Why Do Dogs Eat Cat Poop? How to Prevent it

Have you noticed your dog acting weird lately? A dog’s behavior can tell much about its mental and physical health. Dogs usually react to changes in their bodies, which shows in their body language.
Lack of nutrients and deficiency of a certain vitamin would make them act out of the normal, and you would notice some changes in their behavior. There can also be symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and vomiting. If you catch your dog eating cat poop, sleeping more than usual or vomiting, then it might be the time for you to get in action and take your dog to a health checkup immediately. 

Today’s topic of discussion is why dogs eat cat poop. Let’s begin and explore all the details!

Why Do Dogs Like To Eat Cat Poop?

There can be many reasons as to why dogs eat cat poop. They might just be bored and go on a hunt to relieve their boredom, getting attracted by the sweet smell of cat poop produced by the digested cat food, or a nutritional deficiency might be the cause. To find the exact reason, you must keep a close eye on your dog’s behavior and consult a vet immediately.

Here are some common reasons why dogs eat cat poop:

1. Attraction to Protein: A typical cat diet is high in protein, which invites many dogs to the undigested proteins in cat feces.
2. Nutrient Deficiency: If dogs are not receiving enough nutrients from their daily diets, they might start eating feces.
3. Instinctual Behavior: This is completely natural because dogs are natural scavengers, and coprophagia is one of their instinctual behaviors.
4. Boredom: Dogs that are mentally or physically under-stimulated may be driven to odd behavior from sheer boredom, such as consuming cat feces.
5. Curiosity: As taste and scent help dogs explore the world, the dog might be curious about the smell of cat poop.
6. Hunger: If the dog is not getting enough food, or if it’s on a restricted diet in terms of calories, it will seek other food sources.
7. Taste or Smell: The odor of cat feces can be appealing to some dogs because of what the cat eats, or its waste products.
8. Attention Seeking: Dogs will eat cat feces if they have ever learned that this conduct elicits attention from the owner, even if negative. 
9. Imitation of Mothering Behavior: Puppies tend to see their mother clean up their feces and try to copy their act.
10. Medical Condition: Malabsorption Syndromes, parasites, diabetes, or any other disease can provoke a dog to seek other sources of nutrients which might 

While these are some reasons, it’s important to discourage this behavior as it can lead to health issues.

Here’s a simple chart of nutrients found in cat poop that might attract dogs, along with their potential effects:

Is Cat Poop Dangerous For Dogs To Eat?

Vets discourage this behavior as cat poop can cause your dog to get ill or have an upset stomach. By eating the stool of cats on medication, your dog can also be affected by them, leading to serious health consequences. Similarly, cats with intestinal parasites can cause your dog to contract these parasites as well. Cat stools also carry bacteria like salmonella and E.coli, which can infect your dog if it comes in contact with cat stool carrying these pathogens.
Even though eating poop is a natural behavior for dogs as they are scavengers by nature but this is a habit that should be stopped for the better of your dogs. In most cases, they might not get ill by consuming small amounts, but the risk remains. 

How To Stop Your Dog From Eating Cat Poop?

Eating cat poop is a natural behavior for dogs. However, it can be dangerous. Here is how you can prevent your dog from eating cat sool:

1. Train your dog: The best way to prevent your dog from eating cat poop is by training it not to do so. You can teach it the “No” and “Stop it” commands to help you control your dog. Or you can give it proper training teaching it not to eat cat poop. A trainer can help you with this.
2. Keep the litter box clean: Keep your cat’s litter box empty and clean. This will keep your dog away and eliminate the chances of it sneaking into your cat’s litter box.
3. Buy a dog-proof litter box: Buying a litter box that is dog-proof can be a game changer for you. These kinds of litter boxes are built in such a way which prevents dogs from scavenging and consuming cat poop.
4. Plan a balanced diet for your dog: Most of the time, dogs revert to finding nutrients in cat poop when they are not getting enough from their daily food. A balanced diet can prevent this behavior. 
5. Use Deterrents: Products such as sprays and other items can help prevent your dog from consuming cat stools. These products are created for this very purpose and are very effective.
6. Keep the litter box away from reach: The most simple way to prevent your dog from eating cat poop is to keep the litter box away from it. Put it in a place that is not readily accessible to your dogs.

Is Eating Poop Beneficial For Dogs?

For young dogs, it can be beneficial as they dont have the bacteria in their digestive tract, which are necessary for proper body function and digestion. Cat poop contains these bacteria, and by consuming it, your dog gets them as well. However, it should be noted that this behavior can also be very dangerous as cat stool can also contain other harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E.Coli and thus this behavior should be prevented.

Conclusion

There are many reasons as to why dogs eat cat poop. If your dog is also showing similar behavior, then it is best to train your dog not to do it. Preventing your dog from eating cat poop is the best course of action for their safety. For further advice, consult your vet. That’s it for today, but for Petlyx, this is just the beginning of our journey to making this world a better place for your pets. Join us today!