Quick Navigation
- What Does a Normal Cat Poop Look Like?
- When Is It Not Normal?
- Cat’s Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
- New Food Causing Poop To Be Half Firm, Half-Soft
- Imbalance In Gut Bacteria Makes Cat’s Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
- Stress In Cats Makes Their Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Causes Cat Poop Half Firm, Half-Soft
- Other Things To Consider
- What’s The Best Time To Consult Your Vet?
- Final Words
If you are wondering why is your cat poop half firm and half soft, you are in the right place.
The possible answer would be “diarrhea.”
Yes, you heard that right.
Your cat may suffer from an upset stomach, so you must keep an eye on your precious pet.
According to Fetch by WebMD, a cat may poop once every day, a dough-like and brown poop.
Also, some odor is typical, which mustn’t be too bad.
What Does a Normal Cat Poop Look Like?
A normal cat poop has a firm consistency that could either look brown or even dark brown.
A normal cat poop has a firm consistency but is malleable, like clay, which looks either brown or dark brown.
It often takes a sausage-like shape.
You’ll know it’s firm but malleable because it won’t leave any residue when you pick it up.
A normal cat poop should also be only that, a cat poop, meaning you shouldn’t find any traces of blood or mucus.
Consistency
As discussed earlier, normal cat poop should have a malleable but firm consistency.
If you find it mushy, it might indicate an upset stomach. If it’s watery, your cat most likely has diarrhea.
Color
Cat poop could also take different hues, such as brown, dark brown, red, orange, black, yellow, and green, each signifying different health conditions.
If your cat’s poop takes on colorful shades, your cat is probably experiencing health problems.
If this is your case, consult your vet immediately to prevent your cat’s condition from worsening.
When Is It Not Normal?
Cat’s poop, also known as feces, poo, stool, or defecation, is an undigested waste matter that passes out of your pet’s body.
The problem occurs when it’s half firm, half soft.
If that’s the case, there could also be water, unprocessed food, salt, bacteria, and other things in your cat’s poop.
Cat’s Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
Imagine your kitty was happy and had a great day!
But what will you do when you took a closer look at the cat’s poop that appeared compact but soft?
It’s best to talk to your vet.
Now that you know it’s diarrhea causing your cat poop to be half firm, half-soft, you may wonder about the underlying cause.
New Food Causing Poop To Be Half Firm, Half-Soft
You may have introduced a new food to your cat’s diet, causing cat poop to be that way.
Probable Reason
So, food intolerance is the reason behind cat poop being half firm, half soft.
If you must introduce a new food, do it gradually!
Because you add a specific food to your pet’s diet, it can upset the stomach.
Plus, you must know what your cat prefers and whether a particular ingredient suits your pet.
So, a new element in the diet can be the cause behind cat poop being unusual.
Possible Solution
Consult your vet and ask what foods are suitable for the kitty.
Tell your doctor what happened and ask what you can do, especially during the odd hours when a vet is unavailable.
Your vet can suggest medicine or ask to change your pet’s diet.
Imbalance In Gut Bacteria Makes Cat’s Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
There is a chance that the imbalance in the gut bacteria of the cat is causing the cat poop to be half firm, half-soft.
Possible Causes
When your cat ingests food and other things, bacterial growth in the small intestine can occur.
When bacteria increases, it can lead to diarrhea.
Possible Solution
Keep an eye on the diet of your pet.
Consult your vet if you think the situation isn’t improving at all.
Ideally, it’s best to take the cat to the vet immediately.
When cat poop is half firm and half soft, it’s a sign to change its diet or give the proper medication to resolve the issue.
Stress In Cats Makes Their Poop Half Firm, Half Soft
It may sound unusual, but your pet may be going through some stress making its poop half firm and half soft.
Possible Cause
- You may have moved to a new house.
- You may not be spending enough time with the pet; it needs a partner and a lot more!
Possible Solutions
Try to spend more time with your cat. Increase the playtime.
Tell your vet that the cat looks upset and behaves differently.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Causes Cat Poop Half Firm, Half-Soft
Your cat might be having an inflammatory bowel disease, causing diarrhea.
Thus, its poop appears half-firm and half-soft.
In addition, there could be some items in your cat’s poop.
For example, there could be money, hair, fur, and a lot more.
Your cheerful and playful cat could be fond of such items, so you must keep an eye now, especially when your pet is not feeling well.
Possible Causes
There are various environmental factors at play, such as the bacteria population in the gut.
In some instances, it can be hard to diagnose, but your vet can rule out the possibility of medical issues and concerns.
Possible Solutions
When the cat poop is different than normal, the vet can recommend diet changes, injections, or certain medications depending on the state and condition of your pet.
Other Things To Consider
If there is an issue with the cat poop, it may indicate underlying health concerns, so you have to be careful.
The feces’ odor and consistency can indicate the health of your cat.
The quality of the poop may also depend on what your pet is feeding on.
Check your pet’s current diet to ensure that it’s not the cause of concern.
When your cat’s poop can be soft, mushy, watery, or mucus-like, it falls under diarrhea.
When it’s half firm and half soft, again, it’s diarrhea.
So, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the cat poop will be half firm and half-soft because it can be liquidy also.
You must take good care of your cat and get rid of diarrhea to avoid complications later.
In the same way, you can take the cat for regular checkups and ask the vet to suggest medicine your cat should have if needed.
What’s The Best Time To Consult Your Vet?
The vet can suggest the best treatment depending on your cat’s medical history, physical examination, and other essential tests.
So you can call your vet to book an appointment as soon as you observe the cat poop being half firm, half soft.
Usually, when diarrhea is caused by a minor issue, your cat will start feeling okay in 24-48 hours.
However, if it lasts longer, you can expect dehydration in cats.
You can also try the following to avoid cat poop being half firm, half soft:
- Provide good quality food to the cats to avoid cat poop that’s half firm and half-soft.
- Try to know what precisely the cats are consuming.
For example, your pet could be allergic to a specific ingredient without your awareness. - If you give homemade food to the cats, make sure it’s fresh and suitable.
You must know what’s ideal for your pet and what’s not. - If the diarrhea is because of an underlying medical concern, your vet can guide you better.
But, again, the best source of information available to you is your cat’s vet. - The vet can advise what type of medication and fluids you can give your cat when it’s having a diarrhea.
Final Words
When looking at the half firm and half soft poop of your cat, you could be worried!
Now that you know it’s diarrhea, it will be easy for you to focus on your pet’s diet:
- First, the cat food has to be of high quality.
- Check the cat food ingredients to know whether your pet is allergic to anything in particular.
- Next, check the cat poop; when it’s half firm and half-soft, call your vet.
Take care of your cat!
A passionate content creator on pet behavior, nutrition choices, and health, Mike is an experienced pet expert. He has been writing on multiple websites to compensate for his passion for cats. Mike grieves around plenty of pets in his parents’ house. At the start of his career, he had a sturdy intention to be a part of pet care by any means.
With his affiliation to Purrfect n’ Pawesome, he found a way to satiate his craving to participate in pet health, wellness, and behavior analysis. He has been a significant part of our team and a major contributor in equipping our site with useful, authentic, and research-backed articles.
“I love pets as much as I love to travel to explore multiple places and lifestyles. I have been attached to this pawsome platform for many years, and my experience regarding pets has enhanced significantly by using various devices to write articles. I believe in writing my thoughts and experiences, so I try to write down the experience and learnings for my readers no matter where I am and what my mood is.”