Pooping outside the litterbox

[suwannee79]

My cat has pooped outside the litter box off and on for years but it wasn't every time he pooped, just every now and then - now he has started pooping outside the box more and more frequently. I try and keep the litter clean although sometimes I'm away for many hours a day so I can't scoop it every time he goes. He's currently getting over a UTI although I just gave him his last Clavamox pill this morning and he hasn't been peeing anywhere other than the box so I don't know that this is related to the UTI.

We do have a second cat but she doesn't bully the cat with the issue and we have a second box in a different room. We have the largest litter box we could find and use clumping litter, we changed litter brands last weekend but this has been going on even with the brand we normally use.

I could deal with the pooping if the poop was solid but it's at an in between state right now so when I move the poop to clean it and it breaks apart it smells like death. I'm taking him to the vet next week for a post-UTI checkup so I'll talk to the vet about this then but in the mean time has anyone else had this situation and if so what were the causes/results? Thanks!

 

[sanrun]

My kitty Dottie has done that off and on for several years, what worked for us is leaving a box with no litter in it. For some reason she will pee in the box with litter, but won't poop in it! Go figure... She is a pudgy girl, so I'm wondering if she doesn't like the litter touching her bottom or belly when she poops. I wish I could ask her what the problem is! It is a bit annoying having to leave an extra box out, but it beats having her poop on the floor!

 

[Lisa and Merlyn (GA)]

Sorry just seeing this.. My Merlyn, and now my Baloo, both do this when they are constipated. If his poops are loose that can cause discomfort and urgency to go where he is. Many cats litterbox avoidance starts with a medical issue where the cat now associates pain /discomfort in the litterbox and doesnt want to use it, so a UTInfection/inflammation could cause him to not want to go in the box.

Once the medical stuff is done with, you might try getting a new style of litterbox to reduce the associations with the old one, and keep him in a small hopefully easily cleaned room like a bathroom to "retrain" him to use the box. Just giving him a small space and a box may make him decide to use it.

Also, make sure you are enzyme cleaning any spots that he has pooped on. cats noses are much more sensitive than ours and cleaning it with regular cleaner may not take all the odor out, leading the cat to poop in the same spot.

edited to add Dr. Lisas litterbox page..
http://www.catinfo.org/?link=litterbox

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

ugh .. mocha does this as well .. but it isn't every time either .. she does it when we are away for the day .. she does it when we won't play with her .. she does it when she wants our attention .. she does it when we've scolded her .. she does it basically any time she feels any kind of emotion that isn't happy :lol: She ALWAYS does it within a few feet of the box as if to say, see .. I COULD have gone in .. but I was mad so I didn't .. we have two boxes and she'll do this by either box, no preference .. thank goodness her poo's are solid though ..

 

[RuthV]

If it weren't such a pain, it'd be funny. Mine is pooping outside, too - but every once in a while, he'll use the box, after which I reward with treats and praise him to the stars. HIs diet is the same all the time. I clean the box religiously. He seems to go just outside - I have even caught him starting to go in the box, then jumps outside and goes about two feet away. He's not constipated, nor is it diarrhea. DH says he does it for spite, but I think his age has something to do with it. Fortunately, his sitter hasn't refused to care for him, but I am sure he is doing with her too. I will try the clean, empty box too, but it's probl no worse to clean than off the tile floor. So far, not on the carpet - yay- except for a rare 'dropoff'. I have sprayed the area with No-go but I don't think that does a thing.

 

[RuthV]

Also, make sure you are enzyme cleaning any spots that he has pooped on. cats noses are much more sensitive than ours and cleaning it with regular cleaner may not take all the odor out, leading the cat to poop in the same spot.


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Can you give us a brand name of such a cleaner and where to buy it?

 

[Lisa and Merlyn (GA)]

Also, make sure you are enzyme cleaning any spots that he has pooped on. cats noses are much more sensitive than ours and cleaning it with regular cleaner may not take all the odor out, leading the cat to poop in the same spot.


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Can you give us a brand name of such a cleaner and where to buy it?

Anti Icky Poo
Petastic
Natures miracle *The original Natures miracle formula is now sold as Petastic* The current Natures Miracle doesnt seem as effective but is also an enzyme product
Odorxit

http://cats.about.com/od/cleaningmesses/tp/odorout.htm

Any major pet store will have something, many stock the Natures MIracle and nothing else but a small store might have better choices. Online catalogues probably have it, and also check hardware stores. Enzyme cleaners work on biological substances so they will also clean human messes.

Have you tried changing litters or styles of boxes for your kitty? When a cat goes RIGHT outside the box, especially as you say, he gets in and leaves and goes next to it.. usually (but not always) its something about the box they dont like.. depth of litter, type of litter, type of box.