VERY (abnormal) smelling poop-is it cheap food?

I can't take it. Something's not right. Both my cats, but especially my kitten have very nasty smelling poop and both fart.

It's driving me nuts. When I first got Merlin he had liquipoo all the time. Nothing helped. Then I switched to Wellness canned and he got better overnight. He doesn't like the food much (and starting refusing it) and it costs a FORTUNE. I fed it to him for a long time while he was a single cat. Somehow along the line I tried FF and he did okay on it thankfully.

Then I got Trink. I fed her FF too right off the bat. She liked it. She was also fed Kitten Chow dry by her foster mother and loved it. I removed that and sometimes give her Core dry.

Now I feed them Friskies as of more than a month ago. (They were always hungry) The cats like Friskies but both cat's poop smells abnormal and both have stool that are loose but formed-Merlin's are looser. I add fiber to their food or a CVS probiotic. It may help to keep the poop formed (I'm guessing) but it doesn't solve the problem. I also have Slippery Elm but haven't used it because it involves mixing with water and I'm lazy.

Do I need to try to feed them higher quality ( $$$$$$$$$$$$$ :sad: ) food? Am I a bad mother because I have cats who stink like farts? When I hold them they fart - especially Trink! @-) She's become "Stinky Trink" and when she's ready to poop Dave teases me by saying there's gonna be a nuclear meltdown and starts getting out the scoop while she's still in the process. The poor thing!

Have you taken fecal specimens in to the vet? And was it a specialty vet, or a regular general practice vet?

Not just to test for infection, but to look for signs of malabsorption.

If you're using a general practice vet, you may need to step it up a notch to a specialty vet, possibly at a university or large veterinary hospital. If one of those isn't nearby, then its time to hit the 'books' and look up malabsorption, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, etc. for clues as to what is going on.

Have you tried
Metronidazole?
Cyclosporin?

Our 3 rescue babies had similar when we caught them out in the wild in fall 2010, and brought them in. They were about 2 months old, so I fed them with KMR kitten milk replacer, and then we started giving them store cat food. But their stomachs weren't used to it, so they all 3 got tummy ache, diarrehas and farted enourmously, all smelling terrible. In their case, I don't think their digestive system could process all the carbs in the store food. Eventually, in 2011, I made a try to change their food to less carb food, and got them dry m/d, which they've had now for about a year. It has taken time, but little by little their tummies have become better, normal stools and in particular the horrible smelly farting has stopped.

We did a large feces examination on one of them, little Sessan, 26th May 2011.

Everything was negative but toxocara eggs (worms) and following which I think was what caused the gas

Growth of gram-positive faecal flora

Gram-negative aerobic faecal flora
No detection of gram-negative aerobic bacteria
This result indicates an imbalance (dysbiosis) of the flora of the large intestines.

Gram-positive aerobic faecal flora
Visual judgement reveals a physological composition of the gram-positive aerobic faecal flora, mainly consisting of enterococci.

So the bottom line was: She lacked oxygene creating bacterias.

That's when I changed their food to m/d.


The enterococci bacterias are normal in normal amount, but are often the ones behind UVI:s etc, and when she was spayed in Feb 2011, they discovered she had pyomatria (sp?) uterus infection. Already at age 6 months old.

Both of my cats have had fecal tests that were normal. Not sure if there's another test with the poop that you're talking about.

My last cat Boomer had the throwing up kind of IBD. It was absolutely miserable for both of us. When Merlin was first sick we did give him Mert with not much results. The thing that helped him the most was the food change, cleared him completely, but as I said, he started to not like it.

The smell part is worse in Trinket I think.

Does anyone know how long it takes for a cat to get "used to" a new food.

I'm getting really sad about this and overwhelmed. I just spent $4,000 on Trinket's broken leg and I really don't want to contemplate going to another specialist for both cats. I was hoping to figure it out on my own. I wish there was a food that tasted good and that didn't get them sick. :sad:

Maybe you could try switching them back to FF for a bit and see if it goes away? Then you'll know if it was the Friskies.

If it is the food, maybe you could try a gradual switch to Special Kitty or Sophistacat and see if they take to those better? I know that Friskies does contain rice, so cats with grain intolerances sometimes don't handle it well, even though it's a small amount of rice.

Julia & Bandit said:

Maybe you could try switching them back to FF for a bit and see if it goes away? Then you'll know if it was the Friskies.

If it is the food, maybe you could try a gradual switch to Special Kitty or Sophistacat and see if they take to those better? I know that Friskies does contain rice, so cats with grain intolerances sometimes don't handle it well, even though it's a small amount of rice.

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That's a good idea. It sound less overwhelming. Thanks.

I know Sneakers poop smelled horrible (that lingered) on the dry or even with the blue buffalo or wellness I was feeding her- and she did occasionally fart as well.

What cleared it up was me making their food using Dr. Lisa recipe on here- within two weeks her poop had changed from dark brown and smelly to light brown and only smelled for a short time and then it was over. I haven't noticed any farting- but school has started so I am not home some nights until late.

And the recipe is a low carb one- I don't know how low but a lot of FDMB people use it.

Yea, that is what I did with rescue baby Sessan (with the examination above) when she stayed with me in july 2011 for two weeks. I mixed up a home made ground beef formula and added double amounts of probiotics called Lactiplus. I mean, they were wild babies when we found and caught them, so feeding her ground beef meat was just natural meat to her. She really liked it and ate her 50-100 gram a day, and that is when the tummy and intestine balance started to become better.

I never tried Friskies with mine, but my sister had to stop feeding it to her cats because it gave 3 of the 4 gas. She switched to FF and they were all fine.

Thanks guys. Maybe there are options I can try before having to go the heavy duty, high cost and high stress way. It's not too bad, meaning that they aren't *sick* per se, just stinky. I'm going to try to chill out a bit and keep trying different things. Thank you for your support.

hmjohnston said:

I know Sneakers poop smelled horrible (that lingered) on the dry or even with the blue buffalo or wellness I was feeding her- and she did occasionally fart as well.

What cleared it up was me making their food using Dr. Lisa recipe on here- within two weeks her poop had changed from dark brown and smelly to light brown and only smelled for a short time and then it was over. I haven't noticed any farting- but school has started so I am not home some nights until late.

And the recipe is a low carb one- I don't know how low but a lot of FDMB people use it.

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Do you use a grinder and all that too? Not sure that I'd be able to do that. They will eat raw chicken though. I know I've seen her site and the recipe, but remind me - is it raw meat with supplements in it?

I was using Friskies and such too, and my cats poop was straight up heinous. Check out my raw diet thread. I'm using premix and adding meat right now, but plan to do Dr. Pierson's recipe once I get what I need. In 24 hours, Gadget who has had soft to liquipoo had a perfect poop tonight with no odor. I'm sold on this diet!

I can vouch that with mocha eating special kitty turkey and giblets, her poop smells less then twix's, who is eating dry food. Of course, neither of our girls have had the problems you are describing either.

Suzanne&Grey said:

I was using Friskies and such too, and my cats poop was straight up heinous. Check out my raw diet thread. I'm using premix and adding meat right now, but plan to do Dr. Pierson's recipe once I get what I need. In 24 hours, Gadget who has had soft to liquipoo had a perfect poop tonight with no odor. I'm sold on this diet!

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I will check out your thread - I think I actually replied on it. I did use Nature's Variety before. I think I'd rather make it myself to save money-hopefully.

I was just in the store and got mine some organic leaf-thin slices of beef. They like that but isn't too fond of my raw I make for them.

I semi-follow Dr Lisa's recipy. I am a 95 % vegetarian but no way I would eat any organs, so honest to god, just by seeing a liver and even worse seeing it inside when cutting through it, makes me vomit. Nor do I have a grinder. And I am disabled any way ... So no matter what everyone say about store bought grounded beef - we have very healthy organic such here, I buy that. Then I also buy powdered bone meal supplement instead of the bones and powdered minerals and vitamins from another supplier, and add amounts of that to the grounded beef.

No tummy problems have been seen when they've eaten this. The same goes for their loved organic leaf-thin slices of beef.

It is cheaper than commercial cat food and also healthier, their species adapted food.

There's some foods that make KT's smell so bad the wallpaper curls, the paint falls off and the towels run for cover. When he leaves it there, he doesn't take time to cover it, he RUNS as fast as he can out of that room, thru the rest of the house, down the hall and into the far room. If he doesn't try to stop soon enough, he'll slide right into the wall and have a sneezing fit from bonking the wall. I know when he eats EVO dry, that's one of them...not sure what the others are...

Speaking of the stink...KT just came thru the living room at a dead run...the smell followed...PHEW!!!

Squeaky and KT said:

There's some foods that make KT's smell so bad the wallpaper curls, the paint falls off and the towels run for cover. When he leaves it there, he doesn't take time to cover it, he RUNS as fast as he can out of that room, thru the rest of the house, down the hall and into the far room. If he doesn't try to stop soon enough, he'll slide right into the wall and have a sneezing fit from bonking the wall. I know when he eats EVO dry, that's one of them...not sure what the others are...

Speaking of the stink...KT just came thru the living room at a dead run...the smell followed...PHEW!!!

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Gee, is it a diabetic cat thing? After Simba got diabetes and especially the first pancreatitis, his poop started to smell awful and he also got a lot of diarrhea. He didn't have that before the diseases.

Ann & Scatcats said:

I was just in the store and got mine some organic leaf-thin slices of beef. They like that but isn't too fond of my raw I make for them.

I semi-follow Dr Lisa's recipy. I am a 95 % vegetarian but no way I would eat any organs, so honest to god, just by seeing a liver and even worse seeing it inside when cutting through it, makes me vomit. Nor do I have a grinder. And I am disabled any way ... So no matter what everyone say about store bought grounded beef - we have very healthy organic such here, I buy that. Then I also buy powdered bone meal supplement instead of the bones and powdered minerals and vitamins from another supplier, and add amounts of that to the grounded beef.

No tummy problems have been seen when they've eaten this. The same goes for their loved organic leaf-thin slices of beef.

It is cheaper than commercial cat food and also healthier, their species adapted food.

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Thanks Ann for telling me this. I appreciate it.
Never in my life have I eaten an organ. Just thinking about it give me the major CREEPS. I recall how much raw liver helped Lori and Tom and she was like you - a veggie I think. She said raw liver doesn't smell. I want to help my critters feel better. They must have gas and cramps if they are farting like this. The poor things!

I didn't know you are disabled. What happened? Are you okay?

Traci-
Yep- not a heavy duty one so I can't do bones but I have permanently borrowed mom kitchen mixer which has the attachment to grind.

But... Sneakers has found FF and it is her new favorite (her poop has changed in ONE day :!: . Very fussy, fussy :roll: . Now she wants that instead. I'll wait a few weeks and reintroduce the chicken again.

I took the recipe and condensed it down into a 1, 2, 3, ... recipe- when to do what in what order if anyone would like to have it- it fits on 1 page now.

Traci, my disabilities comes first from a head on car crash in 1993 where I broke my neck in 3 places, so I have ligaments, discs and nerve injuries, especially those that goes out to the arms and fingers, then secondly I fell down an entire stair case in fall 2007. Simba had his first pancreatitis, and we had a follow up visit for ultrasound scan of his pancrea, and I had Simba in the carrier, altogether weighing 10 kg, 22 pounds, and live 6 stair cases up with no elevator, and I have no idea what happened but I just fell straight down at the last stair case with Simba, and holding on to him and the carrier so he wouldn't get hurt. I saved him but not my neck and arms :lol: He was a very good boy looking at me as Are you okay, mama?? Very sweet I got us into the car though and drove him to the hospital, we arrived a little late, but he got his ultra sound scan of pancrea done, I thought that was more important than the pain and problems I was in. :lol:

hmjohnston said:

Traci-
Yep- not a heavy duty one so I can't do bones but I have permanently borrowed mom kitchen mixer which has the attachment to grind.

But... Sneakers has found FF and it is her new favorite (her poop has changed in ONE day :!: . Very fussy, fussy :roll: . Now she wants that instead. I'll wait a few weeks and reintroduce the chicken again.

I took the recipe and condensed it down into a 1, 2, 3, ... recipe- when to do what in what order if anyone would like to have it- it fits on 1 page now.

Click to expand...

OMG! Yes! I'd love to have it. Can you post it as an attachment? I'm going to get my chicken thighs tonight!

Ann & Scatcats said:

Traci, my disabilities comes first from a head on car crash in 1993 where I broke my neck in 3 places, so I have ligaments, discs and nerve injuries, especially those that goes out to the arms and fingers, then secondly I fell down an entire stair case in fall 2007. Simba had his first pancreatitis, and we had a follow up visit for ultrasound scan of his pancrea, and I had Simba in the carrier, altogether weighing 10 kg, 22 pounds, and live 6 stair cases up with no elevator, and I have no idea what happened but I just fell straight down at the last stair case with Simba, and holding on to him and the carrier so he wouldn't get hurt. I saved him but not my neck and arms :lol: He was a very good boy looking at me as Are you okay, mama?? Very sweet I got us into the car though and drove him to the hospital, we arrived a little late, but he got his ultra sound scan of pancrea done, I thought that was more important than the pain and problems I was in. :lol:

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Boy Ann...we have something else in common-I too was in a head on car crash - in Branford CT in 1990 when a was 22. My major breaks were both hips and pelvis along with a TON of other stuff including losing 9 front teeth. I was totally disabled for 3 months and now I'm fine though sometimes I walk funny.

What country was your accident in? I cannot believe you fell down the stairs with Simba too. I think human fur-parents want to protect their babies no matter what. I'd have done the same. It's our instinct.

Please educate me....when you say "disabled" what does that mean exactly? That you can't do everything everyone else does, or that you can't walk or work? I'm sorry if this sounds ignorant...but it's coming from a compassionate place. When I was disabled I couldn't do ANYTHING on my own. Had to be fed, washed, brought to the bathroom, couldn't walk-was in a wheelchair and in constant pain. I certainly hope your situation isn't like this! I think I remember you saying you are a lawyer, right?

I was a lawyer :lol: For 10 years. I still have a case which I hope will end soon, but informally retired in 2006 but formally retired last year 2011, it is way too much monkey buisness for me I am not working full time, never been able to do so, like 9 to 5, 5 days a week, ever since 1997. I was glad I informally retired in 2006, I had a case I was working with, but that is when Simba got the diabetes, so I was at home working and could take care of him, which I've been able to do ever since, working mainly from home.

And nooo, my goodness, your accidents and injuries and aftermaths was way much worse than mine! My gosh. At least I could walk and be active still (up to certain activity level) but taking care of the household, cooking, laundry, vacuum, mop the floors, carrying food and cat litter from the store, and everything such heavy one have to use the arms for, didn't and don't function so well. I didn't have a car until I bought one in 2010! and boy have it facilitated shopping and buying all the cat litter my two seniors use up a week.

There is one thing I shouldn't do anymore, and that is the horse riding. If I fall or is thrown off, that will be it. I'm sorta semi-paralysed in the arms and fingers, and the upper cervical vertebrae's ligament have now disappeared so my connection cervico-head is in jepoardy. But I try to ask for well behaved and disability friendly horses

Oh, Traci, the things some of us have to go through here in life, but IMO I am glad I was so young with the car crash 1993, 25 yrs old, because when so young we heal much better than if we had been older (more stiffer and such)

I am glad you are doing better now. You walk funny and I write funny

I hope there is a reason for it all.

I can't see where there is an attachment. I'll PM you with it.