Looking at your cat’s stool certainly doesn’t sound like the most amusing part of being a pet parent.
But, it’s important to know that you can learn a lot by looking at your cat’s poop color. If there’s nothing wrong with your cat’s digestive system, or with her health in general, her poop should be brown and well-formed.
The cat’s stool can vary in shades of brown, depending, for example, on what your kitten has eaten.
So, seeing a green cat poop means something is happening with your pet. This doesn’t mean you should panic immediately, but it's important that you’re well aware of what this could indicate.
Let’s take a look at the 4 causes of your cat poop becoming green, and what you should do to help.
1. Something Your Cat Has Eaten
This is perhaps the most basic answer, and many of you have probably thought of it yourself.
If your cat’s stool is green, this might happen because she has eaten food in this color. As the cat poop color chart suggests, if a cat’s poop has a green shade, she has probably consumed the grass.
Or, maybe, your cat has eaten some vegetables, in a larger amount than she normally does.
How To Help?
If the food is the only reason behind your cat’s green poop, there’s nothing to be worried about. Her stool should go back to its normal color really soon.
Still, you should keep an eye on what kind of food your cat’s eating.
For example, some vegetables like spinach can even be good for cats, since it’s high in fiber, has a lot of vitamins and minerals, and is low in calories.
However, cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they thrive on a meat-based diet, and they don’t actually need to eat fruits and vegetables.
Their gastrointestinal is vastly different from ours, therefore, many cats will have trouble digesting foods like vegetables. So, if you want to give your cat vegetables, don't do this often, and be careful not to exaggerate with the amount.
2. Parasite Infections
Green feces in cats could be a sign of gastrointestinal parasites – roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, etc.
Besides the green poop, you might also notice other symptoms in your cat, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and even a dull coat.
Parasite infections in felines are pretty common, but can also be prevented by regularly cleaning your cat’s litter box, removing her feces daily, and not letting several cats share litter boxes.
How To Help?
If you suspect your cat has a parasite infection, you need to take her to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
Cornell Feline Health Center explains how parasite infection treatment requires administering the medication prescribed by a veterinarian.
It’s essential you follow the vet’s instructions in administering the medication to your cat, and do this as many times as he directs you to do.
3. Bacterial Infections
Besides parasite infections, green feces in cats might also indicate bacterial infections.
The National Animal Supplement Council points out that some of the most common bacteria in felines are Salmonella, Clostridia, Streptococcus, and Bordetella.
Bacterial infections usually occur in cats when their immune systems are weakened and unable to defend themselves.
Sick cats might also display additional symptoms, such as fever, vomiting, and lethargy.
How To Help?
A bacterial infection in cats requires an immediate visit to a vet clinic.
Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotic drugs. Some cats might also be dehydrated, so they'll need additional support, such as fluids.
4. Gastrointestinal Disorders
Green poop in cats can also show that the feces has passed too quickly through the cat’s intestines, meaning that there is potentially some gastrointestinal disorder in her.
An occasional upset stomach or change in the cat’s poop color doesn't necessarily mean that she’s struggling with a specific gastrointestinal disorder.
But, if you notice your cat often has this kind of problem, or her poop has been green for a while now, you should take this seriously.
Additional clinical signs of feline gastrointestinal disorders are loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, and vomiting, according to the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
This health problem can be seen in all cats, but Soedarmanto Indarjulianto and his associates [1] point out how they are more frequent in male cats, since they’re usually more active, and have a wider home range than females.
How To Help?
The first step would be to have a veterinarian examine your cat and determine what gastrointestinal disorder she is struggling with.
This could be acute gastroenteritis, pancreatitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, etc.
Once the vet determines your cat’s condition, he will be able to give her an appropriate treatment.
Nutrition is also an essential factor here. With cats that suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, it’s necessary to feed them with an easily digestible diet, that should prevent irritation to their sensitive GI tract.
Of course, hydration is also of crucial importance here.
See Also: Pancreatitis In Cats: When To Euthanize?
Final Thoughts
I hope you now have a better perspective on the green cat poop.
This occurrence isn’t normal, especially if you have been seeing it for a while. A healthy cat will have a well-formed, brown poop.
In some cases, your cat’s feces can turn green due to grass or some veggies she has eaten. Your cat should have a normal-colored poop soon, and shouldn’t show any other symptoms.
However, a green stool can also indicate bacterial or parasitic infections, as well as gastrointestinal disorders in felines.
So, you should take this seriously, and consult the veterinarian on what your next step should be.
References:
[1] Indarjulianto, S. Study of Digestive Tract Diseases in Cats.7th International Conference on Biological Science (ICBS 2021), DOI, Retrieved July 07, 2023.
