My 4-month-old kitten is pooping outside the litter box. What to do?

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!

This can be a difficult problem to figure out. Some cats prefer to urinate in one litter box and defecate in another, so if he only has access to one box the first thing I’d recommend is adding a second box. If you haven’t tried Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract litter it may be worth trying that specific brand. Finally, if he seems to prefer fabric you could try lining a litter pan with a disposable potty pad. If at any point his stool doesn’t look normal (i.e. If you see diarrhea, mucous, blood or if it seems very firm) I’d recommend rechecking with your vet. Good luck!

It is possible that the kittens just need a little bit more time to figure out the litter box. Three weeks is still quite young and they may not fully understand what the litter boxes for. I would recommend enclosing both kittens in a small area with one to two litter boxes that are cleaned daily. In most situations kittens will figure this out relatively quickly. There is also a litter additive called Cat Attract that may be helpful in enticing Laila to use the litter box for pooping. I would also ensure that Laila is able to get in and out of the litter box provided with minimal difficulty. Using a litter box with low sides may be beneficial. If this continues to be a problem I would recommend consulting with your veterinarian as she may have an underlying medical condition such as parasites exacerbating this issue.

I recommend you get her an extra tray - many cats will not reuse a tray once it is wet/dirty. Placing the new tray in the bathroom (or tub) until she accepts it or closing the bathroom door to prevent access should help to create new toilet habits which are more acceptable!

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 agree with your doc about an extra litter box or two. I always recommend at least one more than the number of cats. I do not think placing the feces in her box will help at all. It is a good sign that she is urinating in the box. I would be anxious to know what kind of food she is on and the consistency of her feces. Is she constipated or having loose stools, for example. I would start by trying the extra litter boxes and then go from there.

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!