How Often Does Your Cat Poop?

oxthecat

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I've poked around looking for general advice on this but thought I'd start a new thread.

I'm reading a bunch that cats poop once a day. Ox is going about every 4 days. He's eating well (*loves* eating), not throwing up, doesn't seem to struggle when he does, and poop looks normal.

Is it possible that this is his, erm, bathroom cadence?

He eats mostly wet food (Wellness pates) -- we're just reintroducing Wellness Indoor for free feed after his dental surgery (he was eating only Purina dry food when we got him from the shelter).

Anyone else have a cat that just doesn't go that often? I brought it up with our vet and she said he didn't feel constipated on either of his visits, and didn't seem too concerned?
 

sonya651

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I've poked around looking for general advice on this but thought I'd start a new thread.

I'm reading a bunch that cats poop once a day. Ox is going about every 4 days. He's eating well (*loves* eating), not throwing up, doesn't seem to struggle when he does, and poop looks normal.

Is it possible that this is his, erm, bathroom cadence?

He eats mostly wet food (Wellness pates) -- we're just reintroducing Wellness Indoor for free feed after his dental surgery (he was eating only Purina dry food when we got him from the shelter).

Anyone else have a cat that just doesn't go that often? I brought it up with our vet and she said he didn't feel constipated on either of his visits, and didn't seem too concerned?
My
I've poked around looking for general advice on this but thought I'd start a new thread.

I'm reading a bunch that cats poop once a day. Ox is going about every 4 days. He's eating well (*loves* eating), not throwing up, doesn't seem to struggle when he does, and poop looks normal.

Is it possible that this is his, erm, bathroom cadence?

He eats mostly wet food (Wellness pates) -- we're just reintroducing Wellness Indoor for free feed after his dental surgery (he was eating only Purina dry food when we got him from the shelter).

Anyone else have a cat that just doesn't go that often? I brought it up with our vet and she said he didn't feel constipated on either of his visits, and didn't seem too concerned?
My cat when on dry and wet would go twice a day but now that’s he mostly wet he go once a day or every other day cause more water in wet he also urinate more on wet.
 

neely

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I agree that as long as your cat is not straining, i.e. constipated, eating well and not vomiting then going once every four days may be what's normal for him.

Nine times out of ten our cat goes once a day but that is what's normal for him. I'm glad to hear you checked with your vet so they are aware of Ox's bathroom habits and are not overly concerned. :alright:
 

duckpond

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My guys eat both wet and dry foods. I dont feed any high fiber foods, which bulk up the stool. I feed mainly Tiki cat, and almo nature for wet foods, and Dr. Elseys dry food. They go poop once every day to day and a half.
I would just watch him close, and if it seems like he is straining, or uncomfortable when going, the poo is hard, or dry when you scoop then i would take him back in. As long as he is eating like normal, the vet has seen him, and he is not acting uncomfortable then i would not worry, well too much, i always worry. :rolleyes: I would keep him on as much wet food and entice him to the water bowl if possible.
 

maggiedemi

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How many ounces of food is he eating per day? I would be concerned at him only pooping once every 4 days. My cats poop every day, sometimes Maggie will skip a day if she doesn't get enough fiber because she has long hair. Maybe try a food with a little higher fiber or hairball treats/paste every other day.
 

Azazel

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Definitely does depend on what you feed. My raw only ones will go about every other day, maybe every third day sometimes. My wet/raw cat will go every day or every other day. I notice they go more often if I feed foods with more carbs in them. Back when I used to feed dry food they would go twice a day and it stunk like heck.

I think if it's been 4 days since a poop and you're not feeding all raw it would be good to consider whether there is an issue. Four days seems like a bit much, but it could be nothing.
 

Gizmobius

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My female cat is on an all wet diet and goes once a day. My boy is primarily raw fed with only about 1.5oz of wet as a snack and he goes once every two or three days.

When Stevie first came to me, she was eating all dry because that’s what her previous owner fed her and it was crappy Iams kitten with corn in it and that girl was going upwards of two to three times a day. I think any cat that is eating primarily dry will go at least once a day. Dry/wet combo kitties too should probably be going once every day or two. I’d be concerned if Stevie didn’t go for 4 days!
 

Yodasmom

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I know a lot about this because my cat has serious issues in this particular area. Your cat should be going at least once every 48 hours, according to my vet and everything I have read. Going less than that is concerning. If you can afford it, get a second opinion. Long term constipation issues can lead to mega colon.
 
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oxthecat

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Thanks everyone for your responses! I'm wondering if this may be a period of adjustment since, as I mentioned, Ox was eating only Purina dry food at the shelter and is primarily eating grain-free wet now.

He has a follow up for his dental surgery on the 19th, so if nothing's changed by then, I'll mention it to the vet again.

As for how much we're feeding, I'm actually a little nervous we're giving him too much (he's just so excited about food!) -- he gets 4.5 oz of wet food in the AM, 4.5 in the PM, and is just starting to graze on kibble during the day (we'll pull back a little on the wet once he's eating a bit more dry). He also get treats during the day (though not too much) after he gets his ear drops done.

He seems to be quite happy otherwise, but I suppose all I can do is wait and see!
 

tarasgirl06

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There have been a LOT of cats in my life and for the most part, once a day is "normal" for them or sometimes twice if they have eaten a lot that day. My cats are on high-quality wet three times a day, with high-quality dry fed free choice, and a few high-quality treats daily. Each cat eats 5.5 oz. per day of wet, plus whatever dry they want. With Ox, the dietary change may be what is changing his regularity.
 

1 bruce 1

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Ground and/or chunked PMR fed cats = usually once a per day.
Canned fed cat = whenever he wants. His IBD makes him go every 24 hours or every 72 hours...or more. Or less. WAY less.
I stress too much over cat poop.

PMR fed dogs = every 24 hours, and occasionally twice daily if we do a gorge meal (rarity, but sometimes we do followed by a fast which makes them poop not for anther 24-36 hours depending on what they eat/what they're fed, etc.)
BARF (biologically appropriate raw foods, aka PMR with added fiber/veggies for dogs with certain problems that benefit from these additions...usually twice daily, small amounts. One/two terds per poop vs. a huge volume.

This morning I must have woke up completely out of it as I thought I only had a pound of turkey for several pets and freaked out, so the cats got a bit of turkey with some canned food (stretched out for all!) and the dogs got other stuff I'd thawed for them (tripe chunks, turkey hearts..barely enough to go around. I'm a terrible owner!)
10 minutes after I fed this AM I realized I have 5 lbs of lamb lung that 99% of our cats LOVE that was 100% thawed in the bottom drawer of the main house fridge.

D'oh. They had a feast for dinner though!!!
 

Father of furbabies

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My kids go multiple times a day each. I would guess at least twice a day. They both are free fed dry food and have access to plenty of water. The dry food is for hairball control due to the big boy having such a thick long hair. I assumed that it would not hurt Noka even though she is shorthair.
 
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