We all know how exciting it is when there is a new arrival in the family!
Kittens are a fun and welcome addition that will bring many years of happiness to your life.
Caring for kittens when we first get them is one of the most rewarding and anxiety-inducing things, and part of that is their feeding schedule.
We know how much kittens can eat when they are so young, but they don’t often have the most regular bathroom habits at this age.
This often leads to a bit of concern for most new kitten parents: why is our kitten not pooping?
How Often Should My 6-Week-Old-Kitten Be Pooping?
The good news is that it is completely normal for there to be a little lag between feeding time and bathroom breaks.
The food that your cat is eating, the frequency of their feeds, and their approximate age will all determine how often they poop.
Having said that, you can expect your kitten to poop anywhere from once a day to 4 times, 5 times or even 6 times or more in a single day.
However, there are times when your kitten might not poop at all during the day. This is perfectly normal.
Just be mindful of when you noticed their last poop, and if you are not seeing anything after a full day then you might need to have your kitten checked out to make sure that everything is ok and that there are no obstructions.
Related – What to do if your cat hasn’t pooped for two days!
How Can I Get My 6-Week-Old Kitten to Poop?
When kittens are still with their mother, they are often encouraged to poop while she is cleaning them.
A mother’s tongue often helps to move the process of pooping along, which is a natural way of keeping things on schedule.
At 6 weeks old, kittens are still relying on their moms to stimulate them and get them to go to the bathroom, as it were.
You can simulate this behavior by using a wiping medium that is soft and similar to the mother cat’s tongue, but preferably nothing rough.
Think tissues, or scent-neutral baby wipes that are detergent and alcohol-free.
If you are wondering how long you have to stimulate a kitten to poop, then the answer is for the entire poop.
The stimulation to their bottom is the best way to get them going, and it helps to keep them pooping once they have started.
What Should 6-Week-Old Kitten Poop Look Like?
The short answer is that a 6-week-old kitten’s poop should appear to be firm, brown in color with a slight yellow hue.
If you are noticing watery stool (poop) and green or yellow poops then you need to keep an eye on them and make sure that they are drinking enough liquids during the day.
If this persists for more than a day then you should get them checked out and make sure that they don’t have anything wrong like a viral infection or a parasitic infestation such as worms.
If this is the case then your vet will be able to make the best treatment available for your kitten.
How Often Do Kittens Need to Poop?
Kittens are difficult to read sometimes, they are not very good at telling us what they want and usually just tear up the home.
However, when it comes to going to the bathroom, kittens are quite easy to read. They simply ‘go’ wherever they feel like in the beginning, but this soon changes.
I’m sure you’re aware that cats like to conceal their poop by burying it outside in the garden or in a litter box.
This behavior manifests at a very young age, so don’t be surprised if you start finding ‘gifts’ left around the house.
A litter box is essential for your kitten, even if they are not quite ready to use one just yet.
Having a litter box around shows your kitten how to use it when your bigger cats make use of it, teaching your kitten that if they need to do their business, then it can be done in there.
If you don’t have an adult cat in the home, you’re going to have to take up that role and place your kitten in the litter periodically.
Most cats do prefer to go outside eventually. So, if a litter box is unsightly for you, don’t worry, you may be able to ditch it later.
How Often Should 8-Week-Old Kittens Poop?
At 8 weeks old there is not too much difference when comparing the frequency of a kitten’s pooping frequency.
Something else to keep in mind as a general rule of thumb is that a kitten will generally eat and poop in equal measures.
The only time you really need to start worrying about your cat not pooping is if you have been feeding them as per usual, but you are not seeing a commensurate number of poops.
Much like the 6-week-old advice from earlier in this article, the only time that you should really be concerned is when your kitten has not pooped in over a day.
Even so, you just need to keep an eye on them and make sure that they are not acting differently, and that you are not seeing a loss of appetite or lethargy.
If that is the case, then you should keep an eye on them for a while before contacting your vet.
If you call ahead, they could suggest a few things for you to try before bringing the kitten in.
Related – A look at how long cats hold their poop and why cats play with their poop!
In Conclusion
It can be tricky trying to monitor all the many aspects of your kitten’s health and well-being, and an irregular pooping schedule certainly adds extra pressure to that situation.
Playing with your kitten and making sure that they are getting plenty of exercise between long, well-deserved sleep can also help keep their little digestive systems moving along.
All you need to do is be patient, and make sure that there are no other underlying causes that might be preventing your kitten from pooping as often as they should.
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Image credits – Photo by YoonJae Baik on Unsplash
