What causes a cat to suddenly pee and poop outside the litter box?

If you've already had Tigger checked out by a vet after the accidents started, then looking to other causes, such as stress, may be the next best step. Did you get a new pet in the house recently? A new cat? A new baby or person living there? Moved? These can all be stressful events to cats which may changed their habits. Tigger is also VERY young, and so may not be 100% on his litter box training yet, which is common to young cats that weren't raised by their mothers and taught how to use a litter box. Making sure Tigger has his own place to use the litter box without other people, pets or cats vying for the space may help. You may also want to bring him to that space every hour or so to encourage him to use it and go potty. If you find stool on the floor, bringing it to the litter box and burying it in front of him may help teach him that this is the appropriate place to go. Pheromone diffusers can also help calm stressed cats down, and may help him feel calm enough to use the litter box. Make sure the litter is also something he likes (no sudden changes), and that he can climb into the box without hurting himself. If the problem continues, talking with your vet again may be best. It is possible that internal parasites, food issues, or even an underlying issue is causing him to have accidents.

If this is a recent behavior change for Cuddles, the first step would be to have him examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - there are a number of medical problems that can cause accidents outside the litter box, so your vet may recommend basic blood work and other testing to check for any evidence of a problem. If everything comes back normal, then it is likely that the issue is behavioral. Having accidents like this is often a stress or anxiety-related behavior in cats - if there have been any recent changes in the household, such as a new pet or a new baby, a move to a new house, or a guest staying with you, these could all be reasons for him to be pottying in inappropriate places. There may also be something about the litter box that he finds objectionable - he may not like the type of litter provided, or the location of the box. It can sometimes take some detective work to pinpoint the problem in cases like this, so if you're still stumped, I would consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can meet your cat in person and do an in-depth evaluation to help diagnose the problem and develop a plan to treat it. In the meantime, you can try a Feliway diffuser in the house or a natural calming supplement such as Composure to see if this helps.

Have him physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose injury or infection. Typically, either can be the root cause for a sudden change in behavior. If he gets the "all clear", survey the area in and around the house for any negative stimuli. Reduce or eliminate them if found. Consider using a litterbox attractant to entice him back into the box. Try different types, brands and depths of litter also. He may have a preference. A pheromone product, such as Feliway spray or plug in diffusers, may help to decrease any stress or anxiety in the home.

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!

It sounds as Tiggert is suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, possibly an infection. it could also be due to ingestion of a foreign body material. i would recommend taking him to the vet the first chance you get, he will need to be checked first, if the vet thinks it's a simple gastrointestinal infection he will need an anti vomiting injection, antibiotics and a special food for a few days in order to get better.

Inappropriate elimination can be caused by a range of issues. Medical issues can including, diarrhea, constipation, IBD, dietary intolerance or food allergies, intestinal parasites, pain while squatting, etc. There are also a range of behavioral and management issues including stress or anxiety, infrequent cleaning of the litter box, dislike for the type of litter or type of box, dislike for location of the box, etc. I would recommend that Teddy be examined by a vet for a potential medical issue. The vet may also be able to pinpoint what changes could have happened at home that caused Teddy to stop using the litter box. Until you see the vet, you may set up a second litter box in a new location to see if he prefers that. Here is some more information you may find useful: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=88 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3638 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1470

I'm sorry to hear about this! There are a few possibilities that may be happening. One could be that there is a problem such as pain or discomfort that is causing him to not use the box. If the sides are too tall or too hard to get into it may stop him from being able to climb into the box. However, you may also see urine just outside of the box as well Second, it could be that he is climbing into the box, but is positioning his bottom over the edge on accident, especially if it is right next to the box and he is still urinating in it. Getting a box with taller sides or that is enclosed may help contain his stool and prevent it from falling over the edge. As with any health or behavior issue, a good first step is to schedule a vet visit to rule out any issues that could be causing this as well.