance to check for abnormalities in the shade of the poo and for any unexpected materials in it when you’re scooping will help you stay up to date with any changes going on inside your cat.
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Cat poo colour chart
While a regular poo is brown, other colours of poo can be a cause for concern and necessitate a checkup at the vet. Use our cat poo colour chart to learn how the shade of your cat’s poo reflects what’s happening inside their body.
Brown cat poo
When your cat is healthy, they will produce brown-coloured poos that are a firm but pliable consistency, like playdough. Depending on what you feed your cat, these poos can range from light to dark brown, though the colour should stay the same each day. While some one-off changes in colour are acceptable, recurring poos that are an abnormal colour raise a red flag. If your cat is not regularly producing firm brown poos, use our Cat Food Finder tool to understand the best diet that suits their age, breed and lifestyle. Gradually changing their diet to super premium cat food will improve your cat’s health and the poo they produce.
Black cat poo
Black cat poo is indicative of bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, for example anywhere from the mouth, stomach or small intestines. The black colour means that the blood has been digested, especially if the poo is shiny and sticky like road tar. Internal bleeding is a serious health concern and you should immediately take your cat to your local Greencross Vets if they ever produce a black poo.
Red streaks in cat poo
If you only see red streaks of blood in your cat’s poo once then don’t be too alarmed, red blood in the poo may not be as serious as black cat poos. These red streaks typically signal that your cat is bleeding in their large intestine or somewhere else low in their gastrointestinal tract. However if the streaks are ongoing or if they’re accompanied by changes in your cat’s behaviour, it’s best to see your Greencross Vet to diagnose the problem.
Yellow cat poo
Pale yellow cat poos may be related to problems with the gallbladder or liver which are involved in the creation and storing of the bile salts that give poos their healthy brown colour. Your cat may also produce a yellow poo if food passes through their intestines too fast. See your Greencross Vet if the issues persist.
White spots in cat poo
Small white spots found in a fresh cat poo generally mean that your cat has contracted intestinal worms. Long and skinny roundworms, or rice-shaped tapeworm segments are the most common parasites you may discover in your cat’s poo as they are big enough to be seen with the naked human eye. Take a sample of your cat’s poo to your local Greencross Vets clinic to diagnose which worms your cat has contracted.
Taking less than a minute each day to give your cat’s poo colour a once-over helps you to detect any health issues early. To ensure that your cat is in the best condition and producing perfect poos, use our Cat Food Finder tool or chat with your local Petbarn team member to discover the right food for them based on their life stage, breed and additional needs.
