Eating Cat Poo!

[mercedes]

Is this normal? When I'm not looking, Mercedes will go in the bathroom and dig kitty poo out of the litter box and proceed to eat it. I am pretty good about keeping the door closed, but, when I let the cat in and after he comes out, she will run in and grab the poo and eat it. This is so gross, and I have a feeling this is normal, but eeww if it is! It was pretty sick yesterday because she had been licking litter from off the poo, and I wasnt aware of it, and then she decided to lick my face. So, guess who had a nice, juicy, kitty litter kiss?!? yup, I got gross pooy litter all over my face.:)

[codglvr]

Dogs adore cat poo, but its really not hte greatest thing for them to be making a habit of. Try a covered litter box and turning it away from the door so kitty can get in, but dog can't. I agree ours try to sneak it when I am changing boxes, and it is so nasty!

[flyballmom]

Oh yeah! Yummy! I agree it's the grossest thing, tough. We solved the problem by moving the cat box (food, too) into the bedroomt that's not being used and baby gating the door. The cat can jump over, but the dogs, for whatever reason, don't.

[jayneliz]

Our dogs ALWAYS checked out the sawdust pile in the barn for cat poop. They ATE it, ROLLED in it, SMUSHED their faces in it...

Out of curiosity, I read the cat food label and learned that the kitty food was exceptionally high in protein. I'm not much of a cat person, but I always thought the dogs went after the cat droppings for the protein (not to mention the STINK.) The dogs also liked to get into the food itself.

I second the suggestions to eliminate (no pun intended) the problem by moving or covering the box so that Mercedes can't get into it. Brown kisses aside, I'm sure there has to be health issues, such as cross infestation of parasites, etc.

Jayne May
Elsa - 12 yr old Rott
Liam - 5 yr old Ridgie Rescue

[LE Wilson]

SIMPLE: If you do not want her eating "kitty treasures" then make sure you secure the cat's litter box. My cats' boxes [and food] are protected by a gate. I elevate the gate and leave just enough room underneath it for the cats to go under.

As long as you allow Mercedes free access to the treasures, then she will continue to enjoy them.

[TekaRott]

We were fairly luck I guess with Teka, she ate cat poo a couple of times. We simply watched her and told her "NO" when she would sneak her way over to the litter box, she no longer does it.

Discovering this lovely little fact for the first time is gross, as Teka is licking my face, "Teka were you eating gravel?" ewwwwww!

[Spoiled Rott'n]

I have three cats along with my two dogs and the hooded litter boxes are the trick. I have our litter boxes downstairs with the door only wide enough for the kitties to get through. Plus the box opening is too small for my dogs heads to go in. You definately need to either put a gate up or something. Not to mention that cat litter (especially the hard clumping kind) is dangerous if eaten in large quanities because once the stuff hits liquid it expands . Just recently there was a dog in emergency surgery at our vets for just this incident. Better to be safe than sorry!!

[mickeymichellie]

My dogs would love to try but we keep all of the cat stuff on a shelf they have trouble reaching. We call them "Litterbox cruchies"!

[godfreyc]

Funny as it sounds with the new kitten no one has tried to eat from the litter box? I guess if they never find out what they're missing I won't have a problem?

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Spoiled Rott'n
Not to mention that cat litter (especially the hard clumping kind) is dangerous if eaten in large quanities because once the stuff hits liquid it expands . Just recently there was a dog in emergency surgery at our vets for just this incident. Better to be safe than sorry!!

Hmmmm, now that is something that I've never thought about. We have a baby gate up across the entrance to the bathroom...which is where the cat litter box is. Julius has no access to it...but that is still good to know about the clumping cat litter (which we use). Thanks for the heads up!

:)
Brooke

[samanthac]

Yup., they are called litterbox tootsie rolls...dogs luv 'em. Along with deer poop, goose poop etc. Its to them like chocolate is to us...a big fat treat! :D

I'd try to discourage this. Its unhealthy and just plain idsgusting.

[HeathLanca]

We have a covered litter box and every once in a while I will take it outside and spray it out real good, so we have a back up box with no lid. Being lazy for about 3 days, I still hadn't brought the covered box back in, and kept noticing no poo in the box eveyday, and I am thinking to myself, "Oh great, where are these cat's going poo?!?!?!" Then I caught her!!! OMG!!! NASTY! Needless to say, I bring that covered box back in right away now!! LOL :D

[MontanaRott]

We have the box elevated so the pugs can't reach it and Guerin found he could.I am obsessive about scooping but seems if a bit of poo hits the box the word spreads like wild fire. So now I have a gate up until I can get a covered box. I don't like stepping over the gate to get to the bathroom. Great warning on the clumping litter!
Our dogs have always been happy to dine on the elk and horse poo around here and we dont say much on that but for some reason cat poo just really grosses me out!
Wouldn't elk horse and cow poo be about the same as green tripe?

[alexav]

Nice thread you guys!

I'd bet if there was a search done, there's probably a dozen or so threads about "Kitty Rocca". It's always nice to be reminded that our little furry pals are all poo eaters at heart. Blech!:(

[MontanaRott]

You know Christy I KNEW you would like it!!:D