Clay-colored stools
Secretion of bile salts into the stool is one of the main functions performed by the liver. These bile salts give the stool a normal brown color. Any infection that affects the liver and reduces the production or secretion of bile salts can cause clay-colored stools. More specifically, clay-colored stools indicate the absence of a specific bile pigment called stercobilin (brown colored pigment that gives stool their characteristic color).
Clay-colored stools are also associated with yellow skin (jaundice). This may be due to the accumulation of bile salts in the body.