It’s normal to want to know, ‘how often should a cat poop?’
Maybe you’re new to owning a cat, or think they might be something abnormal about your cats pooping schedule.
Whatever it is, I can answer this question for you.
First of all, I will say that a normal healthy cat should be pooping at least once a day.
There are however some factors to consider if your cat is pooping more or less than this as I will explain:
Factors That Affect How Often a Cat Poops
Diet
Much like you and I, a cats diet will affect how often they poop, as well as the consistency and smell of their stool.
Generally speaking low-quality cat food and eating all kinds of scraps from human foods will cause cats to poop more often as it’s not as healthy as a quality cat food.
If your cat is currently experiencing some pooping issues and you think their diet is the cause start making some small changes in the right direction.
Start cutting out those treats and working on a more balanced diet. Keep a good routine and don’t give in to them when they are pestering you for treats!
Age
Kittens will poop more often than adult cats but in smaller amounts of course. This is because they are eating a lot, developing, burning lots of energy, and growing.
As long as you have them litter trained it shouldn’t be a concern. As much as 4-5 times is completely normal and nothing to be concerned about, just keep an eye out for signs of diarrhea as this requires action.
Likewise, when cats are getting old they can start to poop more as their digestive system is not stable as it once was. As long as they do not have diarrhea it shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about.
Activity
Active cats will poop more. They will typically do everything more, such as eating, drinking, and so on.
Unless you cat is very old and past their best when it comes to playing and chasing prey, you should be playing with them and giving them an outlet for all that explosive energy they have.
Health
One of the first signs that your cat is unwell will often be through their poop. As horrible as that sounds, it’s true. There is a lot their poop can tell you.
If you notice your cat is pooping more often, or they have diarrhea, smelly poop, etc, then you should have them checked out by a vet for any underlying health issues.
FAQ – Some Common Pooping Questions!
I’ve been asked a few questions about cats and popping (who would have thought it was a popular topic of interest!), hopefully you can find some answers here:
My Cat Poops 10 Times a Day (Should I Be Concerned)?
Yes! If you cat poops 10 times a day you should be very concerned. This is not normal at all. Is their poop runny? I’m sure it is if it’s this frequent, so they have diarrhea most likely.
Please take your kitty to the vet as soon as possible to have them checked out for medical issues. I’m sure cleaning up the litter box 10 times a day isn’t fun, right?
My Cat Hasn’t Pooped in 3 Days What Should I Do?
If your cat has not had a bowel movement for 3 days they are clearly constipated. You should always take them to a vet as a matter of caution as constipation can be very dangerous for cats.
You should also do your best to make sure they are not dehydrated and encourage them to drink as much as possible. As well as offering them their favorite wet food if they have only been eating dry food.
How Often Do Cats Poop on Dry Food?
Cats do poop less if they only eat dry food. As a rule of thumb, most cats will poop once a day on a dry food diet, maybe twice if they are very active and drink a lot of water.
How Often Do Cats Poop on Wet Food?
Wet food will cause your cat to poop more than if they only eat dry food but it’s not much of a difference for most cats.
Generally speaking, I would expect a cat to poop once more every 1-2 days with a wet food diet. I would recommend a balance of dry and wet food.
