Wet food can make cat poop smell worse because:
Wet cat food has a high protein content which can make your cat’s poop smell horrible.
Some cats have sensitive digestive systems, and certain ingredients can cause stinky poop.
A diet with only one source of protein minimizes the smell. Both wet and dry cat foods are good sources of nutrition.
Cat poop just smells horrible. There is no way around it. Your cat has to do its business in the house, which means you will have to deal with the unpleasantries of the litterbox.
Regular scooping can help with odor control but, sometimes, you may notice the stench is getting unbearable.
When cat poop smells bad, we know it has to do with their diet.
So, today I will talk about an issue that many cat owners would like to know about.
In this article, you will learn if wet cat food makes poop smell worse. I will also talk about other causes of stinky poop and the best foods to give your cat to minimize the odor.
Remember, too, that smelly poop also comes from other reasons.
1. Too Much Protein Causes Smelly Poop
If you want to change the bad smell coming from your cat’s litter box, try changing their diet.
Some wet cat food brands can make your cat’s poop have a horrible smell because of the high protein content. Kitten food is high in protein to facilitate growth.
If your kitten has passed its first birthday, try switching to an adult maintenance diet to remedy the smelly situation.
But then again, it’s not about dry vs. wet food, but what’s in the food.
2. Wet Cat Food Is Better for Your Cat
Wet cat food provides more moisture, which makes bowel movements for your cat easier.
They also have fewer fillers and more digestible ingredients. What is causing the odor is the bacteria working to digest the parts your cat could not.
3. Some Ingredients Don’t Agree With Certain Cats
Since a cat’s diet can vary, it is not easy to pinpoint which ingredient is the culprit. Try narrowing down the cause by avoiding one specific ingredient for a week.
Cats can also eat prey they have hunted which results in stinky poop. It could be that they have eaten something that doesn’t agree with them.
Cat stools normally do not have a pleasant smell. But it smells worse when it has these three things in it:
- Bacteria
- Digestive by-products
- Sulfur
Time also plays a part. If the cat food takes a much longer time than usual to digest, it spends more time in the gastrointestinal tract.
This gives digestive gases some time to develop, making your cat’s poop even smellier. So, in summary, the best wet cat food should minimize the amount of work your cat’s body needs to process the food.
Always prioritize simplicity and efficiency when choosing the right diet for your cat.
4. Legumes Are Gas-Producing Foods
Cat foods that contain large amounts of vegetables or legumes might be the reason why your cat’s feces smell horrible. It also makes them fart too much.
These are gas-producing foods. Steer clear of these when feeding your cat.
Some felines have less gas on wet or dry food.
5. Wet Cat Food Does Not Cause Loose Stool
It’s important to closely monitor your cat’s stool because it gives you a lot of information about your cat’s health.
Some people assume that the extra moisture in wet cat food can give felines diarrhea. Others say the fillers in dry food have the same effect.
While the choice of cat food can potentially cause a tummy upset, it’s not down to the food being wet.
Granted, wet cat food has a high moisture content, but it does not directly cause soft stool. Two things cause soft stool to happen:
Sudden Change in Diet
If you have just introduced a new food brand, it takes a while for your cat’s digestive system to get used to the new food.
So, the poop consistency might change for a few days. It should normalize again after this. If not, make sure you consult your vet promptly.
Overeating
Overeating can also lead to soft stools. Cats have short digestive tracts. If they consume more than they can handle, the body will pass most of the food through the system without digesting it.
This dilutes the fiber in your furry friend’s digestive system, and fiber is what makes stool firm and structured.
If a large percentage of the food in your cat’s system is not digested, the fiber becomes diluted and can’t properly regulate the consistency of your cat’s waste.
Wet and Dry Cat Foods Are Both Good
A common question that cat owners often ask veterinarians is whether canned food is better than dry food.
Most commercial cat foods provide your feline with an excellent source of nutrition, whether it’s dry or wet cat food.
Feeding your cat depends on these three main factors:
- Your cat’s weight
- Any health conditions present
- Your budget
The high moisture content in canned food makes it ideal for cats with certain health conditions that require a high water intake, such as diabetes, kidney disease, or lower urinary tract disease.
If your cat is a picky eater, they might want to eat canned food because it is more palatable than dry food.
However, canned food is expensive and has a short shelf life. Once opened, it must be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within 24 hours.
You might want to feed your cat wet, dry, or a mixture of both; this is a decision that you and your vet can make together. If you want to mix the food types, talk to your vet to find the right balance.
Seeking professional help ensures your cat gets the most appropriate nutrition.
Your vet will also help determine what ingredient in the type of food you have chosen makes your cat’s poop smell bad.
International Cat Care recommends feeding cats a variety of wet and dry food. This ensures your cat enjoys both the benefits of food types, and they don’t get accustomed to only one type of food.
However, most veterinarians recommend a wet food diet if it’s within your budget.
Dry vs. Wet Cat Food
These are the main differences between dry and wet cat food:
1. Wet Food Provides Better Hydration
The main difference between canned and dry food is the moisture content. Canned food contains approximately 70% water.
Dry food consists of 10% water. The other 90% consists of dry matter such as carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins.
2. Dry Food Has a Longer Manufacturing Process
Canned foods are made with fresh or frozen meats combined with a protein source that comes from grains.
The meats are blended with fats, water, and vitamins, then put in a can and taken through a heating process.
Dry food is made by cooking a combination of meats, vitamins, minerals, and fats at high temperatures and pressure. This manufacturing process makes the starches more digestible.
Sometimes fat is sprayed on the food to ensure it is palatable.
3. Dry Food Contains More Carbs
Dry cat food contains more carbohydrates than canned food because many dry foods use grains such as cornmeal and rice to process the kibble.
Cats need food low in carbohydrates and high in animal fats and proteins. Some specialty brands of dry cat food contain an acceptable amount of carbohydrates with little or no vegetable products.
When shopping for cat food try to minimize ingredients stemming from corn, rice, beans, or potatoes.
The protein and fat content may vary depending on the diet.
Certain formulations of dry food contain probiotics.
What to Look For in Cat Food to Avoid Stinky Poop
All cats have the basic requirement for a balanced diet, but some felines digest food differently.
As an obligate carnivore, your cat has a biological need for protein in its diet. Their bodies are designed to digest and obtain nutrition from animal sources more than plant sources.
If you are feeding your cat a diet that doesn’t list protein as the first ingredient, it can cause smelly poop.
Even if the food is high-quality, your cat might be having trouble digesting it, resulting in smelly poop.
Here is what to look for when choosing a diet that will cause less stinky feces:
1. Food Free of Allergenic Ingredients
Allergenic cat foods can often result in flatulence which can be very uncomfortable in cats, just like in humans. This is normally the cause of reeking cat stool.
The most common food allergens in cats include seafood, beef, wheat, dairy, and soy.
Cats can develop allergies to any protein. If their diet is composed of these ingredients, they can produce foul-smelling stools. Steer clear of foods that contain the above common irritants.
Many cats experience unexplained food intolerances. If you suspect your cat has intolerances or allergies, it would be best to give them foods with a single protein source.
This helps minimize your cat’s exposure to ingredients that might trigger an allergic response.
2. Food Free of Lactose
Many adult cats are lactose intolerant. Giving your cat cow’s milk can lead to smelly poop and digestive distress.
To avoid health issues, don’t give your cat foods containing lactose.
High-Quality Food Lessens the Smell in Poop
One of the main reasons your cat’s poop smells so bad is if you give them low-quality food.
Cats need a well-balanced commercial diet to ensure they get the vitamins and minerals they need.
Some cats have a sensitive digestive system that needs high-quality food or one specially formulated to combat stinky poop.
Your vet can give you more specific recommendations. Reputable brands such as Science Diet and Royal Canin have been quality-controlled and specifically formulated to meet a cat’s nutritional requirement.
Avoid homemade diets because these can be deficient in vitamins and minerals.
You also need to consider your cat’s preference. Some cats can be picky, leaving you with no choice on what to feed them. They may prefer to eat only wet or only dry food.
Best Cat Foods for Smelly Poop
1. American Journey Duck Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
This food is 40% protein followed by whole fruits and vegetables for optimal nutrition. It is free from corn, soy, wheat, and preservatives.
2. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe
This is a high-protein food designed for your cat’s nutritional needs. The main ingredient is real chicken and other grain-free carbohydrate sources such as peas and sweet potatoes.
This formula also contains small morsels packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s available for kittens and mature cats.
3. Vital Essential Rabbit Mini Patties
This food relies heavily on animal ingredients and is a minimally processed food. As a raw food, it may help control your cat’s stool’s odor and volume.
It also contains herring oil for omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Open Farm Homestead Turkey Rustic Blend Wet Food
It is made from a single source of high-quality animal protein. There are no pre-fillers or vaguely named ingredients.
This wet food also contains the right amount of moisture your cat needs for hydration.
Reasons Why Cat Poop Smells So Bad
Foods rich in protein may make your cat’s stool stink. However, diet is not the only reason for smelly poop.
Here are some other causes:
1. Sudden Changes in Diet
An abrupt change in diet can cause stinky poop or even diarrhea. The new food can alter your cat’s intestinal environment, and it takes time for your cat to adjust.
Cats can develop insensitivity or intolerance to ingredients in the new food, such as grains.
Vets often recommend gradually changing your cat’s diet over ten days. You can reduce the amount of their old food and increase the amount of the new food each day.
This slow transition will allow your cat’s digestive system to adapt to the new diet.
Talk to your vet when you want to change your cat’s diet. You can discuss eliminating certain ingredients to see if these may be the triggers.
If the stinky poop continues two days after the diet change, let your vet know about it.
Otherwise, the problem will resolve itself if your cat’s digestive system is not sensitive to the new food’s ingredients.
2. Bacteria Contamination
Stinky poop can be because your cat has eaten something contaminated with bacteria.
As carnivorous creatures, they like to hunt and can eat a mouse contaminated with E.coli bacteria.
Your cat can also eat garbage, rotten meat, or something that exposes them to more bacteria.
3. Medications
Certain medications, including hormonal medication and pain relievers, can cause smelly poop.
Some mineral supplements can also make your cat’s poop smell horrible. You can request your vet to avoid prescribing your cat medications that cause stinky feces.
However, it may be unavoidable.
Don’t add a supplement to your cat’s diet without speaking to your vet first.
4. Anal Gland Infections
Once your cat’s anal glands become infected, they cannot drain properly. This often results in a foul-smelling discharge that lingers in their litterbox and wherever they sit.
If you notice a foul smell all over the house and not just the litterbox, talk to your vet. They can check your cat’s anal glands to see if there is an infection and offer medications to clear it up.
How to Remedy Your Cat’s Foul-Smelling Stool
1. Disinfect the Box and Keep It Clean
It’s important to scoop your cat’s litterbox daily. This is the only thing that will keep litterbox odor at bay.
Constant cleaning ensures the poop doesn’t sit in there for a long time and create a stench in your house.
If you use clumping litter, scoop the box at least twice a day. Sprinkle baking soda on the litterbox floor to eliminate bad odor and kill germs.
Also, wash the box and the scooper weekly after changing the litter. Use mild unscented detergent, and rinse well.
When dry, add about two to three inches of fresh litter. Cats don’t like too much litter, and this also allows you to add litter as you scoop.
2. Change the Diet
Once you determine which cat foods trigger stinky feces, put your furry friend on a new diet and feeding routine. Always remember to include your vet in the decision to change your cat’s diet.
Choose cat food brands that have fewer ingredients to produce their foods. By keeping things simple, you minimize the amount of work your cat’s body needs to process the food.
This makes digestion more efficient.
3. Choose the Right Type of Litter
Although most cats naturally like sand, it is not great at masking odor. Clumping litters allow for the easy removal of solids and liquids and keep litter boxes smelling fresh.
Some litters have additives or perfumes meant to cover the smell of poop. But to a cat, such strong scents can be overwhelming and make the box unwelcoming.
Most vets advise against using such products.
4. Replace the Litterboxes
Over time, the frequent clawing of your cat as it buries its waste can scratch the sides of the box.
These scratches are great places for bacteria to hide, and even poop can stick there, building up a smelly residue.
Make sure to replace the boxes at least once a year.
5. Feed Them Raw Food
Cats are natural hunters who evolved eating a raw, prey-based diet.
When you feed your cat an appropriate raw food diet, its body utilizes more of the food. This means there is less waste to eliminate and less poop to scoop.
The stools become much smaller, dry and crumbly with minimal smell.
However, be careful with raw foods. Sourcing it from the wrong place can make your cat sick if the food was contaminated with bacteria.
