You can learn a lot about cats’ well-being from their poop.
When examining your feline’s poop, consider the color, consistency, and contents to help learn more about your cat’s health status.
Normal cat poop is brown. Therefore, if you see a black poop in your cat’s litter box, there’s probably bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
The black color reveals that your cat has digested blood, especially if the poop is sticky and shiny. Internal bleeding isn’t something you should leave unchecked. So, visit your local vet immediately.
In today’s article, I will discuss black cat poop in detail. I will also touch on different poop colors and explain their meaning, so let’s dive right in.
Is Cat Poop Too Dark?
Healthy cats produce brown poops with firm but pliable consistency.
And depending on your cat’s diet, their poop can range from light to dark brown, but the color should remain the same daily.
Occasional changes in the poop’s color aren’t a cause for worry, but recurring poop of different colors and abnormal consistency raise a red flag.
If you believe the cat food is the reason for such changes, upgrade your cat’s diet to premium cat food and watch for improvement.
Schedule a vet appointment and ask for professional advice if nothing changes and your kitten is still producing abnormal poop.
What Causes Black Poop in Cats?
Black blood in a cat’s stool indicates that they have digested blood.
It happens when the animal has bleeding in the stomach or small intestines because of ulcers, food allergies, foreign bodies, parasites, and viruses.
In most cases, cats that produce black poop have melena, so let’s learn more about it.
What is Melena?
The term ‘melena’ describes black, tarry-looking feces in cats.
It’s often a result of bleeding in the GI tract’s upper portion. You can also see it in cats after ingesting a significant amount of blood from the oral cavity or respiratory tract.
However, melena isn’t a disease but a symptom of another underlying cause. (*)
The dark color of the blood is because of the oxidation of iron in the oxygen-carrying pigment of red blood cells as it goes through the smaller intestines and colon.
Moreover, melena is more common in dogs than cats.
Now, let’s learn about the other symptoms of melena and their relation to underlying conditions and bleeding areas.
Symptoms in pets with GI bleeding:
- Anemia
- Weakness
- Pale mucous membranes
- Weight loss
- Lack of appetite
- Vomiting containing blood
Symptoms in pets with bleeding in the respiratory tract:
- Weakness
- Anemia
- Sneezing
- Nose bleed
- Pale mucus membranes
- Coughing up blood
- Difficulty breathing
Symptoms in pets with abnormal blood clotting disorders:
- Anemia
- Weakness
- Blood in urine
- Bose bleed
- Blood in the eye
- Pale mucous membranes
Possible causes of melena in cats:
- Trauma
- Pneumonia
- Kidney failure
- Infections
- Ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract
- Foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Drug toxicity (anticoagulant drugs)
- Conditions including abnormal blood clotting
- Tumors of the stomach or esophagus
- Raw food diet
Diagnosis of Possible Cause for Black Cat Poop
Your vet can diagnose the exact reason for your feline’s black poop by conducting a complete physical examination.
However, you should provide your kitten’s medical history, share when you first saw the black poop and other symptoms, and possible incidents that might have caused this condition.
The more information you provide, the faster and easier your vet can determine the possible cause for your cat’s black poop.
If you don’t remember the first time you saw blood in your cat’s stool, don’t worry, as your vet will perform standard lab tests like CBC (complete blood count), urinalysis, and biochemistry profile.
The results of these regular lab tests will reveal the underlying conditions. Now, let’s learn more about possible tests that your vet might perform on your feline.
Blood Testing
Cat blood testing can reveal anemia with smaller and paler red blood cells.
In some cases with chronic blood loss, this condition is nonregenerative. Simply put, the bone marrow doesn’t meet the body’s increased need for red blood cells.
In severe cases, the condition is primarily regenerative as the bone marrow meets the body’s increased needs for red blood cells by providing new ones.
Other abnormalities can include a reduction of the blood cells responsible for blood clotting, an increase of neutrophils (a type of white blood cells), and a decline of both red and white blood cells.
The biochemistry profile can uncover changes associated with a diseased condition other than intestinal reasons of melena, such as those of the liver and kidney.
Lastly, the urinalysis can detect blood in the urine, a common occurrence in animals with blood clotting disorders.
Abdominal X-Rays
Your vet will likely take abdominal x-rays of your feline to detect any foreign bodies that your cat may have swallowed and abnormalities in shape and size of the kidney and liver.
They will also probably take chest x-rays to determine lesions of the esophagus and lungs (a somewhat common underlying condition for melena in pets)
Ultrasounds
Your vet can also perform ultrasounds for internal imaging and get detailed images of your feline’s abdominal cavity and GI tract.
These tests can uncover issues such as masses, pancreas inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and kidney disease.
Lastly, your vet might use a flexible tube or endoscope threaded down into the belly through the esophagus to detect masses and ulcers in the intestines, stomach, and esophagus.
This practice also aids in collecting biopsy samples for tissue analysis and removing foreign bodies, if any.
How to Treat Black Poop in Cats?
The goal of treatment is to cure underlying diseases like liver, kidney, and lung diseases or inflammatory bowel disease. Successful therapy should resolve the issue of melena.
Your vet can give your cat subcutaneous or intravenous fluid therapy to replace the lost fluids in the body. A whole blood transfusion can be necessary in severe anemia and excessive blood loss cases.
Also, pets experiencing vomiting will need meds to control the vomiting and enable them to hold their food long enough for it to digest.
Lastly, vets might perform surgery in cases of more severe tumor(s) or ulcers in the GI tract.
How Long Will the Recovery Take?
The type and duration of the treatment and recovery will significantly depend on the underlying cause of the melena.
For instance, your vet might perform daily blood testing for ongoing anemia, which can turn into weekly testing once your feline improves.
Hydrate your cat with ongoing vomiting to compensate for the fluid deficit. Also, you should personally observe your cat’s poop for any changes in color or the presence of blood during the treatment.
And if you notice anything out of the ordinary, including behavioral changes, inform your vet immediately. Most pets will recover once the vet provides proper diagnosis and medical treatment.
What Does Unhealthy Cat Poop Look Like?
A healthy cat’s stool resembles modeling clay. It’s not too hard nor too soft. It also has a Tootsie Roll-shape and brown color.
However, it’s not too dark. If you see black poop in your cat’s litter box, there’s likely internal bleeding, and your feline has digested blood.
A poop that’s too light can also indicate a more severe illness like liver disease.
Constipation
Small, hard poop balls aren’t ordinary and healthy as they can indicate constipation. And constipation can result from severe health issues like metabolic or neurological conditions or even colon obstruction.
Constipation can also indicate dehydration. Therefore, you should consult your vet if your feline releases small and hard poop balls.
Diarrhea
Look out for liquid or soft poop without any particular shape as this type of problem can result from many things.
Possible causes for diarrhea in kittens include bacterial infections, food intolerance, intestinal parasites, etc.
Remember that if you’re not paying enough attention, you can mistake liquid or soft stool for urine. So, make sure you take a good look at your feline’s litter box.
I suggest that you test the texture wearing protective gloves.
Important note: Not every abnormal cat poop is a cause for concern. For instance, a cat can have diarrhea for a few days after a sudden change in diet or stressful car trip, so keep that in mind. (*)
However, consult your vet immediately if diarrhea persists for more than two days or includes other symptoms like lethargy, lack of appetite, or vomiting.
How Many Times Should My Cat Poop Per Day?
Typically, most healthy felines will poop 1-2 times a day. If your cat defecates more often, consult your vet for advice.
What to Do if You’re Worried About Your Cat’s Poop?
Seeing a bloody poop in your cat’s litter box can cause stress and panic for you as a pet parent. As a cat owner myself, I completely get it.
However, instead of panicking, take immediate action because poop abnormalities aren’t something to ignore.
Moreover, don’t give your feline any home remedy before visiting the vet, as there’s probably a more serious underlying disease causing the bloody poop.
Also, ensure your cat has fresh water and food at all times.
If your feline has constipation, your vet will probably recommend feeding them liquid foods, upping their water intake, providing more fiber, and increasing their activity.
If your feline releases bloody poop, they’re probably experiencing a health issue like parasites, infections, or something else that will require extra medical care.
Overall, it’s paramount to take your cat to the local vet clinic right after you see abnormalities in their poop, as they will be able to perform tests and provide treatment if necessary.
How to Prepare Cat Stool Samples?
It would be best if you collected stool samples in plastic containers.
You can either pick up a container at the office before your appointment or purchase a plastic container online or at a pet supply store.
Remember that the lab will need a fresh sample of your cat’s stool. Therefore, collecting your cat’s poop the same day you visit the vet clinic is imperative.
Once you have the sample in the plastic container, write down the date and time of collection and refrigerate if possible.
How to Prevent Poop Abnormalities in Cats?
As a responsible cat owner, you can do some things to prevent poop abnormalities.
For instance, avoid feeding your feline dairy products as most cats can’t digest dairy properly. Furthermore, dairy causes diarrhea in felines.
Suppose you’re planning to change your cat’s diet. It would help if you made these changes over a few days, so your cat has enough time to adjust to the new diet.
Final Tips for Your Cat’s Health
It would be best to clean your feline’s litter box at least once daily. That way, you can notice any changes in their stool on time.
It’s also a good idea to educate yourself on the different colors and textures of a cat’s poop to know its regular appearance and texture.
Remember that your cat’s poop will likely look abnormal in some cases.
And abnormalities can indicate something as simple as constipation or diarrhea. Or more severe health issues such as liver disease.
Therefore, taking your feline to the vet is imperative when you see any changes in their poop.
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*image by FurryFritz/depositphotos
