Best Cat Food for Smelly Poop

Has your cat suddenly developed foul-smelling poop? Or has it always had smelly potty but it has suddenly worsened?

Foul-smelling and stinky cat poop can almost always be attributed to the cat’s diet.

Sudden dietary changes could cause smelly, stinky poo with loose or watery stools (or conversely, dry and hard stools).

In any case, dietary changes can help.

 In this guide, we are enlisting the best cat food for smelly poop as recommended by real cat parents. These foods will slowly but surely make your pet’s stools a little less offensive.

Just in case you are in a hurry, click on our short summary below to view our Top 5 reviewed products for the best cat food for stinky poop:

1. Purina Cat Chow Naturals Cat Food
2. Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Cat Food
3. Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Morsels
4. Hill's Science Diet Adult Indoor Cat Food
5. Solid Gold Grain-Free Cat Food with Superfoods

Best Cat Food for Smelly Poop – 2022 Top 5 Picks

1. Our Editor’s Choice: Purina Cat Chow Natural Grain Free Dry Cat Food, Naturals With Real Chicken - 13 lb. Bag

“Completely stopped my cat’s smelly diarrhea and poop!”

This is what most cat parents had to say about the Purina Cat Chow Naturals – the best cat food for smelly poop.

It is grain-free and contains high-quality chicken as its first ingredient which makes it gentle on the stomach of sensitive cats.

The food is also completely free from preservatives, colors, and artificial flavors.

Purina Cat Chow Naturals also has a proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids which give a shiny coat to cats, help in muscle development, and makes the food suitable for all life stages.

What we like about it

• Excellent flavor and scent
• High-quality ingredients
• Grain-free and suitable for cats with food sensitivities

What we don’t like about it

• Some cats refused to eat it.

2. Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Natural Dry Food for Adult Cats, Sensitive Stomach, Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe, 15-lb. Bag

Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach best cat food for stinky poop contains deboned chicken as its first ingredient along with brown rice, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, flax seeds, and berries.

These ingredients are easy to digest and most cats love their taste as well.

The high-quality and gentle cat food is balanced in essential vitamins, antioxidants, and vital nutrients which help reduce feline digestive issues, promote weight management, and also boost immunity in cats.

It even contains FOS prebiotics for better digestion and optimal nutrient absorption.

Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach natural cat food kibble is cold formed to preserve its nutrition.

What we like about it

• Formulated with natural, high-quality ingredients
• Ideal for cats with food sensitivities
• Contains real meat, fruits, and vegetables
• Great scent and flavor

What we don’t like about it

• Large bag does not have freshness seal.

3. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Dinner Morsels – Grain Free, Protein Rich Cat & Kitten Food – Chick Chick Chicken Recipe – 18 oz Bag

Many cats with smelly poop do well on raw diets. This makes Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dinner Morsels the ideal cat food that helps with smelly poop.

Stella & Chewy’s freeze dried food contains real, cage-free, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free chicken.

It is also all-natural, minimally processed, and made in USA kitchens that are tested by third-parties to ensure highest quality standards.

Many cats are thriving on this gentle, easy-to-digest cat food and cat parents are in awe of how it makes their pet’s poop so much less smelly!

The grain-and gluten-free food is even known to relieve allergies, improve digestion, support healthy skin and coat, improve oral health, and is also suitable for all life-stages.

What we like about it

• Raw, all-natural, minimally processed
• Made in the USA with finest quality ingredients
• The brand supports pet charities

What we don’t like about it

• Caused mild constipation in a small percentage of cats.

4. Hill's Science Diet Indoor, Adult 1-6, Easy Litter Box Cleanup, Dry Cat Food, Chicken Recipe, 15.5 lb Bag

Hill’s Science Diet has specially formulated this best cat food for stinky poop for indoor cats so that it is gentler on their tummies, promotes digestion, and makes litter box clean-up easier.

Hill’s Science Diet cat food contains natural fiber for healthy digestion and less smelly poop.

Its lean protein content also promotes muscle development.

The flavorful, nutritious food with easy-to-digest ingredients bolsters the immune system and is specially formulated to meet the energy needs of indoor cats.

What we like about it

• Made in USA with high-quality, natural ingredients
• Vet-recommended food with precise nutrition
• No artificial flavors, preservatives, or ingredients
• The brand supports shelters

What we don’t like about it

• Large kibble

5. Solid Gold Indoor Dry Cat Food - Let's Stay in Cat Food Dry Kibble for Indoor Cats - Hairball & Sensitive Stomach - Grain & Gluten Free - Probiotics & Fiber for Digestive Health - Chicken - 3lb

Solid Gold Let’s Stay In dry cat food is a holistic blend of superfoods with fermentable fiber and probiotics for sensitive cats. It promotes hairball reduction as well as overall health and well-being.

Solid Gold Let’s Stay In best cat food for stinky poop is grain and gluten-free and contains high-quality chicken as its first ingredient.

The food is formulated to cleanse, balance, and fuel the energy needs of cats at all life-stages.

Solid Gold® brand of best cat food has been around since 1974. It is also the only holistic cat food brand that contains gut-supporting natural ingredients to provide overall wellness support.

What we like about it

• Contains superfoods with over 90 million living probiotics per pound of food
• Rich in omega fatty acids
• Grain and gluten-free
• Improves gut health, digestion, brain, weight management, hairball reduction

What we don’t like about it

• Some picky cats would not touch it.

Why Your Cat Has Smelly Poop?

Cat smelly poop is a symptom of a disease and not the disease itself.

If your cat does not have other symptoms like diarrhea, or conversely, dry stools, then you needn’t not worry too much.

Some dietary changes along with the above listed cat food that helps with smelly poop will certainly make your litter-box clean-up task easier.

If, however, your cat poop smells worse than usual please consult a vet right away.

Also read: Best cat litter for smell – Top 5 cat litter to eliminate smell

Here are some common causes of cat’s smelly poop:

1. Sudden Dietary Changes

Food allergies and sensitivities are the most common cause of cat poop smells extra bad.

Your cat could be allergic to the protein in its new diet.

Changing its diet to one of the best dry or best wet cat food for smelly poop can reduce these allergy symptoms.

However, you need to be patient because any dietary change takes about 2-4 weeks to take effect and show results.

2. Stress

Stress can play a major role in your cat’s poop consistency and smell.

If your cat is frequently boarded in kennels, you have changed your residence, or brought a new cat, these experiences can cause a major upheaval in your pet’s life leading to bouts of smelly diarrhea.

3. Parasites

Roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms can cause smelly diarrhea in cats and kittens. Talk to your vet about deworming your pet.

4. Bacteria and/or Viruses

Bacterial overgrowth of E.coli and salmonella as well as certain viruses can cause cat stinky poop.

Has your pet had access to spoilt food or food other than his/her own diet? To plants? To other cats with infections?

You may want to check how frequent the stools are, their color, odor, and consistency. Persistent smelly poop accompanied with loose stools needs veterinary consultation.

5. Inflammatory Bowel Disease

IBD or inflammatory bowel disease causes smelly poop, diarrhea, constipation, and/or vomiting in cats and kittens.

The common cause behind IBS is allergens like wheat, gluten, dairy, grain, potatoes, and soy.

Switching to raw food can reduce these symptoms and give you back your healthy and happy kitty.

Important Factors to Consider when Selecting Best Cat food for smelly poop

Here are some factors to consider when selecting the best cat food or best kitten food for smelly poop

A. Dry/Wet/Raw Cat Food

There are many high-quality dry and wet cat foods that can reduce stinky poop in cats.

Dry food is better for the teeth as it reduces plaque. Wet food, on the other hand, has more water content and could prevent urinary issues and smelly urine.

Raw foods are known to improve digestion and are also easier on feline stomach, so you could consider making a switch to freeze-dried food or dehydrated raw cat food.

Also read: Top 5 Best Raw Cat Food to Improve Digestion

B. Is Nutritionally Balanced

Ideally, the best cat food for smelly poop issue should meet AAFCOs standards and guidelines for complete and balanced feline nutrition.

Look for food that has the right mix of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, as well as taurine for eye health, and probiotics for improved digestion.

C. First Ingredient is a High-quality Protein

The best dry or best wet cat food for smelly poop should contain an easy-to-digest protein source such as chicken, tuna, or turkey.

It should clearly name the protein source and not just list ‘meat’ and ‘meat by-products’. Your cat should be able to tolerate that protein well.

D. Is Grain-free

Most cat food that helps with stinky poop is free from grains.

Grains are difficult to digest for cats since they do not have the right organs to do so.

Avoid foods with grains and look for foods with complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables to provide fiber.

E. Your Budget

Of course, this may be the first thing to consider when selecting the best cat or the best kitten food for smelly poop.

However, cheaper foods are often filled with harmful filler ingredients which could worsen the problem of smelly poop and even harm your pet’s health and well-being.

FAQs on Best Cat Food for Smelly Poop

1. What foods make cat food smell worse?

Fish, gluten, wheat, eggs, milk, grain-based cereals, and dairy can sometimes worsen your cat’s poop smell.

However, this also depends on the individual cat. Not all cats are allergic to these ingredients.

Some cats can tolerate them quite well. Others that don’t however, could experience smelly farts, indigestion, watery or loose stools, or conversely, dry and hard stools which stink up the entire house.

It all depends on what your cat is sensitive to.

If your cat poop smells worse than usual, then you may want to carefully consider what it has been eating.

Outdoor cats often eat objectionable stuff or even other cats’ feces. This could lead to foul odor in cat poop. Have your pet examined by a vet.

2. How can I firm up my cat’s poop?

If your cat has suddenly developed diarrhea or loose and watery stools, wait for two days.

In most cases, the stools will firm up naturally. If they don’t and the diarrhea continues, then please see a vet.

If there are no other symptoms present and your cat has always had loose or soft stools, then, in most cases, dietary changes can help firm them up in a few weeks’ time.

In the meantime, try feeding some rice, chicken, or dry crackers, to your pet. Raw cat food is also known to prevent consistent diarrhea and loose watery stools in cats and kittens.

3. What can I give my constipated cat to soften stool?

Diets high in fiber can help soften dry and hard stools in cats.

The best wet cat food for smelly poop can also help, as it is higher in moisture-content.

You could even feed your pet pureed pumpkin, psyllium, bran, or a bit of mineral oil for treating severe cases of constipation.

4. How can I keep the litter box from smelling?

To prevent your cat’s poop from stinking up the entire house, scoop out and empty the litter box several times.

You can also use the best litter for odor control.

Changing your pet’s diet to the best cat or best kitten food for smelly poop can also make a difference.

5. Is it normal for a cat to poop every day?

Yes, the average cat has a bowel movement daily. If your cat eats every day, ideally it should also defecate every day.

Conclusion

The best cat food for smelly poop can help reduce foul odor in your cat’s poop and also improve its digestive health, boost immunity, and give it a shinier and healthier coat.

We recommend the Purina Cat Chow Naturals because of its grain-free formula that is also nutritionally balanced with the right amount of proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

Do check out our other recommendations for the best cat food for smelly poop as well.