As a cat owner you may ask, “how often do cats pee and poop?” It may seem like a strange question because everybody goes to the toilet, but when it comes to a cat, it can get a little complicated.
The details of the elimination pattern can tell you a lot about a cats health. If there pattern suddenly changes and they are going to the toilet more, going less, or even doing outside of the litter box, this can indicate that there is something wrong.
So keeping an close eye on your cats toilet habits and seeing how often they go is actually an important aspect of being a cat parent. It allows you to spot any issues and get them sorted as soon as possible.
how often do cats pee and poop? Let’s take a look at all of the facts and research.
How Often Do Cats Pee and Poop?
It’s difficult to give a specific answer to this question because because all cats are different and it depends on what’s normal for your cat. The frequency can differ, but as a general rule, an adult cat usually pees two to three times per day, and poops at least once per day.
What’s more important is knowing the normal frequency for your cat. This frequency should be tracked to enable you to notice any changes in pattern. There are also a number of different factors that can effect frequency which we will talk about next.
Factors That Effect Elimination Frequency
Here are some of the factors that can effect frequency.
Water Intake
Just like humans, a cat who consumes more water is naturally going to urinate more frequently. Keeping your cat hydrated is extremely important for their health. The problem is, cats are known for having a low thirst drive. The solution is to use a cat water fountain as cats are more attracted to flowing water.
Food
Food can increase the frequency of urination because wet cat food contains a lot of water. This is why it is important to provide wet food as well as dry cat food. Especially if you have a cat that doesn’t drink much water.
Age
A big factor in the pattern of urination is dictated by a cats metabolism. This is the reason why kittens pee more often, due to them having a faster metabolism where food digests a lot quicker. In contrast, senior cats have a slow metabolism, but this can also make them pee more often.
Medical Issues
The urination process and frequency can also be influenced chronic or acute illnesses. As an example, cats with kidney disease or diabetes will urinate much more.
Medication
Certain medications such as dexamethasone which is used to treat inflammation and allergies will change the urination process and make it more frequent.
Stress
When a cat is feeling stress, two things can happen:
- A cat can urinate more frequently
- A cat may not be able to urinate at all.
In the second instance, this commonly happens if a cats litter box is placed in an area of the home when there is a lot of traffic, which can put your cat off going. This means they will hold it in and urinate less.
How Many Times is Normal For Your Cat?
So as we have already established, cats generally poop at least once per day, and urinate two to three times each day, but this can fluctuate depending upon the individual cat.
It’s more important to know how many times your cat eliminates. So for example, if you cat urinates 4 times each day, and has always done this for as long as you have had them, then this is normal.
The key is to track your cats toilet routine. This is to allow you to notice if any changes in the pattern occur. So if all of a sudden they are going more or less frequently, you will know something may be wrong.
You may be asking, “how do I track my cats toilet routine?”. Take a look below.
How to Track Your Cats Toilet Routine
- Clumping Litter: If you use clumping cat litter then you can easily see both the size and quantity or urinations inside of the litter box. An excellent choice is the Fresh Step Advanced Clumping Cat Litter that you can pick up pretty cheaply on Amazon.
- Multiple Cats: If you live in a multi-cat household, with more than one litter box, you can still easily work this out. Just simply divide the number of waste by the number of cats which works out the average.
- Creatures of Habit: If you observe your cats on a daily basis, it becomes very easy to work out which cat is urinating in certain area of each litter box because cats are creatures of habit.
- Tracking and Changes: After a while you will know exactly how many times each of your cats is going to the toilet each day. Just continue to track each and every day, if you notice sudden changes in your cats toilet habits, you can seek the advice of a veterinarian.
Some of the modern automatic litter boxes such as the Litter-Robot 3 Connect make life ay easy at tracking your cats toilet habits. It does this by self-cleaning each time your cat goes, and then sends you a notification to your phone via an app that is connected to the device.
Why is My Cat Pooping Less or Not At All?
Cats will poop less due to constipation which is very common and often caused by the following:
- A litter tray is dirty.
- There is competition from other cats for a litter tray.
- The cat doesn’t like the type of cat litter used.
- The litter tray is in a noisy or unpleasant place.
- The cat has had a bad experience when using a litter tray.
Older Cats Pooping Less
If you have an older cat, they can have dry hard stools that are difficult to pass which are caused by diseases such as kidney failure which causes a cat to become dehydrated. Arthritis in older cats is another big factor which effects their ability to squat or reach the litter box.
Other factors that effect an older cat pooping less include:
- Diets low in fiber.
- Trauma. (eg, fractured pelvis).
- Certain drugs.
- Gastrointestinal obstruction.
- Lack of exercise.
What Does Excessive Pooping Mean?
This is generally diarrhea and is very common in cats. Common causes of diarrhea include:
- Changes to their diet or food allergies or intolerances
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Colitis
- Hairballs
- Worms (intestinal parasites)
- Pancreatic disease
- Cancer
- Hyperthyroidism
- Kidney disease
If your cat suffers from diarrhea for 24 to 48 hours, this generally isn’t any issue, but any longer than this and you should contact a veterinarian. The problem with a cat having diarrhea is that they can become quickly dehydrated.
If the diarrhea is bloody or black, then you should also call a veterinarian immediately.
-How Many Times Do Cats Pee Every Day?
The frequency is generally two to three times per day, although this can differ depending upon the cat, the breed, and a number of other factors such as water intake. More details on this can be seen in the section at the start of this article.
What Does It Mean if a Cat Pees Less or Isn’t Urinating At All?
A cat suddenly urinating less or straining to pee is not a good sign and generally requires medical attention. What could cause a cat to stop urinating?The main cause is the formation of a urethral plug that can lead to a urethral blockage.
The blockage makes it impossible for the urine to leave the bladder, which can make your cat sick, and even die in a worst case scenario if left untreated. As you can imagine, this can be very painful and your cat will become very distressed.
Straining to pee common causes:
- Bladder inflammation (cystitis)
- Bladder (urinary) stones and urethral plugs
- Bladder infections
What Does it Mean if a Cat Urinates More Than Usual?
There are generally two different parts to this. Either your cat is urinating more frequently, or the volume of urine is increased. Let’s take a look at both.
Increased Urine Frequency (pollakiuria):
Your cat may start urinating more frequently, but not in small volumes. This is to do with the kidneys and decreased urine formation and the condition is called oliguria.
Small volume but frequent urination is a sign of bladder irritation caused by infection, obstruction, bladder stones, sterile, or idiopathic inflammation. You should immediately take your cat to a veterinarian to be evaluated, as these conditions are considered an emergency.
Increased Volume (polyuria):
Urinating more frequently is usually caused by the inability to regulate urine formation. This can happen when excess blood glucose carries a lot of water with it as it leaves the body through urine.
Urine can form more quickly than usual due to kidney disease which makes it hard for the body to retain fluids. Another cause of poor urine concentrating ability are some hormonal diseases such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes.
Details and Warnings About Cat Pee and Poop
Urine Quantity in Litter Box
It’s important to look at the quantity of your cats urine as well as the frequency. The quantity of urine could be a big indication of potential health issues. If both the frequency and quantity of urine increase, then you should book an appointment with a veterinarian.
Inflammation or the infection of the urinary tract (UTI’s), kidney sand, or kidney stones are likely causes.
Urine Color
Normal:
Clear/pale yellow
Abnormal:
Anything different from the normal yellow may be a cause for concern. Let’s take a look:
- Dark brown urine: May indicate bleeding up in the urinary tract.
- Red urine: Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Also called feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) and feline urologic syndrome (FUS).
- Dark yellow/Light brown: Usually means that the urine has been in the bladder for a while.
- Urine too pale: A sign of kidney failure or diabetes.
The best thing you can do if you notice a change in color in your cats urine is to either take a picture, or collect a sample. This makes the overall diagnostic process a lot easier when you take them to the vets.
Urine Smell
Normal:
All cat owners know that cats have a certain odor to their urine. Strong urine odor in none neutered male cats is normal, and the smell is less intense in female adult cats who are spayed.
Abnormal:
It can actually be difficult to identify change in the smell of urine because as a cat owner, you become used to the smell due to cleaning every day. If you do happen to notice an intense smell, this may be associated with infections such UTI’s, as well as hormonal problems.
Urine Consistency
Normal:
Clear golden yellow with no residue.
Abnormal:
It can be difficult to notice change in consistency because the urine mixes in with the cat litter. It’s easier to judge if your cat urinates outside of the litter box. Look out for any residue and take samples if possible which will greatly help with the diagnosis.
Here are some things to look out for:
- Blood clots: You should take your cat to the vets immediately.
- Sand/crystals: Make the urine cloudy and appear opaque.
Cat Poop
- Blood in stool: If you spot any blood at all even just once, you should take them to a veterinarian immediately.
- Straining: If your cat is straining when trying to pass bowel movement, this may be constipation which can be very Uncomfortable. Just make sure they are not straining to urinate, as this is an emergency that requires immediate attention.
- Enema: You should never attempt to give your cat an enema as this could result in rectal tears as well as other complications.
- If you notice string or something similar hanging out of their rectum as they are straining in the litter box.
Cat Poop, What Is Normal?
- Deep brown color.
- Not too soft or hard.
- Some odor is normal but not too foul.
How Can I Help My Cat With a Blocked Bladder?
If your cat is suffering with a blocked bladder, you can help them using the ragdoll technique. The video below will show you how to do it:
Other Tips:
- If in doubt, always seek the advice of a veterinarian.
- The more you do this process, the better you will become and you will learn what is normal for your cat. It will also allow you to spot other signs such as infections.
- Not all bladders are the same. Some cats produce more or less urine than others, so bladders will come in all different sizes and will behave differently.
- Gently stimulating the penis or vulva can help relax the opening while you squeeze the bladder. It’s recommended to wear gloves while you do this process.
- If you are having a hard time expressing urine or if the bladder seems hard and large, this may indicate a blockage. This is an emergency that should be dealt with immediately.
kitten Toilet Habits
In this section we are going to look more specifically at the toilet habits of kittens.
How Often Do Kittens Poop?
Kittens generally poop after each meal. So if you feed a kitten 3-4 meals per day, it is perfectly normal for them to pass faeces 3-4 times per day. As they become older, their digestive system changes and becomes more efficient at handling food which means they will only poop once or twice each day.
How Often Should a Kitten Urinate in 24 Hours?
Kittens generally urinate 3-4 times a day after each meal. As kittens cannot urinate or pass faeces on their own, you will need to stimulate them up until about 3 weeks of age.
How To Stimulate a Kitten to Pee and Poop
Up until the age of around 3 weeks, you will need to stimulate a kitten as they cannot urinate or poop on their own. Here’s a great video that teaches you the correct way to stimulate.
Popular Questions
How Long Can cats hold their pee and poop?
Even if a cat consumes enough liquid, they can go without peeing for 24 to 48 hours. It’s important to remember that a cat can be in danger if they do not urinate for more than 48 to 72 hours due to a build up of toxins.
-What to do If Your Cat Stops Using The Litter Box
- Place the litter in their preferred area, ideally in a private area away from people or distractions.
- Make sure you have the correct size litter box for your cat.
- Clean the litter box regularly because a dirty smelly litter box can put your cat off using it.
Why is My Cat Going to the Bathroom Next to the Litter Box?
The most common reasons for a cat eliminating outside of the litter box are:
- Medical Problems: FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis), bladder stones, urinary tract infections, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, or hyperthyroidism.
- Litter Box Issues: Litter box too small, strong scent, inconvenient location, litter box type (lid or no lid).
- Anxiety/Stress: Caused by a change in their daily routine or environment.
- Urine Marking (spraying): This is common and perfectly normal behavior in unneutered male cats. The best option if your cat keeps doing this is to get him neutered, or spayed if you have a female cat.
- Cognitive Dysfunction: Similar to Alzheimer’s or dementia in humans, cognitive dysfunction can develop in older cats which causes them to have accidents outside of the litter box. Other symptoms include getting lost, excessive vocalization, and staring into space.
Do Cats Poop and Pee Out of the Same Hole?
Like other mammals such as dogs and humans, cats have separate canals for pee and poop which means they do not do it out of the same hole.
How Big Does My Cat’s Litter Box Need to Be?
It’s a good idea to get a litter box that is one and a half times the length of your cat. If in doubt, always go with the bigger option. It’s better to get a litter box that is too big than too small.
How Often Do Cats Pee and Poop Conclusion
Hope you learnt a lot from this guide on how often do cats pee and poop. As you can see, gathering information on your cats toilet habits is critical and it allows you to spot many health conditions.
If you have any questions on the subject that we haven’t covered in this guide, drop them in the comments section below, and we will answer your question and update the guide. Don’t forget to share with your cat loving friends.
