50 Shades of Brown

A comprehensive guide to cat poop.

PERFECT & PROBLEM POOP

Consistency: Soft and mushy could indicate bacterial infection, intestinal parasites or food intolerance.

Pebble-like shape usually indicates constipation/dehydration.

Healthy stool is log-shaped, moist, and holds shape when picked up.

Content: Mucus in your cat's poop? Could be an indication of an inflamed colon. Excessive grass? Could indicate that your cat's stressed or has gastric upset. If your cat has a dermatological problem and they are losing hair or licking a lot, expect to see increased hair in your cat's stool. Small white bits? Your cat may have worms—time to visit the veterinarian!

COLOUR & CONSISTENCY

Normal stool is any shade of brown with a firm consistency like play dough.

Yellowish-orange colour with pasty consistency might mean the development of liver disease or biliary issues.

Black, tarry stool usually indicates bleeding somewhere in the stomach or small intestine and requires an immediate trip to the vet.

Grey and greasy could indicate inadequate digestion and pancreatic problems or biliary issues. White Spots that look like rice grains may be a sign of tapeworms.

Green stool could be excessive grass consumed, or gall bladder issue. Or it could be caused by undigested rat bait.

Streaks of red blood and/or mucus mixed with normal stool are typically caused by inflammation of the large intestine. It doesn’t necessarily warrant an emergency, but if it persists, see your vet.