Why do cats eat poop?
This cat blog will answer the major question, “Why do cats eat poop?” we will also discuss the major reasons for cats eating poop, how you can diagnose the cause of poop-eating behavior, and how you can treat this behavior in your cat.
Why do cats eat poop?
Following are the reasons why cats eat poop:
- Stress
- Pica
- Worms
- Hiding the accident
- Keep the den clean
- Undigested food material in the poop
These are the reasons for the poop-eating behavior of your cat and you need to rule out each and every cause to reach the exact cause.
What are the major reasons cats eat poop?
Following are the major reason for cats eating poop:
Stress
Any form of stress can trigger the poop-eating behavior of your cats. It could be because your cat hasn’t found a quiet place to poop. If your cat’s litter tray is in a place where there are more people than the cat can avoid then your cat will eat poop to hide it from other people.
The other form of stress could be changing the place of litter which can trigger your cat to poop in the same old place and then eats it to hide it from people.
Pica
Pica is a condition in which your cat will eat non-food items such as poop, mud, and paper. It is due to the nutritional deficiency of phosphorus in the body of your cat. If you are not giving enough phosphorus to your cat then it will lead to phosphorus deficiency in the long run.
Your cat will also bite inanimate objects to eat them. You need to distinguish it from the disease rabies which shows the same signs.
Worm infestation
The next reason could be worm infestation in your cat. Worms are present in the intestine of your cat and they will limit the nutrient absorption from the intestine into the bloodstream of the body. Following are the major clinical signs of worm infestation in your cat:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Worms in feces
- Blood diarrhea in extreme cases
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Rough coat
Worms are very deadly and can block the intestine which can lead to intestinal obstruction. The intestinal obstruction can be painful, and there is the only surgery that can save your cat.
Keep the den clean
The next reason could be because the cat wants to clean the den. If your cat has given birth to babies. Your cat will eat the poop of the babies to keep the den clean because your cat doesn’t want to spread the infection to the babies. The poop has several bacteria and worms that can affect the health of the puppies.
Undigested food material
If your cat saw undigested food material in the poop, it will try to eat it. It is not good for your cat to eat the undigested material as it can spread the infection to your cat.
Hiding the accident
Your cat might also want to hide the poop from you thinking it is not a good idea that you found out. It is a psychological condition in which the cat will try to hide the poop and the other mistakes it has made.
What are the bad effects of consuming poop for your cat?
Following are the bad effects of consuming poop for your cat:
- Stomach upset because your cat will not be able to digest the poop as it is not part of the daily diet of your cat.
- Infection because there are a number of pathogens present in the poop of your cat.
How can you diagnose this condition in your cat?
To diagnose this condition in cats you need to go to the vet. The vet will tell you about it. The vet will take a history from you and will examine your cat. After that, your vet will perform some tests such as a complete blood count, fecal test, and blood protozoan test.
The reports of these tests combined with history and the clinical examination will tell your vet what is the problem with your cat.
How can your vet treat your cat?
Your vet will treat your cat according to the condition of your cat. First of all, he will remove the major cause of this behavior in your cat. After that, the symptomatic and supportive treatment will be enough to give your cat a push.
Your vet will also advise you to give proper nutrition to your cat as it will help your cat to recover quickly.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answered the major question, “Why do cats eat poop?” we also discussed the major reasons for cats eating poop, how you can diagnose the cause of poop-eating behavior, and how you can treat this behavior in your cat.
