My cat shoots poop outside the box. Is he too big or in pain?

Dasher may have just missed the box. Since he is an older kitty, he also may have been in pain from arthritis and may have decided not to go all the way into the box. If you notice that he walk stiffly or has swollen joints, then you can get a larger soft plastic box and cut an entrance, so he does not have to climb into the box. There is also a chance that he is not feeling well overall today and missed the box because of that. I would not worry about it too much until it becomes a problem.

It could be that the box is too small for Remmy and that's why he isn't pooping in the box. He's moving to get more space, and the poop falls out as he does. It could also be that he has some arthritis making it painful for him to squat to poop. He sounds like a big cat, and is he's a bit too heavy, that can cause pain in his joints. Give his vet a call to make him an appointment to discuss this behavior. It may be he needs to lose some weight, and you need to get a bigger litter box. I hope this helps!

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.

Poor Bear! If this behavior is usually triggered by pooping, it's likely that he has some type of pain or discomfort when he defecates - some possibilities would include an anal gland infection, hip or spinal arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or some other medical problem. I'm not sure what kind of testing has been done so far, but I would definitely suggest blood work and x-rays at a minimum to help identify any potential problems that could be causing discomfort. Your veterinarian can also check his anal glands to see if they are overly full or infected. A trial course of pain medication might also be helpful to see if this improves the behavior. I would suggest talking with your veterinarian about these options, or seeking a second opinion from another vet in your area if needed.

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.

It is best to try a long tupperware like the under-the-bed sweater box ( see the one linked below) for a litter box. All the studies done show that cats prefer to have a litter box that is 1-1/2 times their length. See if this helps. I would also recommend using some Feliway diffusers especially in the room that contains the litter box (es). If all this fails, I suggest you take Crispy to your vet for an exam and fecal test to check for any abnormalities. https://www.walmart.com/ip/IRIS-USA-41-Quart-Underbed-Plastic-Storage-Box-Clear/54515534 https://www.feliway.com/us/Products/FELIWAY-CLASSIC-Diffuser

Dexter is adorable! Thanks for including a picture and giving such a thorough history. Unfortunately, it is very common for older cats to have changes in their bathroom habits. The first thing I would recommend would be to have your vet examine Dexter and check a fecal sample on him to make sure that there isn't a medical cause for him to be defecating outside the box. Older cats commonly have arthritis along their back which may interfere with their comfort getting into the litter box or squatting to defecate. If Dexter has ever had pain associated with squatting to defecate, he may associate it with the litter box and may avoid the litter box for defecation. So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Dexter to see if they find any signs of arthritis that may benefit from medication or other treatment. If your vet can't find a medical reason, then the next step is to look at litter box issues. Even if a cat has been tolerant of a slightly dirty litter box previously, sometimes this changes as they get older. That may mean that if there is ANY urine or stool in a box, then they won't use it. Why this sometimes involves only stool and not urine, we can't always tell. But the first step in any inappropriate elimination case is to make sure that there are the "correct" number of litter boxes in the house which is the number of cats plus one, so that would be 2 boxes in your house. Those boxes must be cleaned at least once daily. Some people use an automatic cleaning litter box for one of their boxes to make sure that there is always a clean box. Cats tend to dislike covered or lined litter boxes, so I would eliminate those if they are as issue. This handout deals mostly with inappropriate urination, but has some good suggestions for litter box issues. veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.