The famous American author W. Bruce Cameron once said, “You can usually tell that a man is good if he has a dog who loves him.” And I can say that probably I am a nice man too as my little paw baby loves me dearly!
Dogs are like babies. While they are not as clingy or attention-seeking as cats and other pets, they also need their fair share of attention. The eating, sleeping, and playing patterns of dogs vary from others, but they look for their human companions.
Lack of attention can lead to problems such as your dog eating trash or litter. Commonly, dogs living with cats tend to eat cat poop as they might not be able to differentiate in terms of taste or smell. There can be several reasons for your dog to eat cat poop, and you can eventually get rid of his habit.
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I was puzzled when my dog first started exhibiting this behavior as I had never thought about it. Keeping your dog busy or cleaning the litter box immediately can be of great help when your dog begins eating cat poop. If you are wondering how I stopped my dog from eating cat poop, look at all these tried and tested methods and check which one works for you.
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Why Does My Dog Eat Cat Poop?
Before getting into the details of stopping your dog from eating cat poop, it is essential to know how it all started. You might desist your dog from eating cat prop for a while, and he will begin it again if you do not find the root cause. Finding why your dog eats cat poop is vital to eradicate the issue.
Taste
You might be disgusted to read this, but it is the truth! While we detest the foul smell of poop, it does not seem bad to the dogs. They think of it as cat food and are attracted to cat poop like they enjoy eating cat food. Surprisingly, it also does not taste different to them. The reason for your dog eating cat poop can simply be good taste!
Boredom
Vets and nutrition experts usually recommend pet parents change the food they offer to their pets once in a while. Because eating the same food for a long time does not seem appealing to dogs, and they find cat litter different and exciting.
Nature
Dogs are believed to be scavengers which means that they eat dead mass. Though dogs do not only feed on dead mass, I have observed an interest in cat litter by dogs.
Nutritional Deficiency
A critical reason for your dog eating cat poop can be a nutritional deficiency. Eating cat poop does not help them with malnutrition but gives a sense of satisfaction. Get your pet evaluated by a professional vet as many suggest that dogs exhibit such behavior from Fiber, fat, proteins, or Vitamin B deficiency.
How to Know if Your Dog is Eating Cat Poop?
Scattered cat poop around the litter box cannot be strong evidence of a cat poop feast by your dog, and you would need other signs. Every dog might not have the same set of signs and symptoms to express to their pet parent. However, if you suspect your dog to eat cat poop, you will likely experience one or more of these.
Gastric Issues
Your pet might show symptoms of gastric discomfort on ingesting cat poop. When a dog is fed packaged food or raw meat, his stomach would not appreciate litter instantly. It results in symptoms like abdominal pain, lack of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea.
Fatigue
If your dog is eating unusual, their digestive system does not accept it and presents different behavior than usual. Due to abdominal discomfort and vomiting, your pet would not show the same energy level as they usually do.
Bad Breath
Bad breath should be the first analysis in case you suspect your dog to be eating poop. I checked my dog’s teeth every few hours to ensure that he is not eating cat poop. However, I was disappointed as he had been eating litter!
What Happens When a Dog Eats Cat Poop?
We all understand that eating cat poop is not healthy, which made me highly worried about my dog’s health. I took measures as soon as I understood the situation. However, some damage had been done already. He had been eating from the litter box for a while, and his health began deteriorating.
While you might have observed the symptoms, they are related to cat litter metabolism changes made in the body. Eating fecal material can result in intestinal worms like roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and Giardia.
Eating a large amount of cat poop can result in excessive reabsorption and cause constipation.
Is Throwing up Good After Eating Cat Poop?
Though we think of vomiting as an ailment, it is a blessing in disguise. When you intake something that your body does not recognize, it takes the food or material as a threat and throws it back. This way, you are saved from having any worse effects due to the ingestion of the wrong material.
Similarly, if your dog ate litter but threw up immediately afterward, it is not a matter of worry. Yet, taking care of your dog’s diet for a few hours would help him get back to normal soon. Feed him a light diet such as soft boiled chicken, and keep away from the litter box.
How I stopped My Dog from Eating Cat Poop
Stopping your pets from doing something that they enjoy is not an easy task. You have to be stern and tell yourself that you are hard on them for some time to save them from long-lasting harm. How I stopped My Dog from Eating Cat Poop is a long, long story. Here I am putting all the methods I tried to help you find the right one for your pet.
Keep the Litter Box High
Keeping the litter box high is the easiest trick of all but requires the most vigilance. Be sure that you do not cause trouble for your cat while creating convenience for your dog. Keep the litter box high enough for the dog not to reach but the cat to poop comfortably.
I have seen some people place them too high for the cat, resulting in hurting him. It also sometimes happens to kick the box with cat poop all over your floor.
Provide Other Options
Your dog might not be eating cat litter because he loves it, but because he likes it better than his food. Like every other living being, dogs want to eat something different. If you offer other food options to your dog, he is less likely to go to the litter box. Taking care of the nutritional needs plays a vital role in preventing your dog from eating cat food.
Providing a few toys to your dog would also help him keep busy, diverting attention from the litter box. Numerous toys are available for your doggies to keep them away from cat poop.
Clean Litter Box ASAP
It is not possible to look at the litter box every few minutes, but it’s important to stop your dog from eating cat poop. Keeping the litter box clean provides a cleaner look to the house and avoids foul poop smell.
When your dog does not find anything in the litter box, he will keep away from it and eventually give up eating cat poop.
Use Dog-proof Litter Boxes
If you have not heard of dog-proof litter boxes, this is the right time for you to know! As cats and dogs differ in size, it gives cats an advantage over boys when feeding for litter products. You can find litter boxes that close automatically, preventing your dog from accessing the litter and giving complete privacy to your cat.
They are of various kinds, some with layers to keep the cat free from the fear of being trapped. Some of them also come with auto-cleaning functions that do not allow odor entrapment.
What if Your Cat Does Not Like Dog-proof Litter Box?
While dog-proof litter boxes are an excellent option for keeping your dog away from cat poop, your cat might not appreciate them. In these circumstances, you will have to try other techniques of preventing the dog from eating cat poop, like adding little black pepper to cat litter.
Adding black pepper to the cat litter gives it a spicy, bitter taste that your dog would not like much. I have also heard from a few friends about adding a little hot sauce, but I have not tried it myself.
FAQ
What to do if my dog is vomiting after eating cat poop?
My dogs have vomited after eating cat poop, and it scared me immensely. However, I realized that vomiting allowed the pet to get rid of whatever they ate before reaching the stomach. If the episodes of vomiting continue, do not wait and take the dog to a vet immediately.
Can a dog get worms from eating cat poop?
Yes, eating cat poop can be dangerous for your pet’s health and result in intestinal worms. Eating fecal material can result in intestinal worms like roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and Giardia.
Conclusion
Preventing your dog from eating cat poop can be difficult, but if I can, you can too! Intentional or unintentional intake of feces can lead to long-term health issues. Try these techniques and tricks to keep your away from the litter box and prevent health hazards.
