Small kittens are adorable. They will constantly follow you around, and best of all they love to snuggle. That being said, there is a chance your nostrils will pay the price if your kitten’s poop smells bad. Unlike dogs that poop outside, indoor kittens use the bathroom inside the litter box.
While most litters nowadays do a good job of concealing the smell, sometimes the aroma of your cat’s poop is just too strong. In today’s article, we are going to explain why kitten poop smells so bad, and offer ways in which you can solve the problem.
What to do if you kitten’s poop smells like death?
The easiest thing to do if your cat’s poop smells bad is to get clumping cat litter. This type of litter helps absorb the foul odor. My favorite clumping cat litter to reduce bad smell is Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Platinum Cat Litter. It is designed to absorb 10 times more odor than regular cat litters.
Another option is to switch your cat over to a food that is specifically designed for cats with a sensitive stomach. I suggest you check out Hill’s Digestive Care Cat Food.
Kitten poop smells like death
Kitten poop naturally smells bad, but sometimes it reaches a whole new level. The main reasons kitten poop smells like death is because of change in diet, protein, parasites, and constipation.
Change in diet
Change in diet is the number 1 cause of bad smelling poop in kittens. This can result from a switch from dry to wet food, increasing the amount of food, or even be caused by your cat eating something it’s not supposed to. Cats can be very sensitive to certain nutrients such as wheats, grains, fiber, etc.
These can cause adverse reactions in their digestive system which causes their poop to smell like death. Another possibility is that your cat is lactose intolerant, and unable to digest lactose or any other types of nutrients.
Protein
As carnivores, cats naturally have a lot of protein in their diet. While protein is a necessity for a kitten’s health and growth, it can be hard for them to digest. This can certainly result in your kitten having terrible smelling poop. A lot of times a kitten’s poop will smell bad if you increase the amount of protein in their diet in a short period of time.
Parasites
Another cause of poor smelling stool in kittens are parasites. They can cause a wide range of problems, including inflammation in the intestine or even on anal glands. This inflammation significantly alters your kitten’s digestive system and can cause their poop to smell awful.
If you suspect that your kitten has fleas, you should give your kitten a flea bath.
Constipation
Constipation can also be the reason your kitten’s poop smells so bad. When a kitten is constipated, their waste can stay trapped in their body for days. This can expose the waste to bacteria and also cause it to smell horrible. This is why it is very important to monitor how often your cat goes poop to ensure they are not constipated.
For more guidance, check out my guide on how to remove bad cat odor from a room.
How to help a cat with bad smelling poop
There are plenty of ways you can improve the smell of your cat’s poop. For starters, you should make sure you are scooping the litter box at least once or twice a day. If the poop sits around for longer than a day, it will certainly smell like death. Another option is to move your litter box to an area that is more concealed where the smell won’t spread as much. We recommend putting the litter box in a small closet or laundry room.
If your cat is very gassy, you should check out the best cat food for a gassy kitten.
If you are changing your cat’s diet, we recommend making the change gradually over time. Try only swapping around 25% of the food at a time. If your cat’s poop continues to poop, you should consider going back to your cat’s old food.
Another way to improve the smell of your cat’s poop is to ensure they are drinking enough water. Cat’s naturally don’t drink a lot of water since in the wild they get their water from the bodies of their prey. Make sure you offer them fresh clean water next to their food bowl. Water helps your cat digest things faster and helps flush out toxins.
