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You re alone in the room when your cat came in, slowly striding to where you re-seated.
The room suddenly smelled like someone pooped and you know its not you.
The smell keeps getting stronger as your cat approaches until you can t bear it anymore.
The question is how did your cat smell like that?
You’ve just bathed them and yet they smell like they lived in a garbage dump for years.
Reasons why your can smells like poop
There s something wrong when your cat smells like poop.
Cats don t smell bad because they know how to groom themselves.
You don t even have to bathe them often because their tongue is already equipped with all they need to clean their fur.
Looking further into the issue, we found some of the causes your cat smells like poop.
Take a look at some of them and see if the same cases apply to your cats.
Filthy Litter Box
This is the first thing you should look into when your cat starts smelling like poop.
Clean the box once or thrice a week, depending on how often it’s used.
Make sure the litter box is dry before you refill it with fresh litter.
This may be troublesome, especially when you just got back from a tiring workday.
However, this is part of your responsibility as a pet owner.
Invest in a high-quality litter box.
Some litter boxes are absorbent to odors while some aren’t.
A quality pet litter should also be used.
Cheaper ones may not be good at absorbing the smell of your cat s excrement.
Also, check if your cat is tracking litter around the house.
Put a mat around the litter box where they can scratch their paws and shake off any litter sticking to their fur or feet.
If your budget allows it, invest in a self-cleaning litter box.
These can trap odors from poop and seal them away in a disposable plastic bag.
Forgetting to clean their litter box may cause health problems that can affect you and your cats.
Regular cleaning is a must for pet owners.
Aside from getting rid of the smell, you take away the source of germs and bacteria that can affect your cat s health.
Stomach problems
When they’ve just had diarrhea, chances are they ll smell like poop.
There may be some poop that got stuck on the hair near their rear and they won’t be able to remove this by themselves.
It s common to find this area stained after they ve gone through some stomach problems.
Make sure you help clean your cats during this stage to remove the smell and prevent possible infection.
Change in diet
Their smell may have something to do with the food they eat.
Some may not be good for their bodies and this can manifest in the smell of their fur.
If you recently changed their food, it’s possible the sudden shift in the diet caused their bodies to react differently.
Try switching back to their old meals and see if the bad odor continues to persist.
If you need to change their diet, do it gradually to give their bodies time to adjust to the new food.
Whether its dry or wet food, always feed your cats with high-quality pet food.
These are specially formulated to be properly digested by your cats so rest assured they won’t make your cats smell.
Grooming problems
Outdoor cats are typically dirtier compared to those who stay at home most of the time.
It s just logical because they get exposed to more dirt and other elements outside the house.
For outgoing cats, you have to wipe them clean at least once a week.
Check also if they have fleas or ticks as they re more likely to catch them while interacting with other felines.
Give them a light sniff to know if there s some weird smell emanating from their bodies.
If you notice something is off, get them to the veterinary for better assessment.
Infection of anal glands
Your cat s anal glands are located near their rear, just underneath the layer of skin protruding from their anus.
Your cat will surely smell if this area is infected.
Observe your cats after they use the litter box.
If they re scratching their behind across the floor or they suddenly don t want to use the box, its possible that they re experiencing problems with their anal glands.
Bring them to your vet to get them checked for signs of infection or other health problems.
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why your cat may smell like poop.
Most of them are related to grooming and sanitation but don t remove the possibility of health problems and infection.
Make sure their litter box is regularly cleaned.
Bath your cats if necessary.
Have them checked regularly to make sure they re healthy.
These simple steps can already solve the smelly problem.
You don t have to panic when your cats start smelling like poop.
This issue can be resolved if you determine the cause of the problem.
If immediate remedies don t work, take them to the vet to determine if there are deeper sources for this issue.
