Why is my cat using the litter box to urinate, but using area rugs to defecate?

Question

I volunteer on an ambulance, and was given the cat by a twp police officer after it was rescued by our local pd several days ago. I purchased a littler box for the cat immediately, but the cat won't use it to defecate. The cat urinates in the litter box, but uses various area rugs to defecate. I made a second litter box out of a cardboard box and used a different brand of litter (also placed it where she's been defecating), but the cat with still only use it to urinate. Any ideas on how to get the cat to start disposing of her waste approriately?

Answer 1

I had that problem once.
Pick-up their turds with a papertowel, and put them in the litterbox. The next few times they are in the litterbox peeing, they will see them. Skip the whole "vet thing."
I only had to do this 4 or 5 times, before my cat realized he was supposed to be doing "both" in the litterbox. Worked like a charm!

Good luck! :)

Answer 2

We have an 8 year old cat who started doing this after I rescued another kitty and she started coming the house. I tried everything I could think of, from picking up his poop and putting it in the box. My vet says he's just trying to get the point across to me, because he was the head honcho for 5 years, and all of a sudden he had to share us. I did, however, realise that there are some kitty litters that he just doesn't like. He hates the clumping litter, and doesn't like Tidy Cat clay litter. So I started buying Fresh Step clay litter, and during the warm months when the other cat is mostly outside, he uses his box 100%. Sometimes it just takes alot of patience and waiting for cats to come around. Try changing the litter brand? He may just be trying to adjust to a new home....you probably don't know it's history, so who knows if there is any abuse in it's background. Cat's pretty much do what they want, when they want...all we can do is be loving and patient. Best of luck to you. BTW- don't you just love all the idiotic answers you get. You are trying to ask a legit question, and you get brain-dead people answering. I sure hope they aren't animal owners.

Answer 3

Sorry i have no cats right now, use to have cats but mine got outside and was killed by an on comming truck several years ago but I crate trained my cat as a kitten. had litter box in the crate cause cats do'nt normaly like to pee or poop were they sleep, but that probly won't work for you cause yours is an loder at im assuming. Try picking up the poop dummping some in the litter box in the mean time have those rugs cleaned really well cause, the cat can smell were hes pooped or peed before cause the smell stays behind alot of the time even though you may not smell it cats sence of smells greater then ours and is likely to keep reapeating the bad habbit if you don't get the rugs cleaned really well or replace them with new ones . but before replacing them with new ones try to make sure he going the way he or she is suppose too. Some cats are hard to break Good Luck.....

Answer 4

More than likely, she is stressed and just marking her territory using feces. Less common than urine, but not unheard of. This would make sense if she was abused or traumatized. Poor thing.

Just to be safe, take her to the vet for a full physical. Just as some cats urinate on the floor when they have a painful urinary infection to get your attention, the same may be happening here. Perhaps she has a bowel infection, condition, or even parasites.

If she gets a clean bill of health, give her lots of love and time to adjust. Do not scold her. When she does it, pick her up, make her smell the spot where she had the accident, and say "no". Then place her in her box.

This should do the trick after awhile.

Answer 5

You may have to seriously consider removing all occassional rugs for the time being. For some reason, some cats are attracted to rugs for use as a toilet - perhaps becuase they can "flip-fold" it to cover their poop or becuase the scent triggers their marking instinct (some cats that have been neutered young use poop to mark).
At the same time, put some of your cat's poop in the litter box and leave it there. He can't help but notice it when he climbs in to pee. Then he'll know that the litter bo is where his poop should be.
When he does poop in the litter box, PRAISE him exceedingly. I did this to my cat. Now he poops and pees in the litterbox wehncommanded to do so. I just say to him, "pee-pee-a-poo-poo" and he is sure to produce something for me. Then I praise him.

Good of you to give that poor kitty a home and very very good of you to be so patient with him. Truly appreciate such folks like you.

Answer 6

How previous is your cat? some cats refuse to apply a muddle tray if the muddle isn't wiped sparkling out each and all of the time. possibly the muddle on the backside of the tray is moist or stinky and he has desperate he will use something much less stinky. Older cats tend to get a splash humorous with muddle trays, there in many circumstances is not any genuine reason in basic terms because of the fact they might. Has your cat been wormed at present ? something exchange in the domicile those days or has the muddle tray been moved?

Answer 7

Try rewarding the cat with treats everytime s/he urinates in the box, s/he will start connecting that everytime she uses the box treats could follow

Answer 8

you should squirt it with a cat thing that trains cats when it poops on the rug thats how i trained my sisters cats

Answer 9

Listen carefully...the damn cat wants to die okay...just kidding...before you hit the thumb down the poor cat probably never been train and has a habit of doing what it is doing...where ever.

Answer 10

You just let the cat go dookie wherever the cat wants to go dookie, or else!