My cat poops and pees where he sleeps. Is this a serious health issue?

Great question! This can mean a couple of things. It could be that Lancelot is sick. He could have diarrhea, stomach upset, may be in pain, have feline idiopathic cystitis, or bladder stones. He could be feeling so badly that it's not worth him getting out of the box only to have to return again. There are other reasons, such as feeling territorial and wanting to keep other cats from using it, but it's very important to rule out a medical cause first. He should see a vet for a check up, and I do recommend getting blood work and a urinalysis done. If he does have a medical reason for this behavior, the vet can diagnose it and discuss treatment options If he's healthy, the vet can discuss behavioral causes and treatment for that. I'd take him into the vet in the morning. I hope this helps!

Pebbles could be exhibiting this behavior for a few reasons. Here is a good article to explain the different reasons: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-top-5-reasons-your-cat-is-avoiding-her-litter-box-and-what-to/ Clean the mattress with a good enzymatic cleanser. This will to get rid of any smells. This behavior could be due to pain while having a bowel movement. Watch him closely for excessive straining or trouble passing stool. Check the stool for dryness or being excessively firm. You may want to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for Pebbles to have a physical exam. Bring in a fresh stool sample as well. Sometimes a higher fiber diet can help. If parasites are suspected, he should be dewormed as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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

I’m sorry to hear you are dealing with that, I know how frustrating it is. She might have a health issue, such as a urinary tract infection, bladder stone, or an endocrine disease, or it may just be behavioral. Take her to your vet to have her examined, and have some lab work run to rule out a medical cause. If it is behavioral, there are things you can do to try to help. You may find this article helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/inappropriate-elimination-urination-defecation-spraying-in/ Before we call it behavioral, a medical condition should be ruled out. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

These are very concerning signs - bleeding from the mouth can be a sign of a serious illness such as heart disease, severe liver or kidney disease, a clotting disorder, or severe dental problems. Combined with the fact that he is just laying down and pooping without realizing it, I would be very worried that he has a serious, life-threatening problem as this is extremely abnormal in cats - it often indicates that they are so weak and sick that they don't notice or care that they are soiling themselves. I would recommend getting your kitty to an emergency vet right away - he/she can do a thorough oral exam, and may also need to do blood work and x-rays to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to help him.

If this was a once-time occurence, I wouldn't worry too much. But cat's shouldn't really urinate when they are sleeping. They can develop urinary incontinence which is most evident when they have been laying and there is a small amount of urine when they get up. Sometimes a UTI or other urinary issues can present similarly to incontinence. If you notice the leaking urine continues, then your cat should get checked out by a vet to see what is going on.

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.