It used to be that only cat owners who lived in the countryside had to worry about their cats eating fox poo. However, in recent years the increase in urban foxes comfortable with city living has meant more people now need to be made aware of the risks.
If you have a cat that likes to eat fox poo, it might seem harmless at the time. The reality tough is different. Eating fox poo can be bad for cats as I will explain in detail this helpful guide to what your cat can catch from foxes. I’ve also included some notes on how you can get your cat to stop the habit.
Why do cats eat fox poo? There are many reasons why some cats like to eat fox poo, with the simplest explanation being they like the taste and smell. But some cats will eat fox poo due to a missing element in their diet, or a possible medical problem.
Is it normal for a cat to eat fox poop?
Eating the poop of another species is very common cat behavior. In fact, it’s so normal that there’s even a name for it; coprophagia. You can read more about it on Wikipedia.
Just because it’s normal, that doesn’t make is right or safe. It does make it more difficult to prevent though. Cats can also catch a range of diseases and illnesses from fox poop which I will discuss lower down the page.
7 reasons why cats eat fox poo
But first, here are all the reasons why cats like to eat fox poo.
1. Fox poo tastes great to cats!
It might make you feel sick, but for cats, fox dropping is an amazing snack. The reasons why fox poo is so tasty to them makes a lot of sense; it’s all related to what foxes like eat.
Foxes, particular urban ones, like to forage and scavenge from bins, just like I am sure you’ve seen your cat do before. Like cats, foxes aren’t fussy and will eat human’s leftovers, meat, rodents, berries, and fruit.
Imagine what all of that packaged up into one neat poop might taste and smell like to a cat? Heaven for them surely, as it would be like dining at an all you can eat buffet.
When you consider how good a cat’s sense of smell is, they will sniff fox poo out from a long way off and be able to home on to it and have a good munch.
2. To protect their pack
Cats are said to still have many instincts left over from the ancestral days of being wolves and wild cats, and this relates to the next possibility; cats like to eat fox poop as a way to protect their pack and younger relations.
I found this theory in a 2012 study into feline behavior, and here’s a quote:
“A hypothesis is offered that coprophagy reflects a tendency inherited from the ancestral wolf to keep the den area free of faecal‐borne intestinal parasites that might be deposited in the den resting area and would typically have parasite ova that are not initially infective, but could develop infective larvae after 2 days. An evolved parasite defence strategy to consume fresh faeces in the rest area would be adaptive.”
3. As investigative and scavenging behavior
Kittens are like human babies in so far that they like to explore and investigate the world around them by putting things in their mouth… and this extends to animal poop.
Younger cats of kitten age are also massive scavengers and will eat anything they see. This is something most will grow out of, but it’s all down to them being worried that food will get taken away from them.
4. To replace nutrients or an enzyme deficiency
Cats also like to eat fox poop due to a problem in their diet such as not having the right nutrients or enzymes they need.
Fox poo can compensate for this lack of elements in the cat’s diet due to the concentration of enzymes and partially digested proteins found in it.
This again is very common behavior, and in fact lots of animals are known to eat the poo of other species because of this. On the TICA website they say:
“For some species, such as rabbits, eating fecal droppings is a totally normal way of obtaining key nutrients. In fact, if you prevent rabbits from doing this, they will develop health problems, and young ones will fail to thrive.”
5. To self-medicate themselves
Sick cats can also eat fox poo to help make themselves feel better. For example, if your cat has worms or parasites, they will lack in nutrients and can replace it by eating poop.
6. Fox poo can look like a tasty treat
Dried fox poo can often closely resemble a cat snack so it’s no wonder your four-legged friend hones in on it.
Cats are so food-orientated that once they lock on to the smell of fox poop it’s going to be very hard to persuade them that’s it’s not a tasty cat treat. You can’t blame them for wanting to have a chew despite how horrible it might look to us!
7. Your cat is just hungry
And finally, it might be just because your cat hasn’t had enough to eat that day. Before you go anywhere with your cat where the chance of finding the traces of foxes is high, make sure they’ve had a meal, or you take some alternative snacks with you.
Is fox poo harmful to cats?
The bottom line is this; it is bad for cats to eat fox poo. Whilst it’s not toxic or poisonous in the traditional sense of the word, it can contain parasites such as hookworm and tapeworm that can lead to disease such as echinococcosis.
Can cats catch anything from foxes?
Here’s a list of all the reasons why fox poo is dangerous to cats, so you take steps to stopping them from eating it or rolling in it, so they don’t catch anything nasty.
Hookworm
A study was published in 1995 which showed how 68% of foxes are infected with hookworm. Hookworm can pass out via fox faeces, which when eaten can then pass to your cat.
The reason why this is so dangerous is it can actually kill kittens. Older cats will usually recover a lot better, but will experience weight loss, diarrhoea, and other nasty symptoms.
Tapeworm
It’s not only your cat that can contract echinococcosis from tapeworm in fox poo, but also us owners. According to the Fox Website, the following harmful risks are possible:
“When pets come into contact with fox faeces (droppings), pets and their owners are at risk of contracting echinococcosis, a disease caused by the fox tapeworm. To be infected, humans as well as pets need to ingest the parasite eggs, for instance by eating berries contaminated with fox faeces containing fox tapeworm eggs. This disease can be fatal in humans.”
Lungworm
This parasite is another potential killer that is contracted from fox poo. It can lead to lung and heart disease, breathing difficulties and seizures.
If caught early, the outlook for cats is generally a good one.
Mange
Whilst very rare, there is a very small risk of your cat getting mange from a fox. Typically, this is spread via contact more than faeces, but it’s still a risk to be aware of.
Other risks of harm
It’s not just the worms and mange that makes fox poo harmful to cats. There are also other nasties and diseases that foxes carry such as:
- Fleas and ticks
- Listeria
- Rabies
- Salmonella
- Weil’s disease
However, please don’t panic about all of this as I found a quote in a 2006 report, After the Hunt: The Future of Foxes in Britain by Stephen Harris and Phil Baker which concluded:
“Like most wild mammals, foxes carry a range of diseases. There is no current evidence that these pose a significant disease risk to humans and/or domestic animals, although more monitoring is needed to determine the prevalence of current disease levels and assess their potential economic impact.”
It’s worth considering though, that the immune systems of kittens are much weaker than adult cats, particularly if they have not had their injections yet. My assumption here would be that fox poo is more dangerous to kittens than older cats.
Handy Hint: I’ve written an extensive guide to what cats can catch from foxes and how the two species can make each other sick. Click here to find out what the risk to your cat’s health is from foxes.
How do I get my cat to stop eating fox poo?
You will have already considered stopping going to places and area where you are likely to encounter lots of fox poo. It might not always be possible to avoid it completely though, so here are some short tips you could consider:
- Improve your cat’s diet: Your cat might be chewing the poop due to a nutritional deficiency, so make sure you change the diet appropriately.
- Contaminate the poop: Owners can also try sprinkling cayenne pepper or similar onto the poop to turn your cat off. After a few days, the cat should get the message.
- Train your cat: Distraction techniques and firm “leave it” commands are essential. For example, my cat always stops what he’s doing and runs back to me when I shout “stick” as he loves playing more than poop.
- Pick up your cat’s poo: If your cat does get ill from fox poo and shares his space with another cat, pick up his poo. This will help to reduce the chance of transmission between both cats.
When to call a vet
If you have any concerns, you should always consult with a vet. The notes in this guide are written by me, a cat and not a veterinary professional – everything you read here is based on my own online research and opinion.
What I would say is this though; if your cat’s poop eating appears to be problematic and way to regular to be dismissed, you should call your vet.
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