Bowel incontinence in cats

Bowel incontinence in cats

By
✔ MRCVS
LMV
MSc
Reviewed by Dr. Deborah Brown
✔ MRCVS
BSc
BVM&S
FHEA
Updated October 16, 2025
4 min read

What to do

Causes

When to worry

Prevention

Look out for

How to help at home

Vet treatment

Risk

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Bowel incontinence in cats

Bowel incontinence in cats

By
✔ MRCVS
LMV
MSc
Reviewed by Dr. Deborah Brown
✔ MRCVS
BSc
BVM&S
FHEA
Updated October 16, 2025
4 min read

Bowel or faecal incontinence happens when a cat cannot control when their stool comes out or when the process of passing stool is not following its normal sequence. This is a common problem for very elderly cats.

There are many possible causes for bowel incontinence. Some cats pass stools without knowing and others have some awareness but things no longer flow properly. In older cats there can be a combination of problems and an association with dementia. In younger cats, incontinence is usually due to injury or nerve problems.

What to do if your cat is incontinent >What to do if your cat is incontinent [What to do

Common causes of bowel incontinence in cats >Common causes of bowel incontinence in cats [Causes

When to worry about bowel incontinence in cats >When to worry about bowel incontinence in cats [When to worry

How to prevent bowel incontinence in cats >How to prevent bowel incontinence in cats [Prevention

Things to look out for if your cat has bowel incontinence >Things to look out for if your cat has bowel incontinence [Look out for

Home remedies for bowel incontinence in cats >Home remedies for bowel incontinence in cats [How to help at home

Vet treatment for bowel incontinence in cats >Vet treatment for bowel incontinence in cats [Vet treatment

Cats at higher risk of bowel incontinence >Cats at higher risk of bowel incontinence [Risk

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