Dogs Eat Cat Poop Because Theyre Bored
Sometimes, dogs are just bored and looking for something to get into. Raiding the kitty litter box can be exciting and helps to break up the monotony of their day lounging around the house, napping, eating, and barking at things outside the window.
If they are left alone in the house, especially if they are left alone for extended periods of time, they will raid the litter box just because its something to do and they have no human there to distract them and tell them no.
If you suspect your dog is getting into the cat poop because he is bored, you can try making sure he gets a bit more exercise throughout the day to help burn off any excess energy and throw in some extra play sessions. Keeping him busy may help discourage him from getting into the poop bin.
Is Your Dog Eating Cat Poop
Talk to a vet about it â for free.
That being said, rest assured that the majority of the time, eating cat poop is simply an exploratory behavior â nothing more, nothing less. Another reason why this might be happening is that it is considered to be normal maternal behavior for dogs to consume the poop and urine of young puppies.
While it is certainly disgusting, there are ways that you can tackle making sure that this doesnât happen anymore.
Play With Your Dog Throughout The Day
If your dog digs through litter out of pure boredom, you should try to incorporate playtime more often throughout the day! If you have a backyard, take your pup outside and throw some toys around in a game of fetch. If they prefer tug-of-war, grab a rope and get to it. Playing with your pet will get their energy out and they won’t resort to this behavior as a way of passing the time.
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Intestinal Parasites In Dogs
Its rather common for a dog to eat dirt or other things that shouldnt be digested while playing outside. Unfortunately, these dogs are exposed to parasites, like stomach worms, every time they go out for a walk.
If parasites live in your dogs system, it could explain why they are trying to get more nutrition from eating their poop. Consult with a veterinarian to see if this is a possibility for your dog with coprophagia.
Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with intestinal parasites in dogs.
Does Eating Cat Feces Harm Your Dog
If you have caught your puppy raiding your kitty’s litter box in search of some “kitty nuggets,” or he enjoys some buried goodies outside in the yard, you may feel as if you are stuck in a “wormy” situation. Keep Fluffy’s droppings out of reach from now on cat doo-doo is not one of the healthiest snacks for several reasons.
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A Simple Way To Prevent This From Happening
Now that you know eating cat poop can potentially harm your dogs health – and keep your cat from feeling happy and secure in your home – what can you do about this gross fact of pet life to keep it from occurring? Door Buddy is a practical solution. By using Door Buddy on the door leading to your cats litter box, your dog will no longer be able to get into the room, but your cat will still be able to access her own private area. Door Buddies are affordable, simple to use and make a great gift for any loving pet owner. Try one, and youre guaranteed to have happier dogs and cats in no time flat!
Adult Dogs That Have Learned To Eat Their Poop
If a dog has learned to eat poop because they are scared of being punished for having an accident, the first step is to stop using punishment and then take active measures to prevent them from having access to the poop. It might be the case that the dog was punished by past owners, and in this case, you will still need to restrict access to the poop.
Once the behavior has been established, it’s crucial that you remain patient and consistently use positive reinforcement to encourage alternative behaviors for your dog to perform other than eating the poop.
Redirect Your Dogs Attention
When you have an adult dog that has been eating poop for a long time, then its very important that you go out with your dog whenever they need to defecate.
As soon as they are finished, call them over to you for treats and then either put them back in the house or toss a toy for them to chase while you pick up the stool.
If your dog immediately turns around to eat their poop and does not listen to you, then you will need to keep your dog on their leash and lead them away as soon as they have defecated.
To truly discourage your dog from eating poop, you will need to continue to manage your dog and restrict access to the poop to prevent a relapse.
Some people are successful in teaching their dogs a leave it cue and then a come or automatic sit by their owners using positive reinforcement.
Utilize Dog Training Tools
Make the Poop Less Appealing
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Puppies That Start Eating Poop
For puppies that like to eat poop, you will need to control their access to poop. When you are housetraining your puppy, take them out on a consistent schedule.
Once your puppy has finished defecating, praise them and offer them a tasty treat. While they are eating the treat, you can quickly clean up the stool.
This way, youre not allowing your puppy any access and preventing the problem from occurring. Youre also positively reinforcing their potty training instead of punishing them for accidents.
Keeping ‘kitty Roca’ Off The Menu
If youve got cats and dogs youve likely fought the battle to keep your dogs from helping you keep the cats litter boxes clean yes? Perhaps youre still fighting the battle? Maybe youve given up?
Take heart though intrepid warrior, all hope is not lost. There can be ways to win this war and, in the process, minimize your cats stress, as well as your dogs digestive upset.
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What Type Of Solution To Be Undertaken After Consumption Of Poop
If your dear dog ate cat poop and is vomiting, then you should immediately consult the veterinarian. You can move forward with some practical solutions so that your pooch does not suffer from any health issues.
- Go for the treatment plan of your faithful friend after identifying the source of the illness.
- If your pooch suffers from the infection, then you can provide antibiotics to cure the health problem.
- The course of antiparasitic medication will help in removing the parasites present in the poop of the cat.
- Your pooch can fight the sickness by providing him stable condition with the help of IV fluids.
- The dog will survive the infection if you provide the medicines without any delay.
Prevention is better than cure.
We all know that prevention is always much better than cure. If you stop the dog from eating cat poop outside or at home, then your pooch will not face any health problem. The consumption of cat poop by your beloved pet is unsafe for him.
You can check your dogs habit by following the crucial information mentioned in this post regarding how to stop your dog from eating cat poop. If your dog falls ill after in-taking cats fecal matter, then no need to get panic. Merely consult a vet to provide quick relief to your loving pet.
Greg Mayes
What Will My Veterinarian Do
If your veterinarian has any concerns about your pet, they may recommend that they are brought in for an examination. They will administer a physical exam to look at their overall health and condition. They will be able to record your pets weight to look for any losses. Your veterinarian might also recommend further tests to screen for any underlying issues.
Blood tests will give your veterinarian an idea about your pets overall health but may also show them markers of infection and inflammation. One of these is a type of white blood cell called an eosinophil. The levels of eosinophils can be elevated if there are parasites present.
Biochemistry will look at your pets liver and kidney function as well as protein levels, which may be altered if your pet has chronic diarrhea. A specific blood sample may also be recommended to look for the parasite toxoplasmosis.
A fecal sample might be recommended to examine your dogs stools for parasites and to culture it for certain types of bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. Specific treatment options can then be offered based on the results.
If your dog is very unwell the veterinarian may advise you to let him stay in the hospital for monitoring and intravenous fluids. This could occur if he has been off his food and water, or if he has ongoing vomiting or diarrhea issues. Further tests or diagnostic imaging may also be recommended to rule out other health conditions.
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Why Do Dogs Eat Poop
If your adult dog starts to dine on dung, you should consult with your vet to rule out health problems like:
- Parasites
- Diabetes, Cushings, thyroid disease, and other conditions that might cause an increase in appetite
- Drugs, such as steroids
In many cases, dogs start to eat their own poop because of some kind of environmental stress or behavioral triggers, including:
What Is So Enticing About The Poop
When puppies eat poop, its more so out of curiosity and play.
Other dogs may eat poop merely because it tastes good to them and is extremely malodorous.
We all know how dogs love to chew on things that smell bad, such as worn socks, shoes, and dirty laundry .
Finally, some dogs eat poop merely out of boredom or frustration.
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How To Get Your Dog To Stop Eating Cat Poop
So you want your dog to stop eating cat poop. Thatâs understandable itâs gross, stinky, and the thought of your dog licking you moments after having feces in their mouth is unpleasant, to say the least. Well, luckily, there are ways that you can help your dog stop eating cat poop for good.
The first recommendation is certainly the easiest one. You can simply place your catâs litter box in a location where your dog is unable to access it. This could mean in a room you never let your dog in, but your cat is allowed access to. Another option is to get a baby gate.
Baby gates are excellent at keeping your dog in only their part of your home. At the same time, your cat, which is able to jump, can get over them. Shop around to find one at the right price point and height for you.
These will help give your cat a place of their own and can also help ensure that feline poop is no longer your canineâs favorite midnight snack. Doors with a cut-out at the bottom for a cat are also quite useful.
If a baby gate or isolating the litter box is impossible, hereâs another suggestion: you can get a little box that features a closed top. These so-called âdog-proofâ litter boxes mean that your pooch will have a much more difficult time getting a hold of the poop.
In this situation, you should be sure to contact your vet for a checkup after theyâve consumed the feces. This is to make sure that your pet has not contracted internal parasites as a result of eating the poop.
Why Is My Dog Eating Feline Fecal Matter
If your dog is eating cat poop, there could be several reasons why this behavior is occurring. When you get down to it, a lot of dogs will eat all kinds of poop. While this is gross to think about, this behavior is natural for canines. Your dog is a scavenger, and their willingness to eat feces demonstrates this.
Poop isnât the only thing that your dog will willingly dig into. Dogs often also try to consume garbage, rocks, grass, or even carpet. Your canine friend just thinks of cat poop like one of these: another item that they can scavenge and then eat.
To humans, cat poop looks and smells repulsive. For your dog, it has a very different appeal. To a dog, cat poop likely smells like cat food. Cat food does appeal to a canineâs natural sense of smell, and a lot of dogs enjoy consuming it. This is just one reason why you might find your dog with their head in the litter box snacking on cat feces.
Of course, this habit also begs the question: Could something be wrong with my pet? The habit of eating feces is referred to as coprophagia, and yes, it can be the result of your pet having a deficiency in their diet. However, this isnât often the case. Most of the time, this habit is simply the result of your dog exploring their surroundings and sniffing out something that smells like it could be a snack.
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How Is Sickness From Cat Poop Different In Dogs And Humans
There are some key differences in how cat poop makes people and their pooches sick. These differences are:
- Dogs ingest the poop, making it easier for parasites to hop over. People usually contract these parasites from improper handling while changing their cat’s litter
- It’s thought that toxoplasmosis can cause some pretty serious psychological problems in people, while this has yet to be observed in dogs.
My Dog Ate Cat Litter Heres What To Do
Dogs can be pretty disgusting, right? Whether your dog went through the bag, the bin or, more disgusting, into the litter tray, if youve spotted your dog scarfing back some cat litter, youre probably pretty concerned. Its a good idea to worry whilst cat litter is usually inert and non-toxic, its not digestible, and it can make your dog ill.
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Is It Harmful To Dogs
Now that you know that otherwise esteemed doggo thinks cat poop makes a suitable snack – blech! – youre likely wondering if its bad for your dog to ingest. Could it make him sick? According to the American Kennel Club, cat poop could possibly hurt your pup in the event that the cat poop is carrying some sort of parasite or harmful bacteria. Some of these bacteria or parasites can be transferred, and the cat may not even exhibit signs of illness. Furthermore, litter can be harmful if it clumps inside of your pets stomach.
Health Risks For Dogs Eating Cat Feces
When your puppy goes “treasure hunting,” he may get much more than a tasty treat. Depending on the lifestyle of your cat and her level of care, several types of parasites could be waiting for this opportunity to continue their life cycles. Cat droppings, under the right circumstances, may contain protozoans such as giardia and infectious eggs from roundworms, hookworms, and occasionally whipworms, according to Pet Education.
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Why Is My Dog Eating Cat Litter
Buy why would a dog eat cat litter? Well, for starters dogs are extremely scent oriented. Scent scientists put dogs at 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than our paltry human noses. A better example was illustrated by dog cognition researcher, Alexandra Hortowitch, how humans may notice if our coffee has a teaspoon of sugar added to it. Meanwhile a dog can detect a teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of water, the volume of two Olympic sized pools.
From a dogs perspective the world exists in scent and having such a sensory unit, the litterbox, in an accessible area just invites a dog to investigate. Dogs are also scavengers and they explore opportunities. The same goes for if your pet is in the yard and finds a dead animal. Opportunity and curiosity intersect often for dogs and the outcomes can be mixed.
Is Cat Poop Bad For Dogs
Its gross, but is eating cat poop actually bad for dogs?
It can be. While many dogs eat cat poop, and theyre fine, eating any poop carries the potential for the dog to contract harmful bacteria and parasites. Some of these bacteria, like salmonella, for example, can be transmitted to humans.
Furthermore, dogs can contract several different species of internal parasites from cat poop. And just because your cat isnt showing signs of a parasite infection, doesnt mean its not there.
Additionally, cat litter can be problematic for dogs if they eat it in large quantities. The good news is that most dogs would have to eat a lot of litter before it could cause a blockage. If your dog has eaten cat litter or clumping cat litter, keep an eye on him. If he has normal bowel movements, hes probably fine. But if he appears to have difficulty pooping, does not poop, or if his poop is abnormal, you should call your veterinarian.
Despite these risks, in most cases, your dog wont suffer any health consequences from eating cat poop. However, for you and your dogs health, eating cat poop is one habit your dog definitely should kick.
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How To Stop Your Dog Eating Poop
If youre looking to deter your dog from this slightly embarrassing habit, the following may help:
- If your dog isnt yet housetrained – whether its an adult or a puppy – then ensure all areas inside your home are clean of poo
- Check your garden and clean up any poo before letting your dog outside
- Make sure you pick up poo as soon as your dog goes
- Dont make a massive fuss or get upset if your dog eats poo or you think they’re just about to this can make some dogs excited, making them even more interested in getting to the poo
- Good recall training will make it possible for you to call your dog back to you before they reach the poo they have their sights on
- Teach your dog to leave it
- If your dogs habit is getting out of hand and you rehomed them from Blue Cross, then please contact the centre you rehomed your pet from and we will do our best to help you. If your dog is not from Blue Cross you should speak to your vet or an Animal Behaviour and Training Council registered behaviourist.
How to stop your dog eating cat poop
If you find that your dog has recently started eating cat poo from the litter tray, this may be because the tray has recently been moved. Or perhaps your dog and cats relationship with one another has recently changed so that your cat is more relaxed about toileting in front of your dog. Whatever the reason, this can be hard to deter once they have got the taste for it.