Your cat’s feces can be a useful tool for figuring out its health status.
While delving into this topic may not sound appealing, I'm certain that all of you prioritize your pet's well-being.
So, you should know that your cat, if it is healthy, should have a stool at least once a day. Its feces should be formed like a sausage and should have a deep brown or chocolate color.
Any change in this color, such as becoming red or yellow, can indicate a certain health problem. Besides color, consistency is also essential here. A cat’s poop shouldn’t be too hard or too soft.
Furthermore, you might also notice something else besides the poop in your cat’s waste – such as hair.
Why is there hair in cat poop? Is this something to be worried about?
Let’s take a look at the five common explanations for this occurrence in felines. Also, we’ll analyze steps you should take to help your furry friend.
1. Boredom
Hair in cat poop most usually appears due to overgrooming.
When a cat grooms its fur too much, it could swallow some of it together with saliva. This results in a hair buildup in its digestive system, leading this hair to finally show up in your cat’s feces.
There are a couple of reasons for overgrooming in felines, one of them being boredom. All cats should have a decent amount of both physical and mental stimulation throughout the day.
This is especially true with highly intelligent breeds that need to have some type of activity all day long.
If you leave your cat alone for too long, it could become bored. This issue can escalate, particularly if there are no toys or opportunities for play or hunting in your absence
Cats left without company and entertainment can become destructive. Some of them could scratch the walls, while others will begin to groom themselves way too much.
As PetMD explains, in a situation like this, grooming helps a cat make up for the lack of mental or physical stimulation.
How To Help?
The solution here is to prevent boredom in your feline friend. You should keep it entertained and stimulated all the time, as to decrease the chances of it grooming too much, and, eventually, ending up with hair in feces.
You need to provide your cat with interesting toys. These can be some hunting toys or puzzle games.
Also, it should have access to cat trees and scratching posts. All cats enjoy a nice spot to lounge and rest.
The time you spend with your pet is also essential here. Try to give it enough attention every day, no matter how busy your schedule can get.
If you need some inspiration, check out these fun things to do with your cat.
2. Stress/Anxiety
Another likely explanation for a cat’s overgrooming is stress/anxiety issues.
According to Judi Stella and her associates [1], some of the common triggers for stress in felines are the following:
• Loud or unfamiliar noises
• Sudden movements
• Approach of strangers (humans or animals) into their personal space
• New or unfamiliar places and objects
• Any kind of change in their routine
Any of these triggers can cause compulsive licking in your cat. By doing this, it’s trying to make itself feel better during a stressful situation.
Even though something doesn't seem harmful to you at all, your cat could have a totally different perception.
A slightest change, such as some guests in your home, or a change of its food bowl can cause anxiety in it.
How To Help?
You need to find out what exactly is causing your cat to feel stressed/anxious.
As soon as you notice hair in its poop, pay attention to its grooming behavior. Try to figure out at what moment it begins to groom excessively.
If possible, you should try to eliminate the stress trigger from your cat’s surroundings. Regardless of the cause of this emotional state, it's crucial never to punish or raise your voice at your pet.
Give it some time on its own and don’t push it to get out, in the case it’s hiding.
You might need to get in touch with your veterinarian, too. Some cats even get prescribed anti-anxiety medications.
3. Allergies Or Skin Infections
Seeing hair in your cat’s poop could indicate it’s suffering from allergies or a skin infection. Once again, this is linked to cats engaging in excessive licking and, unintentionally, ingesting their fur.
Both of these conditions can be extremely uncomfortable for felines. Therefore, overgrooming is your cat’s cry for help.
An allergic reaction or skin infection causes irritation and itchiness, so, you could also notice your cat scratching its fur all the time. This can lead to sores and hair loss in it.
Some of the common allergies in cats are to certain foods and environmental substances, such as to pollen or mold. Skin infections can be caused by parasites, bacteria, or fungi.
How To Help?
This cause requests a veterinarian's help.
As soon as you notice excess licking and scratching in your pet, you should take it to a vet clinic.
Allergies in felines are treated with oral antibiotics or corticosteroid therapy. Also, the vet will likely prescribe anti-inflammatory topicals and shampoo for your cat.
Depending on the underlying cause, skin infections can also be treated in various ways. Some of the most common ones are oral antibiotics, topical antibacterial products, and injectable antibiotics.
4. An Injury
An injury can cause hair to show up in your cat’s stool. Observing your cat excessively licking a certain area of its body most likely indicates some kind of injury in it.
Injuries cause pain and discomfort in cats, leading to overgrooming, eventually causing hair to get in their digestive tract. Finally, this hair gets expelled out of a cat’s body through feces.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals points out the following common causes of injuries in cats:
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Cat fight injuries
• Falls from balconies or open windows
• Collar injuries
• Tail pull injuries
• Torn or broken nails
How To Help?
Any kind of injury in your cat shouldn’t be left untreated.
However, attempting to examine or assist your feline friend on your own is not advisable, as it may resist due to the pain and discomfort.
Moreover, your cat could even become defensive and aggressive towards you in this situation.
The best thing to do here is to take it to a veterinarian. You should explain the symptoms you noticed and the part of your cat’s body you think could be hurt.
To prevent this type of injury, do your best to keep your cat’s surroundings as hazard-free as possible.
This means you shouldn’t let it roam freely, and always remember to close all windows and balconies.
Keep your cat indoors since this can increase its life quality, and its overall life expectancy.
5. Your Cat Was Grooming You Too Excessively
Finally, the hair your saw in your cat’s poop could actually be yours!
Cats groom each other to show their deep bond and love. They could do the same thing with their humans once they get very attached to them.
So, noticing your cat licking your hair or head excessively is most likely its way to show their affection.
But, this could end up with your cat swallowing some of your hair.
Also, some cats are fans of rubber bands and hair ties. They could lick these hair items, and end up having some of your hair in their digestive system.
How To Help?
It's adorable that your cat is trying to display its immense affection for you.
Still, you should prevent it from licking your hair. As soon as you notice it doing this, try redirecting its attention to some other thing. For instance, give it its favorite toy right away, as to occupy it with something more interesting.
Also, you should keep your hairbrush and ties in a place where your cat can’t reach it.
Furthermore, vacuum your home more often to make sure there aren’t any hairs on the floors – neither yours, nor your cat’s.
Final Words
Why is there hair in cat poop?
The most likely reason for this is overgrooming. Cats can start to excessively groom their fur due to a couple of reasons. Some of the most common ones are boredom, stress, pain, and health conditions like allergies or skin infections.
The hair you saw in your cat’s stool could also be yours. This happens because your cat grooms you, too, as it sees you as its favorite human.
Hopefully, you have found the reason for this occurrence on our list. I also hope these tips will be helpful for you to prevent seeing hair in your cat’s feces again.
Another topic you could find interesting to read is why a cat’s hairball looks like poop. Catch you there!
References:
[1] Stella J, Croney C, Buffington T. Effects of stressors on the behavior and physiology of domestic cats. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2013 Jan 31;143(2-4):157-163. DOI, Retrieved October 17, 2023.Read Next:
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