Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One of my two girls has a habit that's becoming more noticeable: she is pooping outside of the litter box.
I have several litter boxes scattered throughout my home. I'm obsessive about keeping the litter clean and at a certain depth for them.
THere is one in particular who leaves soft stool right outside of the litter box. Not in the litter box, not 10 feet away, but right outside of it. And it's always within one foot of the litter box. The stool is brown,and semi formed.
I've brought this issue up to my vet but she has checked stool samples on both cats and state that the stool is fine. She does not seem helpful in providing any other recommendations. She only advised me to "keep an eye on it."
It's becoming a stressful issue for me to deal with as it's becoming more frequent (at least 1x/week) and ALWAYS and ONLY happens when I'm not home. When I'm home all day, the cats go to and from their litter boxes without any apparent issue.
There are no changes in their diets, behavior, or litter (well, let me correct that: The litter was changed about 2-3 months ago but the cats appear to like it). I just don't know which cat is the culprit. I check their bottoms as soon as I come home and see the waste but they clean themselves well so that's a wall I hit.
I've done a few internet searches and can't really get a clear understanding of what could be the problem. Do you have any thoughts and recommendations?
LOL erJunkie, sorry, not laughing at your issue, but it reminds me of a cat my wife and I had back in our younger days.
Darn animal would get in the box, and poop---all around the box, right outside it---but never in it! We ended up giving the cat to my best friend, who named him 'Trouble.' He let the cat outside, so end of my friend's problems with that.
Have you tried getting a covered litter box? If it was like our cat, he went inside the box, he just dangled his rear-end over the edge to do his business. Perhaps the cover would keep the stuff inside.
LOL erJunkie, sorry, not laughing at your issue, but it reminds me of a cat my wife and I had back in our younger days.
Darn animal would get in the box, and poop---all around the box, right outside it---but never in it! We ended up giving the cat to my best friend, who named him 'Trouble.' He let the cat outside, so end of my friend's problems with that.
Have you tried getting a covered litter box? If it was like our cat, he went inside the box, he just dangled his rear-end over the edge to do his business. Perhaps the cover would keep the stuff inside.
Hi terra! No worries
One box is covered and it's that box the has the issues surrounding it. The other boxes are open and seem to not have issues. Would covered vs uncovered litter boxes make a difference? I honestly have no idea .
Part of me wonders if it is some sort of stress reaction. My cats don't do well alone and always need constant attention. So, I dunno..
Put a box out with the old litter to see if that is the issue. All my bathroom rugs were ruined by poo during the litter wars with one cat I had. She'd pee in it, but poop quite near it to express her DISPLEASURE.
One box is covered and it's that box the has the issues surrounding it. The other boxes are open and seem to not have issues. Would covered vs uncovered litter boxes make a difference? I honestly have no idea .
Part of me wonders if it is some sort of stress reaction. My cats don't do well alone and always need constant attention. So, I dunno..
Remove the cover, or put an uncovered box there with the old litter in it, and see if that fixes the problem. Some cats do not care for cover litter boxes. If your cat decides she wants to poop in that particular box/place (for whatever reason) and she doesn't like the cover, that might be why she's going outside of it. Good luck.
Cats don't poop outside the box just to get even or anything like that. The cat is trying to tell you SOMETHING. Since it seems you have ruled out all other possibilities (that come to mind)...I'm with Catdad and his answer. Covered boxes are for the convenience of humans, not cats.
Many cats will tolerate them, but in a perfect world they prefer boxes where they don't feel vulnerable when using. A full view, of their surroundings, is best.
Quote:
Originally Posted by catdad7x
Remove the cover, or put an uncovered box there with the old litter in it, and see if that fixes the problem. Some cats do not care for cover litter boxes. If your cat decides she wants to poop in that particular box/place (for whatever reason) and she doesn't like the cover, that might be why she's going outside of it. Good luck.
the problem is I don't know which of the two is the culprit.
I recently picked them up from their sitter over a week ago (they get boarded at their vet's facility) and the vet told me that a specific cat was noticed to have softer stools that were intermittently runny. So, I think it's this same cat who's doing it. But as I mentioned: it only happens when I'm not home. So it's hard to figure out who's having the issue.
I'll try to uncover the box to see if this makes a difference.
the problem is I don't know which of the two is the culprit.
I recently picked them up from their sitter over a week ago (they get boarded at their vet's facility) and the vet told me that a specific cat was noticed to have softer stools that were intermittently runny. So, I think it's this same cat who's doing it. But as I mentioned: it only happens when I'm not home. So it's hard to figure out who's having the issue.
I'll try to uncover the box to see if this makes a difference.
Separate them. I had to separate my two a few times to see who was doing what.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
