Why does my cat poop outside the litter box and how can I stop it?

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

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.

Defecation outside the litterbox can be due to infection, constipation, difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Leo seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. It is also possible that Leo is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Leo’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com . Good luck!

Is this a new behavior? Is the stool firm and hard? If it is firm and hard then it may be from her being constipated. If it is soft and she has diarrhea, she can have intestinal parasites or she could have eaten something that upset her stomach. I would recommend having a stool sample performed to make sure there are no parasites and to see the consistency of the stool. If the veterinarian says everything is fine then I would use at least 2 litter boxes with clumping litter. Make sure you have a box on each level. I would also consider medication to help with the behavior. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Litter box problems can be extremely frustrating! Sometimes this can be managed by a few simple home modifications. For starters, add an extra litter box to the area where Shadow seems to be having his bowel movements - even if it that means that you have two litter boxes directly next to each other. If the current litter box has a hood/lid, leave the second litter box open, or vice versa. Also try using a calming pheromone diffuser (Feliway is one example) close to the litter boxes. If you have recently changed the type of litter being used, go back to the initial brand. If you have not changed the brand of litter, try using a different brand/type (such as Yesterday's News) in the second litter box. Also be sure to scoop the box several times per day - some cats will only use a pristine litter box. It may take a good bit of trial and error with some of these strategies to figure out what will work best for Shadow. If he continues to go outside of the litter box after a few weeks of trying some of these different strategies, it may be worth taking a trip to the vet to discuss a trial with anxiety management medications. I hope that all goes well!