My Ragdoll cat keeps pooping outside the litter box. How to stop?

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!

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.

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!

Cats will defecate outside the box for many 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/ The first thing you need to do is have Girl Cat checked for abnormalities or pain. Constipation or a painful bowel movement is a common cause. Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet can often help as can feeding a canned food with additional water added. There is also a special prescription diet made by Royal Canin called Fiber Response that many cats respond well to. If the veterinarian thinks this is behavioral, there are a few factors to adjust. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that is scoped every day and a private, quiet location. If you have other cats or dogs, if they can access the litter box, it may cause Girl to be afraid that she could find herself trapped in the box. Cats are a prey species in the wild and they still retain those instincts. Clean the carpet with a good enzymatic cleanser. This will to get rid of any smells. There are things you can do at home to help to keep Girl relaxed and that may help to ensure good litter box habits. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with house soiling. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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.

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!

It sounds like you are on the right tract with Neko in that fact that you clean the box daily and that you purchased a larger litter box. Some other things that may help would be to make sure the box is in a quiet, private location where he cannot be started/trapped in the box by another animal. Additionally, as far as litter goes, most cats prefer a clay based, clumping cat litter. If he seems picky, you could set up a few boxes, each with a different type of litter (corn based, pellets...etc) and see which one he prefers. Lastly, going outside the box can indicate a medical issue or behavioral issue. If he is urinating outside the box, have his urine tested for an infection. If he is having a soft stool, then I would recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian and the stool tested. If it is a normal stool, then you may try adding in canned food into his diet which can increase water content and make it more comfortable to pass. You could also try changing his diet to something that is very easy to break down such as Royal Canin kitten food. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!