Why Does My Cat Smell Like Poop? [ 7 Common Reasons ]

Cats are the cleanest domestic pets. They constantly clean their fluffy bodies using their tongue, paws, and even teeth. It, however, does not imply that they cannot get dirty. You might have recently realized that your cat happens to smell a lot like poop. This smell can be horrible, and you cannot ignore it.

Are you wondering why your cat smells like poop? What are its causes, and how can cat owners get rid of the stench? You will have answers to all these questions as you keep reading this article.

Why does my cat smell like poop?

Some reasons your cat smells like poop are dirty litter, diet change, dirty cat, and infected anal glands. There are chances that it is not your cat producing a nasty smell. A stressful environment is responsible for this. Let us go through the reasons in-depth:

A change in diet

Feline animals like indoor cats have nutritional needs that are different from humans. They need a lot of fats, oils, meat, Vitamin A, and taurine.

Taurine is the most significant part of their diet. Keep in mind that the stomachs of cats are sensitive. Apart from unpleasant smells, a sudden change in the diet of cats can lead to gasses, diarrhea, and flatulence.

To ensure the well-being of your feline friend, always feed her with good quality cat food. It goes without mentioning that you must not opt for cheaper food choices.

Drastic changes in the food types that you serve to your pets is a big no. If you want to change their food habits, bring them slowly. The high protein level in your cat’s food can also cause defecate stool causing a horrible smell.

Your furry ball is dirty

Although cats are the cleanest of all domestic pets, this does not mean that they do not get dirty. Even after constantly cleaning their bodies, sometimes poo, especially running stools, get stuck around their fur in the rear portion.

If you own a cat with long hair like Maine or the Persian, the probability of the fur attracting nasty particles is high. Check your cat fur around its bottom for any pee or poop stains if they smell like poop. Trim the hair to avoid such issues in the future.

If you allow your cat to roam outdoors, she will be less hygienic than an indoor cat. She might roll on something nasty outside or may catch a feral cat’s smell. Allowing your pet to roam out in the yards is good, as long as you use cat wipes, bathe her regularly, and treat her for parasites and fleas.

The litter box is dirty

The way you maintain your cat’s well-balanced diet similarly manages the litter box. What does cleaning the litter box mean? It means cleaning it up each time your kitty uses the box or fills it with poop. You might feel like doing it once a day, probably at the end of the day.

But, your house will start to stink like poop if you neglect it. A dirty litter box is super unhealthy for your feline friend, as well as for you.

Various litter granules are low-quality. So they do not absorb the excrement and the odor properly. Your cat will smell like poop if these granules get stuck in their paws or fur. If you do not like the cleaning process, you do not have to worry because of automatic self-cleaning litter. If you cannot buy one, purchase high-quality litter granules.

Infection in anal glands

Feline animals have sensitive anal glands and develop different issues there. Anal glands are present near the bottom underneath their skin. If cats develop an infection there, the glands may start leaking, or your cat may even get an abscess. Immediately take your cat to the vet in such a situation.

How do you know whether your cat is suffering from an anal gland infection or not? Some symptoms are scooting on the floor, biting or licking the rear end area, and having trouble doing her business.

Bacteria

Cats are carnivores that prey on other small animals as food. This natural drive of prey can mean your cat is eating up something unhealthy. It is more likely to happen if your cat spends most of her time outdoors.

They may feed on meat infected with E. coli bacteria or salmonella. It can result in digestive disorders, inflammation, diarrhea, and sudden stinking smells in feces.

Digestive Disorders

Digestive issues and related problems can significantly affect your cat’s gastrointestinal tract, similar to how it does in humans. Strong, very smelly pungent odors can be a result of this. Poor digestion and absorption of fats & starches are the underlying factors contributing to digestive tract infections.

Parasitic infection

Parasites can infect the cat’s stomach resulting in diarrhea and feces that smell too bad. Some parasites that can cause infections in animals are coccidian and Trichomonas. These parasites target cats very often and upset their stomach. To treat the conditions parasites cause in your cats, vets will keep the cat on antibiotics.

How do I stop my cat from smelling like poop?

Some ways to stop your cat from smelling like poop are changing the diet, disinfecting the litter box, grooming your cat, and vacuuming your house. The smell of a cat’s feces can be exceptionally awful and difficult to withstand. An infection, gastrointestinal tract, an inflammatory disease, and cancer can cause discomfort to your feline friend. Let us look at how to deal with this issue:

Change the diet of your cat

Identify the foods your cat is sensitive to, and then put them on a new diet and feeding routine. Ask your vet to make a diet chart according to the cat’s health.

Consulting a veterinarian will ensure that you have a proper diet and feeding routine for your cats. You can use digestive supplements to reduce the number of bacteria in the cat’s body.

Choose a brand with a minimum number of ingredients in the cat food. Check out online resources to find the best cat foods with foul-smelling stools.

Keep the litter box clean and disinfect it

Remove poop from litter boxes every day. Create a schedule so that you do not forget to do it. For eliminating bad odor and to kill germs, sprinkle baking soda on the litter box floor. Cleaning the cat’s litter regularly helps in keeping the box clean.

Scrub the box well at least two times a month. It is an inescapable part if the litter box is made up of plastic as it easily harbors bacteria and produces a foul smell. Many people buy a special litter box that changes its color according to the cat’s health.

Cleaning your house

You should clean rugs, carpets, draperies, chairs, and chairs as often as possible. Vacuum all the areas the cat uses frequently. It will help to eliminate dander and loose hair from your cat’s body so they will smell fresh and not pungent. You can also use furnace filters, air purifiers, beds, and blankets for cats to keep the bad odor out of your house.

Grooming your cat

Another way of removing foul smell from your cat’s body is to groom her. Wash her hair with good cat shampoo and comb to remove all the loose hair.

Wrapping it up

Remain calm when you find out that your cat smells like poop. The first and foremost thing to do is check if your cat has any medical conditions like leaking, anal gland infection, or digestive disorders.

If your kitty is healthy, the pop odor might be due to a dirty litter box or fur. Check that their food is in order, give her a nice bath, and thoroughly clean the area around her bottom.

Switch to the food you were feeding her before the cat started to stink. Seek professional help if your cat still smells like poop after cleaning the litter and the cat.