My cat keeps going outside the litter box. Is it a medical issue?

There are a few things to consider; some cats will go in the corner of the litter box, so they end up hanging their tush over the edge and it goes out of the box. You could try a litter box with a cover or with high sides to see if that helps. The size of the box and ease of entry is something else to consider. If she is still small enough that she has to leap into something that she can't see into, getting in the box may be a bit daunting. Make sure the has an approachable entry for her. Also consider if you changed the type or brand of cat litter. Some cats can be very picky. Go back to the old brand if you have switched. If you have not made a change it cat litter, you can also try a cat litter called Cat Attract-- its a brand of cat litter that most cats accept very well. Another thing to keep in mind is other cats and the location of the boxes. If you have multiple cats, make sure that you have enough litter boxes. If you have 2 cats, have 3 boxes. If you have 4 cats, have 5 boxes. I know that seems like a lot, but its the best way to prevent negative cat interactions near a litter box, and avoid them feeling territorial. If you have an older cat, the box may have been "occupied" when she needed to go, or she may have been intimidated by the other cat being nearby and didn't want to get in a confrontation. To be thorough, I would also recommend that you take her to your vet to see if there's any medical issue going on that could be contributing. Take a stool sample with you. If she has intestinal parasites or other causes of inflammation in her intestine, she could be having some urgency that doesn't allow her to quite get into the box. Also, if she is painful somewhere, she may be trying to avoid getting up into the box. I hope that helps you. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his defecating outside the box. Once medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other explanations. Has there been a lot of activity that wasn't normal? Were you away and your cat was left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox located in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Have you changed the brand of litter or kind? Is there something about the spot he has chosen to use that is attracting him in some way? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction. The litter box may not be big enough. The general rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly washed with soap and water only. You can also offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don't recommend the crystal kind, it makes a hissing sound when wet that can startle some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren't giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat's preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine

Oh dear! Having accidents outside the litter box is definitely a frustrating problem. Since it sounds like this is a fairly recent behavior change for Zeno, the first thing I would suggest is to have her checked by your vet to see if there may be a medical problem causing this - she may have a bladder infection, intestinal parasites, or something causing pain when she tries to potty, since all of these can lead to accidents in strange places. If your vet agrees that she is healthy, then the problem may be purely behavioral. In most cases, if a cat is using the bathroom right beside the litter box, this indicates that they are finding something about the litter box itself objectionable. It might be too small, not clean enough, or she may not like the scent or texture of the litter inside. In that case, I would recommend offering her a few different litter boxes to choose from, with different types of litter inside so that you can see what she prefers. In general, most cats prefer a large litter box with plenty of room for them to turn around, dig in the litter, etc. They also tend to prefer clumping, unscented litter and no cover on the box. You should also be scooping the litter box at least daily, and changing out the litter entirely at least 1-2 times a month. Some cats are extremely fastidious and will not use a litter box if it has any urine or feces in it at all, so in that case you may need to scoop several times a day, or provide multiple litter boxes so that she always has a clean one available.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tobei. First, it is a good idea for him to see his veterinarian to determine there is not a medical cause contributing to his condition. For example, a disease that will increase his thirst will make him urinate more and this can lead to going out of th box. If he does not have an underlying disease, then it is a behavioral problem. In this case, you need a minimum of one litterbox for every cat in the house plus one. Most cats prefer uncovered boxes. The boxes need to be in safe locations away from loud noises such as appliances. Older cats are prone to arthritis and it can be difficult to get in and out of the litterbox. In this case using the lid to a large Sterilite storage container is an option. The very low lip may make it easier for him to access it. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Dusty. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian to ensure that he does not have a medical problem. If he is healthy, then it is more likely a behavioral issue. Yes, I recommend scooping his box daily. You should one litter box per cat plus one. So that means two boxes for one or three boxes if you have two cats. Most cats prefer large litter boxes and ones that are uncovered. I hope this information helps!

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Inappropriate elimination (peeing or pooping outside the litter box) in cats can be frustrating and difficult to treat. The first step you should take is scheduling an appointment for Udang to see a veterinarian. A lot of times a cat will start going outside of the litter box due to health problems like urinating tract infections, pain, urinary tract inflammation and digestive problems. Once you have established that there aren't any medical reasons for inappropriate elimination the following may be helpful: 1. Cats will urinate or defecate outside of the litter box for stress related reasons. Therefore it is best to keep the litter boxes in several different, quiet areas of the household. 2. A pheromone diffuser like Feliway can be quite helpful. 3. Ensure you have at least one litter box in the household per cat plus one. For example, if you have 3 cats, then 4 litter boxes are recommended. 4. Feeding an all canned food diet can help if there is inflammation in the bladder. There are also prescription diets available to help with bladder inflammation or digestive issues. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best one for your cat. 5. The litter boxes should be cleaned once to twice daily and completely emptied and washed weekly. Most cats prefer litter to be the clumping type that is kept a few inches deep. Certain litter types like Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter may be helpful. 6. You can also place aluminum foil over the areas Udang normally likes to urinate to prevent him from going in that area. If you have done a lot of the above suggestions you may also want to talk to your veterinarian about behavioral medications that may help prevent inappropriate urination. Good luck!

I hate to hear that Moonshine is having this issue. Try adding a second litter box and make sure to clean the boxes daily. Studies have shown that cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes with a clumping clay based litter. They want to box to be in a private area where they cannot be trapped by other pets. Certainly make sure you are sticking to the guidelines. Experiment with different locations of the box and see if he has a preference. Some cats who poop outside the litter box can actually have pain when they have bowel movements and this could contribute to the behavior. You may try changing the diet and see if this helps. Feeding a mainly canned food diet will help with the water content. Look for foods with high fiber contents as this helps bowel motility. Lastly, there is a diet made specifically for cats with bowel issues. Its made by Royal Canin and it is called Fiber Response. Cats tend to do very well on this diet. I think a diet change will help to know if this is related to a medical issue. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any additional questions!