You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Faeces normally varies in colour...but sometimes the colour can be a sign of disease

Cat and dog faeces is usually brown in colour ...but it can vary greatly from light yellowish-brown to very dark brown, almost black. The colour depends upon pigment and this is the result of the bacterial  breakdown of gut contents. Faecal colour can change with the type of diet, antibiotics and diarrhoea.

For the normal colour change to occur bile (including a substance called bilirubin) has to have been mixed with the contents of the small intestine. If for some reason bilirubin does not reach the gut....for example if the bile duct carrying bile from the liver is blocked, or if the liver has stopped producing bile, the faeces will appear white and chalky in appearance. Faeces can also appear white if there is no bacterial activity to create the pigmented substances from bilirubin.

So, if your pet starts passing white faeces  you should contact your veterinarian in case it is associated with liver disease.

Updated October 2013