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Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. I think it is best you take you cat into a veterinarian. I’m assuming the musty liquid is urine but your cat needs a thourough exam with some blood work and a urinalysis. I will be available online if you would like to consult prior to going in, but this sounds like a complex medical condition that needs some attention ASAP.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Cats have two anal glands, one on either side of the anus, that produce a musky or fishy smelling material. Under normal circumstances, pet parents are barely aware that these glands exist, but if your cat becomes scared or excited, he or she may release their contents.
Why Is My Cat Leaking Smelly Fluid? Smelly fluid near a cat`s anus is probably anal gland secretions. It`s usually a tan or brown color. Cats will sometimes express their glands when they`re scared or stressed, probably as a defense mechanism—similar to the way that skunks spray to protect themselves.
Changes in Your Cat`s Urine Smell All of a Sudden

A strong fishy smell in cat urine can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, which are common in cats. A strong fruity or sweet urine smell can signal feline diabetes. A stronger ammonia smell can signal even more concentrated urine, which can be due to kidney disease.

The cause for foul smelling stools in cats or humans can be very similar. It can be the food eaten, the bacteria in the colon1, and on occasion serious health problems. Additionally diarrhea and the presence of excess gas can cause bad odors. Many feline disorders are accompanied by diarrhea and foul smelling stools.
Natural musk is found in animals, in particular the male musk deer or from a cat with musk civet. They secrete an unpleasant strong-smelling brown substance from a gland, that once collected and dried into a powder it`s soaked in ethanol (for months or years) which brings about an aroma that is a lot more pleasant!
Some cat guardians may notice an occasional musky or fishy odor. Most likely this is caused by the cat`s anal glands. These two sac-like glands just inside the anus can become full, and a cat may empty the contents in her environment, especially if she becomes excited or fearful.
What is Feline Stomatitis? Feline Stomatitis is a condition seen in many cats where chronic inflammation affects the soft tissues of the mouth (gingiva and mucosa). It is also known as gingivostomatitis, lymphoplasmacytic stomatitis, or more accurately mucositis.
The signs associated with parasite infections are fairly nonspecific, such as a dull haircoat, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, mucoid or bloody feces, loss of appetite, pale mucous membranes, or a pot-bellied appearance.
When they are approaching the end of life, they lose the energy to groom and begin to look messy and unkempt. They will also develop a detectable unpleasant odour due to toxins building up as their organs stop properly working. The smell gets worse over time since they don`t have a way to eliminate the toxins.
Rear-end problems

Just like with dogs, cats sometimes release the contents of their anal glands. This is normal and results in an overwhelming, foul fishy smell. Another cause of stinky rear-ends is diarrhea. If you have a long-haired cat, this can get caught in the fur around their bums.

The odour of healthy cat poo should be mild and barely noticeable. Smelly faeces is usually a sign of an issue in the stomach or intestines – caused by a digestive disorder or parasites to bacteria and poor diet. `There`s also a distinctive metallic smell that results from digested blood,` says Brian.
Serious medical conditions, bacteria not good for feline`s health present in the colon and food consumed are some reasons your kitty`s poop can smell so bad. Moreover, excess gas and diarrhea also tend to cause it to stink. Many kitty disorders often result in stool with a stinking smell and diarrhea.
Trimethylaminuria is a disorder in which the body is unable to break down trimethylamine, a chemical compound that has a pungent odor. Trimethylamine has been described as smelling like rotten or decaying fish.
Musk is a scent that deer secrete to convince a mate to cuddle with them, and so a musky odor often does the same for humans. But not always! A woman wearing musky perfume might inspire you to ask her on a date, but sometimes rotting fruit smells musky as well.
Muskrats got their common name because of the foul, musky smell they produce during mating season to mark their territories, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources(Opens in a new window). Similarly, musk oxen are named for the musky odor that males produce to attract females during mating season.
A cat can also manually express its anal glands, much like a skunk does, if it is scared or frightened. This is often seen when a stressed cat needs to visit the veterinarian or groomer. The anal gland liquid may spray or just drip out resulting in a very bad odor.
The most impressive effect of toxoplasmosis is the so-called “fatal attraction phenomenon,” the conversion of innate fear of odour of the definitive host, the cat, into attraction to cat odour in rodents infected with Toxoplasma.
Cats don`t usually enjoy being bathed, but when they`re ill, the smell won`t wash off. It`s a very distinctly unpleasant, almost sour smell that is quite unlike any other odor you`ve noticed before in your cat.
Have you ever noticed your cat wrinkle up his nose like he smells something rancid? He may also lift up his head a bit and even pull back his lips, almost like a cartoon snarl or grimace. If you have seen it, you would know. It`s a distinctive look that catches your attention.
The first symptom of feline stomatitis you may notice is a foul odor coming from your cat`s mouth. This may be accompanied by excessive salivation/drooling, or you may notice that your cat is not grooming themselves as much. You might also see your cat dropping food from their mouth or crying out while eating.
Feline stomatitis is believed to be an autoimmune disease. Often found in cats with other autoimmune diseases – such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) – stomatitis in cats is caused when the cat`s immune system overreacts to plaque on the teeth.
Broad-spectrum prescription medications such as Panacur (fenbendazole) and Drontal Plus (pyrantel, praziquantel, fenbendazole) can be used to treat hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, and tapeworm infections, but they must be carefully administered to your cat according to your veterinarian`s instructions.
Whipworms are intestinal parasites. They are about 1/4-inch long and live in the cecum and colon of the cat, where they cause severe irritation to the lining of those organs. This results in watery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss and general debilitation.
Roundworm: These are the most common intestinal parasites found in cats; they`re also visible to the naked eye. Roundworms measure anywhere between three to five inches long and look like spaghetti noodles. They steal nutrients from the food your cat ingests.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. My cat will not stop going to the toilet on my carpet, bed, washing pile etc.. Also uses its litter box occasionally? I don’t understand why this is?
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box.
If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction.
The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

Read Full Q/A … : What to Do When Your Cat Poops Outside the Box – Dr. Sophia Yin

Q. I have a cat that defecates in the litter box but always urinates outside the box. It is very annoying.
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box.

If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction.

The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

Read Full Q/A … : Why Is My Cat Peeing Outside Her Litter Box? – Petfinder

Q. My cat started to pee outside the litter box. What should I do?
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate bathroom use in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his defecating outside the box.

Once medical issues are ruled out, it’s time to take a look at other explanations. Has there been a lot of activity that wasn’t normal? Were you away and your cat was left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox located in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet, or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Have you changed the brand of litter or kind? Or is there something about the spot he has chosen to use that is attracting him in some way? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction.

The general rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped at least daily, if not more often and changed completely on a weekly basis, and washed with soap and water.

You can also offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystal kind, since it makes a hissing sound when wet that can startle some cats and make them reluctant to use it again.

The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litterbox. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation.

Read Full Q/A … : Why Is My Cat Peeing Outside Her Litter Box? – Petfinder

Q. Our cat of six years has on two separate occasions has defecated on the living room rug and recently pee’d on the skirt of the Christmas tree.
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box.

If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction.

The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don’t recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren’t giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat’s preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

Read Full Q/A … : Cat Questions – Our Happy Cat.com

Q. My cat seems to have lost control of her bowels and no longer uses her litter box even to urinate. She is 5 or 6 yrs and is in good health otherwise
ANSWER : A. If your cat has had a sudden change in litter box habits, it is always a good idea to rule out any underlying issues with a wellness check from your vet. Bringing in a urine and stool sample if possible can also help as tests can be run on these samples to check for common infections or parasites. If these are present, treating them usually helps resolve the problem of not using the box.

Loss of bowel control usually results in dribbling of feces or urine rather than complete accidents. If you are seeing this, it is possible that an injury to the hind end or problem with the nerves or muscles is happening and should be looked at by your vet.

If the accidents are complete (full amount of stool, big puddle of urine) your cat may be choosing not to use the litter box due to illness, a too-dirty litter, litter pans that are too tall (which may make older cats have a harder time getting in and out), or a litter substrate that was changed too suddenly. Sometimes, changing the environment your cat’s litter box is in by lowering the sides, moving food and water dishes away and returning back to a previously liked litter can help.

In any area of an accident, an enzymatic cleaner should be used. These break down urine and stool particles, making it so that your cat is less likely to be attracted to going there again. Moving stools to the litter box can also entice your cat to start going there again.

Read Full Q/A … : My cats stomach is bloated – Questions & Answers

Q. Cat is deficating on rugs, not litter box. Has never done this until this year. We drove from NY to FL, could there be a connection?
ANSWER : A. Sudden changes in bowel or litter box behavior can be caused by both behavioral or medical reasons. Scheduling a wellness exam with your local vet to rule out any problems (and also to bring in a stool sample) is the best first step. Problems such as digestive upset, constipation, diarrhea or even arthritis in older cats making it harder to get into the box can all cause this problem.

If your cat checks out healthy, it is possible that stress such as another person or pet in the home, age, or environment are causing the problem. Make sure that the litter used is the same, and if it needs to be changed that it is done gradually- cats are very picky about what they like as litter. Making sure bedding, food and water are not too close to the litter can also help as cats do not like to potty near these objects usually. For arthritic cats, a step or lowered box can make getting in and out easier to allow for proper use of the box. Keeping the box clean is also a must for cats.

As for cleaning up accidents, using a product such as an enzymatic cleaner may be helpful. These products break down urine and stool particles left in the accident area, and may deter your cat from using the spot as a bathroom again.

Read Full Q/A … : Cat Pooping Problem Questions – Our Happy Cat.com

Q. My cat is pooping outside of the litter bix. He is 2 1/2. He did this as a kitten. It stopped then started about 3 months ago. Litterbox is clean.
ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination or house soiling can be a frustrating problem but with a bit of detective work on your part, there is hope. First, before deciding that this is a behavioral issue, any medical problems (diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence, pain on defecation, etc.) need to be ruled out and/or treated. If your cat receives a clean bill of health from your vet but is still eliminating outside the litterbox, then we need to consider that something about the box itself might be aversive to your cat. Cats can be quite finicky about their litterbox and toileting habits. Below I have listed common recommendations and cat preferences for litterbox use. Review the list and make any changes that could account for your cat’s aversion to defecating in the litterbox:
* Soft, fine-grained clumping litter (vs, coarse-grained, non-clumping litter)
* Unscented
* 1 – 1 1/2 inch depth (especially older cats or cats with hip problems)
* Larger pans (especially for large cats) – want to get whole body inside – poop just outside the box might mean the box is too small
* Open, non-hooded
* At least one shallow side to get in and out easily
* Easy to get to – not hidden away, preferably in areas they spend time in or near – and not near appliances that make scary, unpredictable noises (washers, dryers, refrigerators)
* Scoop minimum 1X/day – preferably 2
* Clean the litterbox with soap and water and put in fresh scoopable litter at least once/month (instead of just continuously adding)
* Some cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in a separate box, so you may need 2 boxes even if you just have 1 cat. Multi-cat households should have 1 box/cat plus 1 extra.

Read Full Q/A … : Litter Box Aversion: Is it Medical or Behavioral?

Q. We have a female cat that has started to pee in the floor. She has been fixed for years but refuses to use her box.
ANSWER : A. Sudden changes in litter box habits can be caused by a number of things. As with any sudden change in behavior, making sure your cat is healthy with a checkup from your vet is the first step. Common problems such as arthritis or even urinary tract infections may make a cat unable to use their box, or cause accidents to happen. Once the health issue has been addressed, you can also address the behavioral one. Cleaning with an enzymatic cleaner on accident spots will remove urine enzymes and deter cats from using the area again to go potty. For older cats with arthritis, using a box with lower sides or a ramp into it can help make getting in and out easier. If the litter has been changed recently to a different type, it may need to be switched back to the older litter and then gradually changed to the new as cats can be VERY picky about the litter type used. And lastly, making sure the box is clean and that food, water and bedding areas are not too close to the box can help encourage your cat to go appropriately.

Read Full Q/A … : Cat Litter Box Problems Understood

joliana smith

My name is Sarah Smith and I am a dog owner, lover, and trainer. I have been working with dogs for over 10 years and have a passion for helping them learn and grow. I am a certified dog trainer and specialize in positive reinforcement methods. I believe that all dogs can learn and that the best way to train them is to build a strong relationship based on trust and respect.