How do I stop my 3-month-old kitten from pooping on the floor?

He may not like the type of litter you are using. In all the studies done on cats they have found that most prefer plain old sand as opposed to any type of cat litter. My suggestion would be to put a few boxes out in various locations in the house and put a different type/style of litter in each one to see which one he likes best. Remember that most cats don't like to use the box if it is in a noisy, high-traffic area so put at least one box somewhere quiet. Being that he is so young/small still the sides of the box may be too high for him to comfortably get in/out of the box so try to find some with lower sides or make one with lower sides yourself. You can use shallow foil baking pans, tupperware containers, etc. Finally, you can make one box covered. Some cats preferred a covered box. Cats are usually very easy to litter train so if none of the above works then you should get him to your vet for an exam. He may have a urinary tract infection or some other issue that is making him not want to use the box. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Inappropriate elimination can be caused by a range of issues. Medical issues can including, diarrhea, constipation, IBD, dietary intolerance or food allergies, intestinal parasites, pain while squatting, etc. There are also a range of behavioral and management issues including stress or anxiety, infrequent cleaning of the litter box, dislike for the type of litter or type of box, dislike for location of the box, etc. I would recommend that Teddy be examined by a vet for a potential medical issue. The vet may also be able to pinpoint what changes could have happened at home that caused Teddy to stop using the litter box. Until you see the vet, you may set up a second litter box in a new location to see if he prefers that. Here is some more information you may find useful: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=88 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3638 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1470

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!

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/ That is good that Tyler has already been examined by the veterinarian. 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. These litter boxes should be as far away from each other as possible (in different rooms is the most ideal). 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 Tyler to be afraid that he could be trapped in the box. Cats are a prey species in the wild and they still retain those instincts. Clean the soiled areas 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 Tyler 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.

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Shay. I recommend adding one or more additional litter boxes to your home. You should have one box per cat plus one. So if you have a total of two cats, then you need a minimum of three litterboxes. A lot of times this will resolve problems with a cat not using the box consistently. If this does not help, then she needs to see her veterinarian to rule out a medical problem. I hope this information helps!