Litter box troubles...

jpwanderer

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My roommate has two cats, and they are great for the most part. One of them, however keeps crapping on the floor IN FRONT of the litter box. I did some research and found some advice that perhaps the litter box was not being cleaned up often enough. I told him that my research indicated the cats may just be finicky about how clean the litter box is, and not want to use it when it's too full, and that maybe it would solve the problem if the litter box was cleaned more regularly. He started cleaning the box with more regularity, and I started pitching in to help, and he also acquired a second litter box.

It helped for a while, but for some reason, one cat particularly is back to crapping on the floor with increasing frequency. Today he did it, when the litter box had just had fresh litter put in it about two hours before, and there was a small (perhaps about silver dollar sized) clump of urine in it. I don't know what to do if he's going to be that finicky, because there is NO WAY we can keep up with scooping out the litter box EVERY time they use it, which seems to be what he wants.

Anyone know what we should do?
 
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jpwanderer

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We live in a small apartment, with hardwood floors, we have two litterboxes in the main living room. The litter boxes are across the room from each other, separated by about 20 feet. When the floor-pooping happens, it is ALWAYS in front of one litter box in particular, usually on the textured pad that is laid out in front of it to catch the litter that falls from their feet when they leave the litter box. Because I don't know what else to do, I moved the box that was across the room so that now it is right next to the one where the accidents keep happening just to mix it up and hope that it makes a difference.
 

mschauer

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Have you ever seen him do it? Coco insists on sitting right in the center of the box to do her business. That puts her butt right at the edge and sometimes over the edge. When urinating she keeps her butt down so it isn't a problem but with a bm her butt is up and sometimes over the edge it goes. I started using oversized boxs and no more problem.

If he is actually standing outside the box and only does it when the box is soiled can you provide a second box? Some cats don't like to share. <Never mind, you already said you have 2 boxs>
 
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jpwanderer

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I have actually caught him in the act a couple of times, and he was outside of the box.
 

mschauer

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Do you know if he only does it when both boxes are already soiled?

And it is only feces outside the box, not urine, right?

Oh yeah, and what kind of litter do you use?
 
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jpwanderer

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It is only feces. I haven't checked to see if both boxes are soiled, but this afternoon, the one that he pooped outside of literally had just one little clump of urine, and if he is going to be *THAT* finicky about having a clean litter box, I don't know what we are going to do, because we can't keep up with that if we have to scoop EVERY TIME they use it. The poop on the floor is becoming a daily occurrence, which I am not ok with....

My roommate gets "Tidy Cats Multiple Cats Scoop" litter. One of the containers of the litter says "immediate odor control" and the other says "long lasting odor control"
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by JPWanderer

It is only feces. I haven't checked to see if both boxes are soiled, but this afternoon, the one that he pooped outside of literally had just one little clump of urine, and if he is going to be *THAT* finicky about having a clean litter box, I don't know what we are going to do, because we can't keep up with that if we have to scoop EVERY TIME they use it. The poop on the floor is becoming a daily occurrence. I may insist my roommate get rid of the cat if we can't find a fix of some kind, because I'm not ok with this continuing...

My roommate gets "Tidy Cats Multiple Cats Scoop" litter. One of the containers of the litter says "immediate odor control" and the other says "long lasting odor control"
The only thing I can think of is that there might be a reason why he doesn't like to dig in that litter. Mine don't seem to be too concerned about burying after urinating but feces they want to bury. I know that when he goes outside the box he can't bury it but it could be that when he tries to he doesn't get the unpleasant feeling he gets when he has to dig in the litter.

There have been lots of discussion in these fourms about the different characteristics of different cat litters. I wish we could consolidate that information and keep it handy for situations like this. I think you need to try another litter but I don't know what litter to recommend.

Anyone out there have any idea what might be a good litter to try??

Cat Attract might be worth a shot. Others have had success with it when their cats have been going outside the box for no known reason.
 

mschauer

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Originally Posted by TNR1

Have you read this thread:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...threadid=19767

Katie
Pissing outside the box is not uncommon when there is a medical problem. This link points it can be the cause with pooping outside the box also.

When you saw him poop outside the box, did he seem to defecate easily?

How old is he?

Also, at those times, what exactly did he do before pooping outside? Did he look into the box, step into it then step out, something else?
 
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