My 10-year-old cat stopped burying litter. Is she sick or in pain?

Hi there. Yes, you could certainly try leaving the litter box in your attached bathroom so that it's closer and easier for her to get to, as a starting point. But in a cat this age, I would be very suspicious of an underlying medical issue causing this behavior - this can be true even if she appears generally healthy otherwise, on the outside. Possible causes would include hyperthyroidism, a GI problem such as chronic pancreatitis or inflammatory bowel disease, or arthritis making it difficult or painful for her to get into the litter box when she needs to go. I would recommend a vet visit for a thorough physical exam and some basic lab work to check for these issues. If she has a medical problem of some kind, having it treated appropriately will often resolve the unwanted accidents.

Oh no, that's not good! Ellli is an older girl, and arthritis is common in older cats. If her litter box is covered, it could be painful for her to crouch to poop, so she's doing it outside the box because it's less painful for her. It could also be that she is constipated. When cats are constipated, it becomes painful for them to pass feces due to straining, and that leads to an aversion of the box. I would start feeding her some canned food, and adding some low sodium beef or chicken broth to her dry food to get more moisture into her diet. I also recommend having her seen by a vet for a health check.

This is a non-specific sign of illness that is often seen in cats - it sounds like Kali isn't feeling well, or may be in pain for some reason. There are many things that could cause this in an 11-year-old cat, including liver or kidney disease, diabetes, arthritis, or even some type of cancer. I would recommend taking Kali to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to - he/she can do blood work or other testing if needed to help determine what's wrong.

Poor kitty! In a 13 year old cat, I strongly suspect that she has a medical problem causing these issues. Some common possible causes would include hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. I would recommend taking her to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to - he/she can do blood work and a urinalysis to help diagnose the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

I'm sorry that you are dealing with this frustrating problem! I'm glad to hear that she is reliably peeing in the box, but pooping outside the box is also, of course, problematic. Have there been any changes in the home that she might perceive as stressful? Any new pets, a major change in your schedule, holiday visitors, etc. All of these things could contribute to this type of behavior. Make it a point to spend a few minutes a day with her, just giving her attention. Engage her in play with a wand type toy, or just sit and pet her and chat to her. Sometimes some reassurance can be really beneficial. Also, make sure there is a litter box on every level of your home, (every story--basement, main floor, upstairs, etc) and if you have multiple cats, the number of litter boxes should be the# of cats plus 1. ( so 3 boxes if you have 2 cats). If she's not been to the vet for this issue, take her in. If she has arthritis, etc or is otherwise painful, pooping may be uncomfortable and therefore she may not be completely "finishing" when she is in the box. Or, its also possible that she may have a neurologic condition that is affecting her ability to know when she needs to poop in time to get to the box. Here are a couple of articles you may find helpful as well. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/litter-box-problems https://www.petcoach.co/article/inappropriate-elimination-urination-defecation-spraying-in/ Thank you for asking PetCoach!

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.

Poor Baba. Without more information it's not possible to determine what has caused Baba’s condition. However, it is essential that Baba see a veterinarian immediately. He sounds like he is seriously ill, and there are various reasons that may have lead to his sickness. Diseases such as kidney disease, hyperthyroidism or diabetes are possibilities, as well as potential bacterial, parasitic or viral infection, trauma or toxin ingestion, or a neurological or muscular disorder. Please take Baba to a veterinarian immediately, as he sounds very unwell. They will let you know about their recommendations for diagnostics and treatment based on Baba's condition, and can guide you through the process if you elect to euthanize.