Do cats poop when they are scared? When a cat finds itself in an unsafe situation, the last thing you want it to do is relieve itself. Cats are natural predators and instinctually act like little warriors, which makes them instinctively know better than to poop around where they live. But when cats find themselves in stressful situations, their body reacts and triggers the urge to defecate.
The scariest moments for cats usually happen on land while they are fighting with another cat or being attacked by a bigger animal like dog or coyote. If your cat has been frightened enough, it may not just be pooping that he’s scared of; he may also be so terrified of what could happen next that he would rather run away then confront his attacker head-on.
Related Article: What Smells Deter Cats From Peeing? Read This…
Do cats poop when the are scared?
Some people say that cats poop in an attempt to mark their territory. When scared, they will leave their poops outside the house or wherever they feel threatened in order to tell other animals that they are not welcome.
Other people suggest that cats poop when they are scared because of a change in the environment, like when you bring a new cat home and your cat feels like he’s being attacked by the stranger because he does not know it from before.
Cat poop is sometimes mistaken for dog poop the way it is often found in the same locations. Cats are very territorial and do not like to share their living space with other animals. If they feel that something threatens their territory, they will go to great lengths to scare away the threat and in this case, pooping may be one of their defenses.
Cats may try to mark their territory by leaving zigzag patterns of poop, but this is different from spraying urine or even spraying faeces on walls or furniture as a warning (called coprophagia). Cats would never ever consume their own poop, especially if it is still fresh. But if your cat’s poop has suddenly become infested with maggots and flies, then you are probably doing something wrong.
If you find out that your cat has been pooping on the floor recently, it could be a number of things – like that he has worms or other digestive problems. It is also possible that your cat found something disgusting in the litter box and decided to expel his waste elsewhere. If you had a new pet in the house lately or changed brands of litter, this might also cause some uneasiness within your cat.
On the other hand, sometimes it is not that easy to say if a cat is pooping because he is scared or because of an unknown process. It could be a number of things – for example, when cats are a little unwell. There can be many causes for this phenomenon. If your cat seems to be in pain, then it could be something as simple as constipation.
Other common causes of constipation and other problems include large blockages in the intestines, though this is more likely to occur with older cats.
If your cat’s poop has turned brownish or black in color, it could be a sign of intestinal parasites.
The same goes if you find clues like just a few spots of diarrhoea in the litter box.
Faeces that are narrow and flat may also be because your cat has diarrhoea. If your cat is suffering from diarrhea for long and it has not been treated by the veterinarian, it is important to have this checked out.
Feline owners should keep watch of what their cats does in order to be able to tell the sudden change in behaviour of their cats if whether their cats do poop when they are scared.
Do cats poop when they are mad?
The next time you notice that your feline friend is suddenly pooping in a corner of the house, do not assume that she is mad at you. Cats may appear to be angry when they are preparing for a fight or just getting themselves into position for the attack.
Pooping may also be one way that cats communicate with each other and assert their dominance; it is in their nature as predators and hunters to eliminate prey as soon as possible instead of carrying it around. Just like us humans go to the bathroom after eating, cats will poop at regular intervals to ensure that they are always well-proportioned and healthy.
Cats may also poop just to mark their territory. So when you see a pile of poop outside your home, do not assume that your cat hates you.
With the change in the environment comes changes in the animals’ routines and this can cause distress and stress for some cats. If your cat has asthma or allergies and changes in routine can be too much at one go, he could be pooping with relief as a way of letting out that built-up stress.
Do they poop when fighting?
Cats don’t only poop when they are scared but also when they are fighting. It is not uncommon to find poops in and around the litter box, especially when two cats are fighting. The smaller cat may be attacking the larger one and it will try as hard as he can to keep the larger cat away from his turf.
Also, if a cat has been hit hard or is bleeding from head wounds, he may decide that it would be safer to go out of his territory instead of putting himself in more danger. He may also just be exhausted and wanted to take a break before returning.
It’s all about survival – with cats, food, shelter and safety are very important. The urge to poop may be just one way of securing the next meal and trying your best to make sure that it is a safe place for your cat to go.
Fights between cats occur quite often. It may be anything from a young tomcat trying to get his territory back or two adult cats competing for food and a mate. Fights are even more common if you have too many cats in your household.
In this case, the bigger cats will fight over territory and resources like food, water and shelter. The smaller ones will try to join in but they might be too scared or unprepared to stand their ground against the larger ones.
Related Article: Why Do Cats Roll Around In The Dirt?
What do cats do when they are scared?
Cats are natural predators and hunters who know how to handle their business. So the first thing that your pet will do when he is scared or in shock is try to eliminate himself from the situation. He may run away or even just freeze into a crouched position, waiting for the event to pass by. If he is in pain, he might even start pooping at that precise moment.
Scared cats will go into denial mode and try to forget about everything that scares them by eliminating themselves from being a part of it. This is one reason why cat poop always appears outside their territories – they want to keep the world out of their place and perhaps not be reminded of what happened there.
When your cat is scared, he might also try to poop in order to hide the evidence of his fear. And when it comes to hiding poop, cats are way better at it than we are.
Sometimes, your cat may even pretend that he is not scared at all and may start pooping and peeing like nothing is wrong. Though he might be very scared to the core, he may have just enough self-control and ability to fake it until you believe him.
Cats who are scared will not want anyone coming near them and they may find the most opportune time to do so – when you go to take a nap, for example, or when you run an errand. Some cats who are skittish need extra space and they like being left alone at all times.
Cats that have just had kittens and have done not yet adjusted to their new surroundings will often hide in a corner or somewhere else where their owner cannot see them.
As soon as the cat feels that he is safe, he will do his business. It may be a good idea to give your cat her own place where she can go whenever she feels the need to poop. Leaving her alone when you are out of the house may cause some stress for her. Bring along some kind of satisfying food with you so that she has something to focus on in order to ease her stress.
Conclusion
It is fairly normal to find cat poop in your house, especially if your cat has diarrhea. But if you have kept an eye out and have not seen any trace of poop for some time, be sure to check with the veterinarian if your cat is sick or stressed. Proper treatment can prevent illnesses from worsening and treat conditions in the early stages.
If your cat has diarrhea, he will usually eat less and try to find a comfy place. Frequent pooping may cause him to lose weight by using up his body’s nutrients stores but he will at least get some food during diarrhea. This will help reduce the stress and also make them feel better after doing so.
The question of “do cats poop when they are scared” is just one of the many things that pet owners want to know. In different situations, cats may poop or pee for different reasons. It is best to observe your cat’s behavior and find out what happens when he is scared or nervous.
This way you can have a better understanding of your feline friend and won’t have to worry about him anymore. Reading your cat’s body language can help you understand his emotions and how he feels about certain situations around him.
Related Article: Why Does My Cat Drink Out Of The Toilet?