Have you noticed that your feline friends seem to be going to the bathroom more or less frequently?
While it is not particularly pleasant to talk about, keeping a close eye on your cat’s toilet habits is important.
While it is more difficult to keep an eye on this if your cat spends a lot of time outside, it is much easier with indoor cats.
But, how much is too much? What is too little?
If you are a new cat owner, this is a question you may be asking yourself often.
There are many things to consider when you ask the question of how often do cats go to the bathroom because this can vary significantly depending on the cat.
In this article, we will be discussing on average how often you should expect your cat to go to the bathroom. We will also be discussing some factors to look out for that can cause your cat to use the toilet more, or less frequently.
We hope that you find this article helpful.
How Often Should My Cat Go To The Toilet
No one answer fits all to this question and the answer will vary slightly for every cat.
On average, your cat should be passing a stool at least once a day. In terms of urination, on average, a cat can go to the toilet around two to three times a day. However, some cats can go up to 48 hours without urinating!
However, there are a lot of factors that can change the frequency of a cat’s toilet habits that we will be discussing in the next part of this article.
What Can Cause My Cat To Use The Toilet Less?
Dehydration
If your cat is dehydrated, your cat will likely urinate less often as there is less liquid passing through its system to eradicate. Dehydration can become a serious issue if it is not dealt with.
If you want to encourage your cat to drink more water, try feeding your cat wet food, add water to its food, and invest in a running cat water fountain. These will help them to urinate more frequently and will lessen the concentration of your cat’s urine.
In addition to this, dehydration can cause constipation, which stops cats from passing stools as regularly. If this does not improve, constipation can cause blockages and other serious health problems.
Blockages
Blockages are a serious problem, especially in a male cat’s urinary tract.
If you notice that your cat is not urinating for long periods, you should urgently take them to a veterinarian to ensure there are no blockages.
Cats can also get blockages in their digestive system too.
What Can Cause My Cat To Use The Toilet More?
Urinary Tract Problems
Cystitis is a common issue that both male and female cats can suffer from. Once a cat has problems with their urinary tract, they are more likely to be prone to these problems in the future.
Cystitis is not only uncomfortable for your cat, but it also causes them to visit the litter tray more frequently.
Other urinary tract problems can cause your cat to use the toilet more frequently, such as pollakiuria. This is essentially when your cat urinates more frequently. If your cat is urinating a high volume, they could be suffering from polyuria.
If you have any concerns, it is always best to chat with your local veterinarian.
Digestive Problems
The most common reason that your cat is passing more stools is likely due to digestive issues. For example, if you have changed your cat’s food suddenly instead of gradually, this can cause diarrhea.
If your cat has food intolerances, IBS, IBD, or has eaten food that is off, this can also cause diarrhea. Like us, cats can pick up viruses that can cause them to vomit and have diarrhea, this can be a cause of loose and frequent stools.
If your cat has worms, this can also cause frequent toilet visits. Given this, your cat must receive regular worming treatment.
Toxic substances, hyperthyroidism, and cancer can also cause a higher frequency in stools. We would always recommend taking a trip to the vets if this problem persists and you are concerned.
Clean Litter Tray
One of the most important things you can do as a cat owner is to ensure that your cat always has access to a clean litter tray. Even if your cat goes outside, we would recommend having a litter tray available in case your cat needs to go to the toilet.
A clean litter tray is essential. If your cat is not comfortable using a litter tray, it is likely they will go to the toilet less, or will choose a corner of the room to use instead!
Your cat will use a clean litter tray more often as they can be quite finicky. But can we blame them? We would rather use a clean toilet too!
Ensure the litter tray is covered or is in a place of privacy so that your cat feels safe and comfortable using it.
Summary
As you can see, there is not a singular answer to how often cats go to the bathroom. Many factors can affect how frequently or infrequently they go to the toilet.
In addition to this, it can be particularly difficult to keep an eye on how often your cat is using the bathroom if they choose to relieve themselves outdoors.
On average, your cat should pass a stool at least once a day and they should urinate around two to three times. However, this is just an estimate and every individual cat is different.
The longer you own your cat, the more you will notice what is or is not normal for your cat. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, we would suggest popping them to the vets for a check-up.
As there are health concerns linked to your cat using the toilet too much or too little, you should always ensure your cat is nice and healthy.
