# Pale / nearly white stool from a stray cat we found.



## MandyPandaa (Jul 7, 2008)

Okay, long story short, my mom was on one of her nature hikes and found this sweet, emaciated little gray kitty out in the middle of nowhere...declawed! =( It's near NO civilization except a major highway, so we're guessing she was dumped. There's no one around for miles and miles, and she had no collar...

Anyways, she's in the laundry room now with a bed and litter box and lots of food (and attention from us all!), but there are a few things that worry us. She's been walking kind of funny, like her front paws hurt - both of them, she'll sometimes sit on her butt and lift her paws at different intervals, like they're sore. They seem stiff, but maybe it's something with her back legs too, we're not sure.

We just gave her a flea bath, but we're pretty sure she has worms - and is maybe anemic? We're not sure what paleish stool would mean. =( We're taking her to a vet as soon as possible (and keeping her away form the other cats / washing our hands), we're just giving it a day because we're waiting to see if my mom's friend wants to adopt her.

So anyone know the diagnosis...? Of course we'll ask a vet too, but in the meantime I'm hoping Paulina (she's fullgrown, by the way) going to be okay. =(


----------



## Smirkitty (Apr 19, 2008)

Wow, kudos to your mom for taking in this poor kitty. So glad you are taking her to a vet soon. 
I googles "feline pale stool" and most links seemed to suggest a bile salt deficiency. I have no idea what might cause that (on a mobile now, so extensive web searches are cumbersome at best). You'll want to take a sample of the stool when kitteh sees the vet, of course. I suspect it may have a lot to do with poor diet while Paulina was "lost" in the woods, so hopefully it will clear up. Please keep us updated? There's so much mistreatment of animals in the news these days, it is wonderful that Paulina found someone who cares!


----------



## Loving_My_Cats (May 26, 2004)

I say take the kitty to the vet asap. I found things about parasites, and even liver not working right.

*Pale gray feces. Bile pigments are what give the feces its usual brown color. When the liver is not processing bile properly, the feces will not get the brown color. *


----------



## MandyPandaa (Jul 7, 2008)

Well, it wasn't quite grayish, more of a tan. Just a lot lighter than the color of my other cats' stool (which I stepped in this morning, but that's another story...).

Another thing that worries me is her skin. After giving her her flea bath and cuddling up with her to dry her off, we noticed that under her skin, it's pretty much white. Is that normal for light gray cats? She's got paler fur under her darker gray on top, but still, the white surprised me.

Another thing - she's got some white little things in her fur, but they look more like flakes to me. They're very tiny, though, and even if they don't look like eggs, that's what my mom thinks they are...we're just hoping that the flea bath killed them if they are. =(

We'll be going to the vet if Cat Sense can't take her in tomorrow morning. =) (I'm almost crossing my fingers they can't...I love this cat!)


----------



## BoscosMum (Apr 29, 2004)

Just my 2 cents.....

If this kitty has been having to *hunt for food*.

Raw fed animals, (cats and dogs), will have a *very* light stool.
It could be as simple as that....It will be ok....

The reason is because of the bone they ingest while eating their prey.


----------



## ~Siameseifuplz~ (May 6, 2007)

I would make sure the vet checks her out but I agree it's probably just been her diet. Bones lighten poop and even a dog on a really high quality dry food will have poops that turn white within a few hours of going to the bathroom because there are less indigestible things to come back out and stick around in the poop so it just starts to break down. Her skin may just be dry from not getting proper nutrients ( not eating enough because she can't hunt well with no claws) and the white flecks could be dandruff. 

As far as her feet, she could be sore maybe from being declawed (perhaps she was dumped due to complications that the owners did not want to deal with). Are you sure she is not just kneading though, with no claws it's harder to tell but that's just what it sounds like. 

Good luck at the vet, you'll be much happier once you know she's healthy.


----------



## MandyPandaa (Jul 7, 2008)

Update: She's doing great! =) The vet said just what you were, that her stool was just because of her outside diet. She's gained a good two pounds in the last few days, has no diseases or fleas anymore, just a bit of dandruff from dry skin.

She'll probably be going home with some friends of my vet who are in need of a new kitty in their home, and if not them, then she'll be on her way to Cat Sense. :3


----------

