Why isnt my cat using his litter box anymore?

Question

this started a couple of weeks ago he has een using the litter box ever since he was a kitten and he is jus under 1yrs old.
The litter box is ALWAYS clean and has been in the same location ever since.we have 3 other cats (one 3yr old and two under 1yr old).
He usually goes under the couch,bed,table, just anywhere with carpet i have no idea what to do with him plzz some1 help me.
How can i stop him peeing and pooing everywhere?

Thanx in advance =) (HeLp)

Ok there is nothing wrong with him peeing or pooing its jus where he does it i have been watching him when he poo's and wee's but its all fine its jus where he does it .=)
Thanx

Answer 1

1. It is imperative to evaluate and rule out a medical cause for the problem. Have your cat checked thoroughly by your veterinarian first.
2. Remove covers from litter boxes.
3. Give the cat a choice of litter types. Cats generally prefer unscented clumping litter with a medium to fine texture.
4. Scoop at least once a day. Once a week, clean the entire box with warm water (no soap) and completely replace litter.
5. Clean “accidents” thoroughly with an enzymatic cleanser designed to neutralize the odor.
6. If the cat is soiling around just a few spots in the home, place litter boxes there. If it is not possible put a box in one of these spots, place the cat’s food bowl, water bowl, bed, and/or toys in the area to discourage elimination.
7. Offer different types of litter in boxes placed side-by-side to allow the cat to demonstrate his preferences for litter type.

Answer 2

It is definately wise to consult your vet first off if there is a problem like this. Cats are very good at hiding illness, it's a remnant of their wild past in which illness would make them weak and vulnerable to attack from other animals. Usually the first sign of illness is behavioural problems, he may be experiencing pain when he uses the box, causing him to associate the pain with the box so he won't go in there. Even if he's peeing fine, it could still indicate an infection and he will drink a lot and pee a lot as his body tries to flush out the toxins but the bacteria will remain.

Has he been declawed? This can cause litterbox problems as they can't dig in the litter the way they want to.

Is he neutered? The warmer months bring females into heat and a male can sense them from miles away, their scent is carried on the wind. He may be distressed if there are other cats hanging around your home, even if you can't see them, he knows they're there and he's marking his territory.

Have you changed his brand or type of litter? Cats generally don't like their litter changed once they are used to a particular one.

You have to really clean the carpet with an enzyme based laundry detergent or a cleaner like it from the pet store. Using products containing ammonia (benzylkonium chloride) or bleach (sodium hypochlorite) will bring him back to those areas as those chemicals are excreted in cat urine and he will believe another cat has peed there and will pee there again himself to leave the scent saying "This is MY house, go away"

He may be bored, you can try moving his food around the house from day to day so he has to look for it, this satisfies the hunting instinct and will help to stop him eliminating as generally cats will not eliminate where their food and water is. Also make sure his food isn't too close to his litter tray. Also you can hide some of his daily food allowance in paper bags or boxes with no lids, he will have fun trying to find it.

There are many reasons cats do this, the causes are as unique as the cat and the solution. You could try having a few litter trays around with different types of litter in it and keep track to see which one he seems to prefer over the other. There should always be one more tray than the number of cats you have. If you have two cats, then you have three trays, if you have four cats, five trays.

Often the dominant cat will do this as the other cats can't cover it over, usually the dominant cat will leave their stuff uncovered but if the other cats are covering it for him, he could be annoyed and may be making a play for top cat if he isn't already.

I hope you find the answer, it is frustrating to say the least.

Answer 3

Your little cat isn't a kitten anymore, now he is older, the other cats in the household may be intimidating him because he is the least dominant. I have three cats and find that there needs to be two large tubs with litter, placed in different rooms to keep my three cats settled and able to find some toilet time privacy. It's rare for more than two of the three to want the litter box at the same time.
Put the new litter tub somewhere he knows about and discourage the others from using it for the time being. My three now do the tit for tat thing, the hidaway cat uses the box in the bathroom and the elderly white cat uses the box in the hidaway cats room just because she can.
When you wash the carpet, rinse well with water and disinfectant in it, then pound the moisure out with an old towel. Some people are lucky and have a steam cleaner on hand.
Cheers,
Shona

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my cat. The first thing I did was get him neutered. That was the vet's advice. They said that my cat was just marking his territory. So I got him neutered but he was still peeing everywhere.

The next thing I did was re-train him to pee in his litter box. I did this by keeping a close eye on him for a few days. Every time he looked like he was going to pee or spray, I'd carry him to his litter box and made sure he did his business there. It also helps to talk to your cat while doing this. Just tell them in a soft voice that this is where he should pee, not anywhere else in the house.

But whatever it is, you should first get your cat neutered as this will stop them from wanting to mark their territory. Hope this works!

Answer 5

Has he been neutered? Male cats will do this when threated by other males. If he is doing it to mark territory you will not stop him from continuing it.
Take him to the vet to be sure he does not have a urinary tract infection or feline cystitis. My male cat had feline cystitis & was urinating all the time(sometimes asap after leaving the cat box or on the way to the cat box)but it looked like a thick white clear glue liquid. I started feeding him canned catfood with added warm water(to increase water intake)& he cleared up. Of course it is one year later & I still give him the dry food & 2 times a day he eats the "gravied canned food"to ensure he gets enough water. No sign of anymore trouble since.

Answer 6

Has he been declawed? Many declawed cats stop using the box even after their paws heal up, sometimes they're still sensitive or because the pain immediately after the surgery has 'trained' them in not using the harsh litter & burying their waste.

Have there been any changes in your household; are you out a lot more, other animals (dog, any other pet), anything that could cause stress?

Try getting him a litterbox of his own, some cats don't want to share it, he wouldn't have minded as long as he's still very young but now he's getting older.

Has he been neutered? Non-neutered males want to mark their territory!

Answer 7

you could try a litter box with a hood in a seperate place for him. I've got 2 cats frankie & benny they where trained perfect then a few moth ago frankie started to hide under beds etc. my auntie told me some cats are like humans and want their privacey so i bought a hooded tray and there's been no poo hidden anywhere since. Least until i got my puppy the other month n i had to start with him lol xxx

Answer 8

Your cat might not like sharing the litter box with the other cats. Some cats get like that.

You can get another littler box and try to retrain him. In order to retrain him you will have to keep him in a small area for a few days with his litter box and food. A good place is the bathroom.

Is your cat neutered? If he isn't I would get him done fast he could even be marking his territory.

Good luck.

Answer 9

He either has a urinary tract infection or bladder crystals. Careful because this may cause the urethra to block to male cats, and they can die within hours. Make sure he is peeing properly, and take him to a vet to have his urine analysed. If you can take a sample in a sterile cup, putting it under his tail when he pees. He may need antibiotics. In the meantime, give him canned food, preferably Hill's c/d or Royal Canin Urinary or some urinary formula, and add some water to the canned food. Or give him extra water with a syringe, without needle. The more dilute the urine is, the more the problem is solved.

Keep us posted!

Answer 10

gud to know ur cat is fine