Observing your cat’s feces can help you learn about its health.
First of all, you should know what a normal cat feces is supposed to look like.
It should be in the form of a sausage. It shouldn't be either too hard, or too soft. Cats usually should have stool at least once per day.
Another important information about your cat’s feces is its color. A healthy cat poop should be chocolate or deep brown.
Any other colors potentially indicate certain changes or even medical conditions in felines. One of the colors you could notice here is orange.
What does orange cat poop indicate? There are five common reasons for this unusual coloration in your cat's feces.
Let’s look at them and see what you should do upon noticing this phenomenon.
1. Food Your Cat Consumed
It's highly probable that your cat's orange poop is a result of the food or dietary additives it has recently consumed.
This means that your cat has probably had some orange-colored meal. This can be either natural or artificial color in your cat’s diet.
The same thing can be true, for instance, with the green cat poop. This most usually indicates that your cat ingested too much grass.
In this situation, your cat poop should soon be back to its normal color. Therefore, you shouldn’t be worried, just as long as your feline friend isn’t showing any signs of distress or pain.
2. Medications Side Effects
Certain medications can also cause a change in a cat’s stool.
Cat World explains how any kind of medication, such as antibiotics or synthetic drugs, but also vitamins, can cause a change in a cat’s poop.
In some cases, this change may involve a shift in the stool's texture, while in others, it can result in a different color, like orange.
This change shouldn’t be a lost-lasting one, either. Of course, you should monitor your pet and check whether it shows any additional symptoms.
3. Gallbladder Infection
Orange cat poop can, however, be a sign of health problems. One of them is gallbladder infection.
This type of infection can occur in any cat, regardless of its age and breed. Orange poop isn’t a common symptom of a gallbladder infection, but it can appear, accompanied by some other clinical signs.
According to Spruce Pets, some of the most obvious symptoms here are abdominal pain, jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, and vomiting.
Gallbladder infection in felines is most commonly caused by bacteria that move from the bloodstream or intestines into the gallbladder.
This condition usually occurs when there’s a primary bacterial infection in the cat’s gastrointestinal tract. It isn’t contagious, but it can be very severe for a cat’s health.
The veterinarian will need to perform blood work, radiographs, and an abdomen ultrasound to confirm the gallbladder infection in your cat.
The first step in the treatment is to correct dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in a cat. Then the veterinarian prescribes the appropriate antibiotics.
In severe cases, veterinarians suggest surgery which requires hospitalization and monitoring of the cat.
There isn’t a right way to prevent this type of infection in cats. The most important thing is to reach a vet as soon as you notice potentially dangerous symptoms.
4. Abdominal Trauma
Another potential cause of orange cat feces is abdominal trauma.
Cats that are allowed to go outdoors are at higher risk of suffering a road traffic accident. These types of accidents are a potential cause of abdominal trauma in cats.
Even if you don’t let your cat go outside, you could notice it running away from home. This most commonly occurs with male cats that leave their homes in search of females in heat.
Additionally, your cat could have experienced a fall from a significant height, leading to abdominal trauma.
In some cases, cat owners could not even notice their cats are hurting since they will look just fine. As Veterian Key suggests, the extent of abdominal trauma is often not known at the initial evaluation. So, extensive diagnostic tests are necessary to fully assess the cat’s health status.
Orange poop can be one of the indicators of this medical condition in your cat. It might show that there’s something wrong with its bile or liver.
In any case, you should take your cat to a vet clinic for a detailed observation.
5. Stomach Tumors
Finally, orange cat poop could be a sign of a feline stomach tumor.
These types of tumors aren’t common among cats, but the possibility, as low as it is, always exists. It’s useful to be informed about all medical conditions your furry friend could suffer from.
VCA Animal Hospitals describes the stomach tumor as an abnormal proliferation and replication of the cells that make up a cat’s stomach. These tumors can be benign or malignant.
Stomach tumors are more likely to develop in older cats, and male cats are at higher risk.
Some of the additional clinical signs are weight loss, lethargy, lack of appetite, and vomiting. A veterinarian will need to undertake bloodwork, endoscopy, and a biopsy to set up a diagnosis.
The choice of treatment depends on the type of tumor and its extent of spread and growth.
Cats can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or with surgical removal.
Final Words
Is orange cat poop a reason to be concerned?
In most cases, it isn’t. Orange poop usually isn’t a sign of a serious condition, which is the case with, for instance, with red cat poop.
Cats usually have this poop coloring due to some food they have eaten. Still, this can also be a medical side-effect, as well as a sign of gallbladder infection.
Moreover, orange cat poop can indicate abdomen trauma or a stomach tumor in felines.
Although these aren’t the most common scenarios, it’s good for all pet parents to be aware of all the potential health problems.
If you notice additional symptoms in your cat, such as weight loss, lethargy, or vomiting, you should take it to a vet right away.
A veterinarian clinic is where you can find the assistance you need in any situation.
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