My Cat’s Vomit Smells Like Poop (Intestinal Blockages In Cats)
If your cat vomits, the smell can be quite unpleasant. But what if your cat vomit smells like poop?
This is a sign of a condition known as copremesis, which is when your cat vomits fecal matter due to a blocked or obstructed bowel.
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Copremes is most common in kittens and young cats but can also occur in older animals as well. The condition occurs when the intestines become blocked by hairballs or other material that cannot pass through the digestive tract normally.
When this happens, the body responds by trying to force out the obstruction, which causes vomiting.
If your cat has copremes, you’ll notice that his vomit will be greenish yellow and may have a foul odor – similar to that of poop.
If you suspect that your kitten has copremes, take him to the vet right away because this can lead to serious complications if left untreated!
Read also: Do Cats Poop Where They Sleep?
Can A Cat Throw Up Poop?
Yes sometimes a cat can throw up poop (fecal vomiting.) This is a sign of gastrojejunocolic fistula and intestinal obstruction in the ileum.
It’s important to note that cats can vomit because of many different reasons, so it is important to figure out why your cat is throwing up.
1. Gastrojejunocolic Fistula
A gastrojejunocolic fistula is an abnormal connection between the stomach and the ileum or large intestine.
This condition can cause vomiting of food and liquid stool, but sometimes only one or the other will be vomited.
If your cat has had a large meal that has gone down into his stomach without enough liquid, he may vomit up some of it because there isn’t enough liquid in his stomach to digest it properly.
2. Intestinal Obstruction
This is a condition is when an obstruction occurs somewhere along the small intestines due to something like hair or other foreign objects that have become trapped inside them after passing through the stomach and into the small intestines.
If this happens, then food cannot pass through that section of intestine and since it has nowhere else to go, it will start coming back up again until everything gets unstuck from where it was stuck
When a portion of intestine becomes blocked by an obstruction, it cannot function normally. This causes pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
The obstruction may be partial or complete, depending on how much of the intestine is blocked.
A partial obstruction may cause pain but no vomiting or diarrhea at all; a complete obstruction will cause both pain and vomiting or diarrhea depending on which segment of intestine is obstructed.
Cat Hairball Smells Like Poop
The reason why hairball smells like poop is because They may contain small amounts of feces from the digestive tract along with the dead hair and dandruff flakes from the skin surface.
Hairballs are a normal part of the grooming process for cats and dogs, but they can be quite unpleasant when they end up on your carpet.
The smell of a hairball can sometimes be described as resembling the smell of poop, but what is it that gives this pungent odor?
As this fur builds up over time it eventually forms into a compacted mass known as a “hairball.” When these balls are expelled from the body.
Sometimes the smell of a hairball depends on how long it has been inside your cat’s stomach. If the hairball is fresh (less than two days old), it will have a strong ammonia smell.
As it ages, it becomes more like a fishy smell or something similar to feces because of bacteria growth within the hairball itself.
My Cats Vomit Smells Really Bad
A common condition that causes cat vomit to smell really bad is the Gastrojejunocolic Fistula
Another reason why Your cat vomit smells so bad is because of the stomach acids that are regurgitated.
Vomiting can also be caused by other medical conditions such as:
1) Parasite infestation (intestinal worms)
2) Gastrointestinal tract inflammation or infection (e.g., pancreatitis)
3) Food intolerance (e.g., lactose intolerance)
While the smell of vomit is pretty much universally awful, there are some things that can make it worse than others. For example:
If it’s thick and pasty instead of watery and thin. This usually means that there was food in the vomit or that something else was mixed up into it when your cat vomited.
If it smells sour or acidic rather than just foul. This can sometimes mean there’s been food mixed up with the vomit (like chunks of tuna or chicken bones), or that your cat has eaten something spoiled or fermented (like rotting fruit).
If there’s blood mixed in with the vomit, then it could be time to call your vet immediately because this might mean your cat has swallowed some sort of foreign object like a bone or piece of plastic which could cause serious internal damage if left untreated.
Vomiting is a common occurrence in cats. It can be caused by a variety of issues, including:
- Food allergy or intolerance
- Parasites
- Influenza virus
- Gastrointestinal obstruction or excess gas in the stomach and intestines
- Ingestion of toxins (such as cleaning products) or spoiled food
- Tumors in the stomach or intestines
- Kidney disease (which causes excess protein to build up in the blood)
If your cat has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, it’s important to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Also read: New Cat Hasn’t Used Litter Box Yet: When to Be Concerned!
Cat Vomit Smells Like Rotten Eggs
The first thing to do is rule out a serious problem like infectious gastroenteritis or poisoning. If your cat is vomiting and has diarrhea, take her to the veterinarian immediately.
If she’s just vomiting, it’s more likely that she ate something she shouldn’t have (grass clippings, hairballs) or had a bad reaction to something she ate.
The smell of cat vomit is often described as rotten eggs, but there are many things that might cause that smell.
Here are some potential causes for the rotten egg smell:
- Infectious gastroenteritis: This is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites. It can be fatal if left untreated, so if your cat has been sick for more than 24 hours with vomiting and diarrhea, take her to see her veterinarian right away.
- Blocked intestines: This is usually caused by a hairball or an object was swallowed by and object. Food could be digest but can over throw the intestines due to blockage. This can cause the digestive system to find another way out
- Poisoning or toxicity: Depending on what your cat ingested, it could cause an allergic reaction or damage one of her organs (such as her liver). Take her to see a veterinarian immediately if you suspect poisoning or toxicity.
- Food intolerances: A food intolerance occurs when an animal’s body reacts negatively to a specific food ingredient (such as gluten). If your cat vomits after eating any kind of meat.
Cat Vomiting Brown Smelly Liquid
Causes for Cat Vomiting Brown Smelly Liquid:
- Bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This is caused by ulcers or cancer in the stomach or small intestine. It can also happen if there is inflammation in one of these areas that causes bleeding;
- Your cat ate something brown and smelly: If your cat eats something that smells bad, like dead animals or garbage, he may vomit brown liquid with an offensive odor.
This is more likely if your cat has eaten outside recently and might be suffering from food poisoning from bacteria on the grass, dirt or garbage.
Your cat ate something he shouldn’t have eaten: Cats can eat items that aren’t good for them and cause vomiting brown liquid such as stringy foods (such as dental floss), drywall plaster or paint chips if they’re not used properly in homes or buildings where cats live; these items are hard to digest and will cause regurgitation.
The best thing to do is keep an eye on the situation and see if it gets any better or worse over the next few days.
If the vomiting continues or if it seems like something else may be going on with your cat (like diarrhea or lethargy), then I suggest taking him/her to see a vet as soon as possible.
Why Does My Cat Smell Like His Poop?
If your cat is smelling like poop, it could be a symptom of an Anal gland infection.
Below are the most cost reasons for that unpleasant smell in cats”
- Anal gland infection
The anal glands are two small pouches that produce a foul-smelling liquid. They empty through a duct into the anal canal. The anal glands are located just inside the rectum on either side of the anus.
If these glands become infected or inflamed, it can cause an unpleasant odor in your cat’s stool and around the anus.
Additionally, if your cat strains to defecate and passes small amounts of blood or mucus, this may be due to an inflamed or infected anal gland.
- Diarrhea and vomiting
When diarrhea and/or vomiting is present, it can be quite distressing to cats who often hide away when they have this problem.
If your cat has diarrhea, there could be any number of causes including intestinal parasites (worms or coccidia), food intolerance, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), bacterial overgrowth (also called bloat), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or even cancer in some cases!
The same applies for vomiting – there could be many different causes so check out!
Also read: My Cat’s Urine Is Foamy (What Causes Foamy Cat Pee?)
What Do I Do If My Cat Smells Like Poop?
You can try cleaning thoroughly with soap and water or enzymatic spray cleaner (which breaks down odors) and then using an air purifier or room spray with baking soda added as an odor neutralizer.
Air freshener sprays usually contain masking agents instead of neutralizers; these will only temporarily cover up the smell until it re-emerges later.
Just give them a bath. Do this at least once a week and more often if your kitty likes to roll in smelly things like dead birds or rotten fish (yes, those things happen).
Bathing is also good for removing fleas from their fur (but don’t use soap!). You’ll want one with mild detergent, so you don’t irritate their skin or eyes during the bath. Remember that cats have sensitive skin!
If your cat starts to smell like poop, then it’s probably time to clean out their litter box. Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Get rid of the old litter.
- Wash out the dirty litter box with soap and water (or vinegar).
- Add new litter
When Should I Be Concerned About My Cat Vomiting?
If your cat has vomited more than once in a day and has diarrhea too, or if she throws up blood, then it’s definitely time to see a vet.
If your cat is vomiting once every few days, it’s probably just a normal part of your pet’s life. Cats throw up as a way to rid themselves of hairballs or other things they’ve eaten that don’t agree with their digestive system.
If this happens occasionally, there’s no need to worry. Just keep an eye on your pet and make sure she doesn’t eat anything dangerous or toxic while she’s in the throws of her vomiting fit.
Vomiting can be caused by a host of different conditions, ranging from parasites to food poisoning, to cancer.
If you notice that your cat has been throwing up for more than 24 hours straight (or even worse: if she keeps throwing up blood).
Then it’s time for an emergency vet appointment because you could be dealing with something serious like an intestinal blockage or kidney failure.
Also read: Do Cats Throw Up for Attention?
Can A Cat Still Poop If They Have a Blockage?
Yes, cats can still poop with a blockage. The problem is that they will have difficulty in doing so. The blockage will eventually move down and out on its own, but it can take several days to do so.
An obstruction is any physical obstacle that prevents food, water, or other substances from passing through the digestive tract.
The most common cause of obstruction in cats is ingested hairballs. This can cause constipation or painful bowel movements that may require medical treatment.
Other causes include tumors and foreign objects (like string or rubber bands).
When the gastrointestinal tract becomes blocked, there are two main symptoms: nausea and vomiting(often with foul odor) and abdominal pain.
If your cat has these symptoms, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately because the longer the obstruction remains untreated, the greater the risk of permanent damage to their organs as well as death if left untreated long enough!
Cats may develop a blockage in their digestive tract as a result of many different factors. Apart from hairballs, blockages can also be caused by some of the following:
- Gastric foreign bodies
- Tumors
- Liver disease (hepatic lipidosis)
- Heart disease
- Pancreatitis
- Intestinal parasites or infections
Conclusion
Now you know what to look at when your cat’s vomit is smelling like poop! My hope is that this article helped you gain knowledge and confidence on how to identify concerns in your cat’s health.
As we have always said, the key to overall health of our cats is keeping them on a regular vet visit schedule.
Please make sure that you have your cat checked out by a vet if they happen to experience any of the symptoms of intestinal blockage.
More Resources
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/trichobezoars-in-cats