Cats are among the most beloved animals on the planet. If you have a pet cat, then you already know just how great it is to own one.
Your cat likely means a lot to you. Many people find that cats make for the perfect companions.
Of course, it’s going to be up to you as a pet owner to take care of your feline friend. You need to make sure that your pet stays healthy and happy so that you can keep having fun with it for a long time.
When you see that certain things are off with your cat, it’s going to make you worry. For example, you might notice that your cat’s poop doesn’t look normal.
What does it mean when your cat is producing white stools? Keep reading to get more information so that you can figure out what to do to help your cat.
Normal Cat Poop Is Brown
Just to make sure that you know what you should expect, it’s important to note that normal cat poop is brown. If your cat is producing brown stool that is a bit long and round, then that’s perfectly normal.
Cat poop isn’t meant to be white or any other color. It’s typically going to be a brown color that is reminiscent of chocolate.
When there are issues with cat feces being colors other than brown, it’s going to be very concerning. This is likely an indication that your cat is experiencing health issues.
Depending on what you’re looking at, it could mean many things. As you continue to read, you’ll start to get a better idea of what is going on.
White Poop Concerns
If you’re seeing that your cat has white poop, then that is going to be quite concerning. Sometimes when people say this, they don’t mean that the entire stool is white.
What they really mean is that the cat poop contains white streaks or flecks. If you’re seeing bits of white in your cat’s poop, then it’s a sign that the cat has a tapeworm infection.
Tapeworm infections will present themselves in your cat’s droppings. This is not something that you want to ignore since this can be a very problematic issue.
As soon as you notice that something is off with your cat’s stool, it’s going to be best to contact your veterinarian. You should take your cat to see the veterinarian right away so that you can get things figured out.
This will ensure that your cat will be able to get the help that it needs. A veterinarian will determine the best way to treat your cat after diagnosing the issue.
Even if you’ve already seen the white spots in your cat’s poop, the veterinarian will still need to diagnose the tapeworm infection themselves. Your cat should be okay so long as you’re getting it to the vet as soon as you can.
White Clay-Like Stool
There will sometimes be issues with cats having white clay-like stool when they’re experiencing certain health issues. If your cat has stools that appear to be white and clay-like, then this is a very serious problem.
It could be an indication that your cat has a lack of bile. This isn’t normal, and it’s something that could be dangerous if you don’t get your cat to the vet.
In case you don’t know, bile is a type of digestive fluid that is produced in the liver. Normally, bile is stored in the gallbladder.
The stool having an appearance like this is a sign that something is amiss. It could be an indication that your cat is having liver issues or gallbladder problems.
Either option is something that you cannot ignore for the safety of your cat. You truly do need to tell your veterinarian what you’re seeing so that they can take action.
It’s generally always going to be best to contact a professional when something is off. You care about your cat, and it just makes sense that you’d want to get professional help when it’s having some type of health issue.
Pale stool is another thing that cat owners notice. This isn’t necessarily that similar to white stool, but it’s still something that you’ll want to know about.
It’s also an indication that something is wrong with bile production or bile drainage. Under normal circumstances, bile salts will be released into stools, and this gives them a brown color.
A Severe Lack of Beneficial Gut Bacteria
You should also know that kittens or cats that have white poop might have problems with gut bacteria. You’ve probably heard that there are different types of gut bacteria that can be good and will aid with digestion.
A lack of beneficial flora could be the cause of white droppings. This can actually be very bad for the cat, but it is something that can be solved.
You’ll certainly want to consult the veterinarian to see what to do moving forward. It’s possible that they might recommend giving the cat probiotics to help it build up the flora that it needs.
A veterinarian will be able to get you exactly what you need. This is why it’s imperative to have a skilled veterinarian to call whenever your cat is experiencing health issues.
Black Stool
Black stool is also not normal because it’s going to be far too dark. Normal cat droppings will be a much lighter brown, but sometimes you might notice your cat producing black stool.
If this occurs, then it’s likely that your cat has blood in its droppings. Why your cat would have blood in its stool is unclear, but there could be many potential causes.
Your cat could have some type of infection that it is dealing with. It could also be experiencing some other type of sickness.
It’s not going to be possible to say for sure without having the cat examined by a professional. It’ll be necessary to have tests performed to see what is going on.
Black stool might not always stand out as much as white stool. You’ll still want to remain vigilant since ignoring signs of blood in the stool would be bad.
Cats can experience many different types of sickness. If you catch things early enough, then a veterinarian might be able to help your cat feel healthy again.
Green Stool
There have been situations where cats or kittens have produced green stools. Green droppings will certainly be unusual, and it’ll be wise to get the cat treatment as soon as you can.
It’s likely that a cat that has green poop is experiencing some type of bacterial infection. Infections such as this can occur for many reasons, and it might not always be clear what caused the infection.
The important thing will be to get treatment for the cat so that you can solve the problem. A veterinarian should be able to diagnose the cat and provide it with necessary medications.
It’s good to catch odd-colored stools like this so that you can get the cat assistance. If you didn’t notice, then the infection issue could get worse.
Yellow Stool
Yellow stool is similar to green stool in certain ways. It’s certainly not normal, and it’s often considered to be a sign of bacterial imbalance.
There could be issues with bacterial overgrowth that will need to be addressed. This is especially true if you notice that the cat’s poop is particularly stinky.
Continue to be an observant cat owner so that you can catch things like this. Veterinarians can treat situations like this so long as they’re made aware of what is happening.
Orange Stool
Orange stool is a strange thing to see, but it’s going to happen sometimes when cats are having severe problems. When you see a cat producing orange stool, it’s going to be crucial to get it to the vet.
This is likely a sign that the cat is experiencing a liver issue or a gallbladder issue. You won’t be able to tell exactly what is going on until the vet runs tests and sees what’s happening.
Gray Stool
Gray stool might actually be a sign that you’re making some mistakes when feeding your cat. Feeding a cat too much is the most likely cause of gray stool.
You should be able to make things normal by reducing the amount of food that your cat gets. Try feeding it a little less and see if the cat starts producing normal brown stool again.
Otherwise, gray stool could be an indication of a lack of probiotics. If this is the case, then the veterinarian will be able to help you get what you need.
Sometimes gray stool shows that something is wrong with bile production, too. If your cat keeps producing gray poop, then you’ll want to get the vet to figure things out.
Final Thoughts
Learning about cat poop issues might not be a fun topic, but it’s important when you’re a pet owner. You want to be able to watch out for potential issues so that you can keep your cat safe.
White poop is not normal and it could indicate severe health complications. There could be issues with tapeworms, but it could also be something much worse.
Sometimes cats that have white poop are experiencing gallbladder or liver problems. It’s imperative to get the cat checked out by the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Remember that other stool issues can also be problematic. Watch out to see if your cat starts producing green, gray, yellow, or orange stools.
You’ll be able to take action to get your cat back to normal, in most cases. Keep looking out for your pet and you’ll be able to keep it safe for a long time to come.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.