How can I get My Cat to stop going outside of the litter box?

Question

I have two cats and two litter boxes, but one cat continually poops outside the box. We thought it was to tell us she's upset about when we leave on vacation or there's not enough food or water, but we haven't been on vacation in a long time, and there has been adequate food and water. Anyone else have this problem??

Oh, and we regularly clean both boxes.

Answer 1

Hi there......please 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
- unspayed/un-neutered if cat is over the age of 5-7 months. Cats will become aggressive as they sexually mature and territorially mark with either urine or defecating.
-senior cats over the age of 10 develop age-related disorders/diseases such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc.

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.

...please consider visiting the website for further details

Answer 2

It's possible the cat could be ill, and is responding to stress or pain by going out of the box.

If the litterboxes are plastic, over time odors will soak into them that can't be removed - you might not be able to smell it, but it's strong to a cat's sensitive nose. Try replacing the litterboxes with new ones.

If the litterbox is covered, the cat may have been frightened in or near it and is reluctant to use it again - try using an uncovered box.

The box might be too small, especially if your cat is getting older and less flexible, or has gained weight. Most commercial litterboxes are too small for a full-sized housecat to move around in freely. Try using a jumbo-sized box, or a plastic storage bin instead (you can cut the side down for the cat to step in, or set a stool nearby for the cat to jump into it).

Have you switched litters? Try using a fine-grained soft clumping litter like Cat Attract from the pet store. Avoid litters with a hard, pebble-like texture, scented litters, or using scented cleaning products or air fresheners close to the box.

Make sure the litterbox is in a quiet place where the cat won't be bothered by other pets, kids, or noisy appliances.

Definitely try adding a third box.

Has anything else around the house changed? Could there be a stray cat coming around that is upsetting your cat? A Feliway plug-in diffuser from the pet store can help with stress and territory issues. Setting aside time each day for individual play & attention can help too.

This article has good info that might help too: http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm

Answer 3

I had this problem with my cat when we first got him. I took him to the vet and he suggested getting a larger and deeper litter box for him. Every cat is particular. So now my cat actually poops in one and pees in the other. 2 litter boxes for one cat. Talk about being organized! So try a larger and deeper little box to see if that makes a difference. I found a really good one at Zellers. Not sure if they still have them though. But there is no harm in trying. Also, if you are keeping both litter boxes in the same area, one may not be completely OK with that. Try moving it to a different location and re-introducing him to the litter box. It will take time and patience. But its worth the try.

Answer 4

Assuming you're cleaning out the box regularly, there are two options:

1) Change the brand of kitty litter. The cat may not like the brand you're using (smell, feel, etc.)

2) Use litter boxes with sides and a top.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I have 3 cats & they all share the same litter box.

When one of my cats start to go outside the box, I pretty much know it's because of the 'smell' the other cats left behind. So I would immediately change the litter box & then my cat would go.

But all cats are different... Also, you might want to check & see if your cat has any internal digestive problems.

Answer 6

The one that goes outside the box, did she ever go in the box? That is real important. I know some kittens are harder to break than others. If you can get some of the poop she's leaving in other places & put it in the box it helps. It would help too if you could get the urine scent inside the box. I don't know, cats are sooo strange. I have a large male that was perfectly litter box trained & when he got older & started going outside in the backyard to play he won't use the box anymore. Now I have to watch him & if I see he's looking for a place, I ask him if he wants to go outside & I walk toward the backdoor he will come running. I had another male that use to go to the door & meow to go out & when he was thru he's come to the door & meow to be let back in. Who knows, it could be anything. Good luck.

Answer 7

Get a separate litter box and place it where she/he is going most often. Try and get it to start using the box there, then slowly migrate it to where you'd like it to be. I have a friend who just did this with a 15 year old cat who would never use a litter box in her life and it worked great.

Answer 8

Get another litter box. General rule: You get one more litter box than you have cats.

But if you feel that 2 is more than enough (which my coworker does) you might want to try changing the litter, or the box itself. He/she may not like covered boxes or if it isnt' covered he/she may want some privacy. Another factor could be that the box smells like the other cat. Cats are territorial and depending on which cat is in charge the other will respect that territory and won't deficate or urinate in the box (which smells like the other cat).

Short of keeping the cats seperate you can try to get an automatic litter box (helps to cut down on odor also), or toilet train your cats. (It's not as hard as you might think). There are several web sits that sell kits fairly cheap and guides you through the process. Petsmart/Petco used to sell them also.

Good Luck.

Answer 9

i have the same problem i have two cats with two litter boxes and one was constantly going outside of the box, the problem may be in the litter you might have to change it or maybe the box isnt being cleaned enough

clean it everyday or change the litter
hope that helps

Answer 10

Put them in the litter box and make them stay there until they go to the bathroom.