My old cat is having a problem not going in the litter box?

Question

Our oldest cat is about 11 or 12 years old, a couple of months ago she started pooping in my mom's bath tub. The first couple of times we dismissed it because we thought maybe the litter box was getting to dirty for her. But then she just kept on doing it, my mom started letting water sit in the tub so she wouldn't get in it and it worked, but then she started going to our main bath and doing it in there. It always happens at night, so we close the shower door so she couldn't get in the tub. Well then she started going right next to the tub, I don't really know what made her start doing this unless she's just mad because of the two other cats we have, which one is about 7 and the other is 1, so they are staggered and it's not like she's had a lot of new cats at once. We haven't moved or had anything going on inside the house that might make her mad. I'm starting to wonder if it's just old age. But I really would like to know how to get it to stop.

Thank you all for the answers! They are really helping me think of ways to help her.

Our house is split level, and the only place to put the litter box to keep it out of our way also is up by my room. Which is plenty of privacy for the cat because it has a little landing and then my room, an no traffic whatsoever. The litter box is not a "litter box" because we have 3 cats my mom wanted something larger, it's a storage box, that lays very low to the ground with hardly no wall for her to have to climb over, I guess it could be that she's getting older and lazier to go up the extra flight of stairs, but they are not a large amount and she has to go up one to get to the bathrooms anyway. lol I guess I will recommend to my mom to take her to the vet, we are good about taking them to the vet if need be, and I know my mom is not ready to give up her cat yet to old age. Hopefully it's something that can be fixed.... keep giving answers and suggestions if you have'em!

Answer 1

Hi there...if this is something that recently developed, first consider all the possibilities such as:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up. Some cats block access to the box.
- senior cats (10/11 years) develop age-related diseases such as hyperthyroidsim, chronic renal failure, diabetes, etc.
- arthritic cats have a difficult time climbing/jumping over the edge of the box, therefore sometimes using a box with lower sides may be helpful

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

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Answer 2

well we rescued our cat and she does the same thing. We were on vacation and we saw a baby kitten, she was old enough to walk around though. We asked around if anyone knew whos it was and after a while no one knew whos it was...we couldnt find the mother either. We took her home and she has become a great cat who loves people and isnt mean whatsoever. The only problem we have with her is that the doesnt burry her poop but she uses the litter box just fine. We found out that the mother will teach the kitten to burry the poop so since she didnt have a mother for a while she never learned. It isnt a big issue so you dont really need to do anything.

Answer 3

This may just be old age setting, but I would suggest trying this. If you can move her litter box into the bathroom, if it's already there great. Scoop the box just before you go to bed at night and lock her in the bathroom with the litter box, you'll probably need to get another litter box for your other cats. If her box has a lid, remove it or switch it out with the other cats. Sometimes as a cat ages they get very finicky, I don't know what type of box or litter you use, so adjust my suggestions to fit your needs. If you have closed box open it, open box close it. If you're using clumping litter try a non-clumping litter (I like Feline Pine and Yesterday News) sometimes the silica dust in the other litters irritate the cats. Does she have her own box? But the biggest thing is to confine her to a bathroom at night with her own box. Then you can see what is really going on. Best of luck!

Answer 4

We had an old cat that started using a bedroom closet as a litter box, and a few months later passed away. It could be a sign that something is wrong, so I'd suggest taking her to the vet for a checkup. I've also read/heard that you should have a litter box for every cat, and at least one on each floor. If you only have one, I'd suggest getting at least one more, and try cleaning them daily and see if that makes a difference.

Answer 5

When a cat does this all of a sudden, usually it is a signal that something is wrong internally - kidney stones, UTI or something of that sort that makes peeing sometimes a painful affair. Your cat may have had pain at one point when using the litter box and now associates that pain with the box itself. So, she avoids the box. If I were you, I'd get her checked by the vet just to rule out possible medical problems.

Answer 6

Is his litter box hard to get to? I ask that because my mother has an old cat that hates having to walk down a flight of stairs to use the box. Another reason could be that he thinks there are too many other cats in the house.

Answer 7

I had a cat that would do that too. She also took a poop in the middle of my bed one day---when I forgot to let her out! I was furious! Anyway, that incident made me wonder if she wasn't showing some kind of emotion or "talking" to me in some way. Same thing with the tub..... My suggestion....put a litter box in the tub. Perhaps she likes the privacy..... Good luck! B

Answer 8

The people above are correct in saying that there should be one box for each cat. I had a similar problem and although it took up another space in the house and was another stink source, it TOTALLY helped. I am just here to testify that having a box per cat worked like a charm for me! Good Luck!

Answer 9

Keep the litterbox clean and check her for any infections (urinary, etc) or renal function at this age, because she may have associated the litterbox to some discomfort when she uses it. Prhaps she also pees there but you just can't see the pee afterwards, because it drains. Also when she poops outside, take the poop, when she sees you, put it in the litterbox, and say Here!. Let her see that, and then clean the litterbox. Also don't leave any smell of the poop at your bath. So have a blood and urine test, it's good to have a check up at this age anyway.

Answer 10

It is age and could be indicative of a health problem. cats who stop using the litter box - even just going right beside the box - tend to be diagnosed with with some kind of illness.

It could be she is also just getting old and it could be hard for her to get in and out of that box now. Try a lower sided litter box.

Answer 11

I'd advise taking your cat to the vet as soon as possible. My mom's cat started doing stuff like this around that same age, and it turned out he had a health problem.