Why Do Cats Poop When Fighting? The Truth!

Some cats poop or pee during a fight with another cat or a dog. It is unpleasant to see, but there is a simple explanation.

Why do cats poop when fighting? Cats poop when fighting because they are terrified. Extreme fear triggers the fight-or-flight response, and a badly frightened cat can lose control of its bladder and bowels. Scared cats may also release a strong-smelling fluid from their anal glands.

Understanding this helps you avoid situations that frighten your cat. Fights are only one of many things that scare cats.

Below, we cover why cats fight, why fear makes them soil themselves, and how to calm a scared cat.

Why Do Cats Fight?

To prevent fear-related accidents, it helps to know why cats fight in the first place.

The first reason why cats fight is because of territory. Cats are territorial animals and they will often fight to defend what they believe is their territory. This is most common with catfights that happen outside your house. However, this can also happen to house cats. Cats mark their territories with their scent and your house is no exception. If you have multiple cats in your house, this can happen.

The second reason is competition for mates. According to the ASPCA, the most obvious aggression between cats happens between unneutered males, who challenge each other for access to mates and territory. Neutering reduces this kind of fighting.

Fights also spread disease. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is transmitted mainly through bite wounds, according to Cornell’s Feline Health Center, and bite wounds often become infected. Have your vet check any cat that has been in a fight.

Cats also fight from fear, or from redirected aggression, when a cat that is upset by something it cannot reach, such as a cat outside the window, lashes out at a nearby cat.

The third reason why cats fight is because of rough play. Sometimes cats can be playing and it can get rough. Cats are very rough when playing and this might look like aggression and fighting, but it is not. However, some plays can still escalate to fighting or cause harm to both or one of the cats.

In most fights, the cat that soils itself is the more frightened one, often the cat that is losing or cornered.

Why Does Your Cat Poop When Scared?

Some cats poop or urinate when scared because of the fight-or-flight response. Stress hormones prepare the body for action, and in extreme fear a cat can lose control of its bladder and bowels.

Confronting a scary thing or situation can be stressful for your cat. However, not just with cats but with other species too. In the face of fear, people and animals turn to their instincts to handle the situation. Logical thinking leaves and is replaced by instincts when we are scared.

These instincts are called the fight or flight response. This response can manifest itself in various forms. Scared cats can respond in four ways: fight, flight, freeze and appease.

Cats are not the only animals that soil themselves when terrified. Many animals, including people, can lose bladder or bowel control in moments of extreme fear.

Understanding Your Cat’s Fear

Every cat around the world has their own unique personality and those unique traits can manifest in the way that they face every situation.

A confident cat may be less affected by a scary situation. A timid cat may run away immediately or lash out.

Below are common reactions cats have to a stressful or scary situation:

• Freezing
• Pooping, urinating
• Hiding
• Aggression
• Running away

Like I have mentioned above, it is not only fighting that makes a cat scared, which can cause the cat to poop. It does not take much to scare a cat. Cats are usually scared of loud noises, quick movements, unfamiliar people, other pets, and even trips to the clinic. Very scared cats will poop or pee when they are in this situation.

Do Cats Pee When Fighting?

Aside from pooping, many cats may also pee when fighting. And the reason why cats pee when fighting is the same as the reason why cats poop when fighting.

Many cats will also pee when they are scared and this is related to the same physiological fight or flight response that leads them to defecate.

Some people suggest the mess and smell might discourage an attacker, but this has not been proven.

How To Calm A Scared Cat?

If your cat is frightened enough to soil itself, the most important thing is to give it space and time to calm down. Let it interact with you and other pets on its own terms.

Never reach in to break up a cat fight with your hands. The ASPCA warns it is never a good idea to break up a cat fight or approach an agitated cat, because the bites can be serious. Make a loud noise from a distance or slide a barrier, such as a cushion or piece of cardboard, between the cats instead.

For example, if a new cat keeps hiding from your resident cat, let it hide as long as it is safe. Never pull a cat out of its hiding place. Introduce cats slowly, starting with separate rooms.

Below are a few things to consider:

Move Slowly And Carefully

A cat scared enough to poop will also show other signs of fear, such as dilated pupils, flattened ears and intense focus on its surroundings. Give it space without rushing away.

Move slowly and calmly. To a frightened cat, quick movements can look like a threat.

Always Give Your Cat A Safe Exit

If you will pay attention to your cat when your cat is scared or any scared animal, you will notice that they tend to look for a potential exit. This could be an open door or their favorite furniture in your house which they can climb on. Whatever it is, it is essential to always give your pet cat a safe exit.

In simple terms, a cat that can escape is less likely to fight. Just knowing it has a way out helps a frightened cat calm down.

Avoid Rushing And Punishing Your Cat

It can be tempting to push a scared cat toward the thing it fears to show there is nothing to worry about. That usually makes the fear worse, and you may get bitten or scratched. Never punish a cat for having an accident when scared.

Instead, use patience, treats and play to build positive associations. If your cat is food motivated, it may slowly come closer to reach treats you place nearby.

Avoid Things That Scare Your Cat

Finally, reduce the things that scare your cat. If it fears loud sounds, give it a quiet room to retreat to. If two cats in your home keep fighting, separate them and reintroduce them slowly, and ask your vet or a veterinary behaviorist for help if the fighting continues.

Also see your vet if your cat has accidents outside the litter box when it is not scared, or if it suddenly becomes aggressive. Pain and illness can cause both.

Final Words

Cats poop when fighting because they are terrified, and extreme fear can make them lose bowel and bladder control. To prevent it, reduce fighting and fear: neuter your cats, introduce new pets slowly, and give every cat safe places to retreat.

Sources

• Aggression in Cats, ASPCA
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Cornell Feline Health Center