Sometimes she poops in the litter box, sometimes nearby. The cat seems to have a health problem that all the vets could not identify. A kind of pain or distress. When she poops, she miaous nervously and then runs away. Any idea?
2006-10-27 04:16:52 · 10 answers · asked by rvincentzio 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
My 16 yr old cat was doing this same thing. Peeing in the box but pooping on the floor. My vet said anytime a cat doesn't use the litter box it's because it associates the box with pain. A urinary tract infection will make a cat do the same thing, avoid it's box. But anyway, the vet suggested that my cat was constipated and suggested putting some Metamucil (a laxative for humans) in his food, or some pumpkin right out of the can in his food. I tryed the Metamucil and he's just fine now.
2006-10-27 04:23:36 · answer #1 · answered by sparkie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are all really good answers. If the vet has seen her and ruled out bowel disorders etc. then I wonder if she does not feel vunerable while she is going? Perhaps the 2nd litter box should have a hood on it so she feels safe inside although you might have to pop her into it once or twice so she knows what it is. Also I have found that after an accident or when teachign a new kitten I leave a bit of the fecal matter in the box. I think the scent tells them that this is the right place for this and that it is safe. Good luck!
2006-10-27 04:42:38 · answer #2 · answered by suncat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, our cat used to do the same thing when we first got her.
Make sure the litter box is quite large, so she has plenty of room, that the litter is kept clean, and that it is super easy to get into. Sometimes people put the litter box away in a corner in the basement, for example. If the cat has to climb stairs or move between several rooms, this gives the cat less chance to reach the litter comfortable.
Also, young cats, like young human beings, have less control than adults and may not be too wise regarding litter.
One thing we used to do was put kitty litter directly on the ground outside in the back garden. The cat recognized this was litter and would, if it was outside, use the litter outside in the garden. This eventually trained it to go outside and use the flower beds for litter. Our family found this perfectly acceptable and easy for us - no cleanup. Of course, some people might be fussy about their flowers.
2006-10-27 04:23:16 · answer #3 · answered by old c programmer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cats need water and fat to keep their bowels moving easily. If your cat eats only dry food I would suggest you try some canned. You will need to do that to try the metmucil type products or the canned pumpkin. You can also use cooked squash. The pumpkin should be pure pumpkin and not the pie mixture which has sugar and spices. If you open a can of pumpkin you can freeze excess in ice cube trays and then put into a plastic bag to thaw out as needed for putting in the food.
If constipation is not the problem then you should definitely have another litterbox for her. Some cats really prefer to pee in one box and poo in another even if the boxes are kept scruplously clean.
2006-10-27 04:30:41 · answer #4 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This happened to a friend of mine. Her vet recommended that you lock the cat in a small room like the bathroom with only her litter box her food and water. Within a couple of days her kitty got the point, and now she has no problems. Good Luck.
2006-10-27 04:22:45 · answer #5 · answered by Elle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she's in pain, the vets should be able to identify it or do tests to identify it.
I notice at my house that my cats (3 of them) use two boxes for urine and one for poop. Try getting a second box and see if that doesn't alleviate the problem. You can also try putting shredded up newspaper in the bottom of that one also, some cats like to poop on paper (I don't know why).
2006-10-27 04:29:14 · answer #6 · answered by BVC_asst 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as for the in or near the box, it may be an issue of the cleanliness of the box. if the litter is wet, a cat won't put its paws in the box. as for the meowing nervously, that's a toughy. any problems other than that? does everything come out okay? if so, may be a privacy issue. if not, may be blockage.
2006-10-27 04:57:28 · answer #7 · answered by catsovermen 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Toss her out the window, then you don't have to worry about the distress, the poop or the litter box.
2006-10-27 04:21:04 · answer #8 · answered by Baxter's Dad 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
make an appointment with your vet and let him decide what the problem is here
thank you
2006-10-27 04:53:11 · answer #9 · answered by cooks delight 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She could have a lot of stress . try to show her she can trust you and be really nice to her..
2006-10-27 04:19:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋