Sometimes it seems that you need a gas mask to when you clean out your cats poop. Is this normal or can there be an unerlying cause?  The Pet Health Network.com has some answers.

What causes smelly stool in cats?
In kittens, foul fecal odors are often associated with the introduction of new foods or with inflammation from parasites. In most cases, any fecal abnormality in an adult cat—if not clearly attributable to a dietary problem—is likely to be directly associated with the gastrointestinal tract and will most often be the result of an inflammatory or infectious disease or even cancer². Your veterinarian will help you find the cause so appropriate treatment can be undertaken.

• Diet as a cause of smelly stool in cats: Since people often vary their cats’ diet, it is sometimes difficult to determine what food ingredient is the offending agent. Sometimes an elimination diet (avoiding one ingredient at a time for a week or so), may help you narrow down the cause. Some cats are hunters and their prey can also cause smelly stools. Imagine your cat eating bugs, rodents and small reptiles and the smell may not be such a mystery—yummy! Surprisingly, vitamin supplements can also produce smelly stools. There are very few reasons to use vitamin and mineral supplementation in cats and today’s cat foods are well balanced so pet parents are more likely to cause problems by supplementing cat food. [Editor’s Note: Never add any sort of vitamin supplement to your cat’s food without talking to your veterinarian.]  

• Bacteria as a cause of smelly stool in cats: Infectious enteritis may allow bacteria like E.coli or Samlonella to set up housekeeping. These organisms, as well as some viruses, can cause inflammation and result in diarrhea and gas that can be very foul smelling

• Parasites as a cause of smelly stool in cats: Some intestinal parasites of cats cause diarrhea and gas. In particular, Giardia can produce chronic, foul smelling feces with or without diarrhea. Coccidia and Trichomonas are also parasites that can cause intestinal inflammation, diarrhea and odor.

• Digestive disorders as a cause of smelly stool in cats: Conditions like mal-digestion and mal-absorption often result in rancid smelling stools. This can be associated with undigested and unabsorbed fats and starches.

Thanks to the Pet Health Network.com for providing this important information.

Remember, your pets count!

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