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Pooping on the floor!

post #1 of 9
10/10/07 at 6:47pm
Thread Starter 
I switched litter about 3 weeks ago. I switched from clay to world's best. I have had no problems until a few days ago when I noticed poop on the rug in the laundry room where I keep Asher's litterbox. I thought maybe the box was just too dirty for Asher so he decided to go elsewhere. Well, a couple of days later I found the same thing, and again tonight (I found it by stepping in it). The box is not dirty so I'm not sure why he's doing this? Does he not like the litter? Jack (the new kitten) has been using Asher's litter box (and visa versa), maybe Asher doesn't like Jack using it? Asher has no problem peeing in it and I know he's pooped in it so why is he sometimes pooping outside of it?
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post #2 of 9
10/10/07 at 10:01pm
So first of all I want to sympathize with you cuz this is an annoying dilemma. My Luna pees randomly on her litter mat (doesn't matter if the box is clean or dirty/clay/pine/ corn litter/ upstairs downstairs...etc.).

I have a couple suggestions.
1)has he been checked by a vet recently? I am not sure about going #2 but sometimes if they pee somewhere they usually don't they have an infection or something.

2) have there been any changes in Asher's life recently? are he and the kitten not getting along, did you move the box..etc?

3) is there a hood on the litterbox? I found out that Luna didn't like to use the box w/ the hood on.

4)does he just *like* the rug? maybe you could move it and see if he still dos it.

5)maybe he doesn't like the kitten using his box, but if that's the case i have no clue how to fix that.

Well...try some of those things and good luck!!
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post #3 of 9
10/11/07 at 9:39am
My cat did this on occasion and I always thought he did it just because he was mad at me. If your cat is mad because of the new kitten (which could very well be the case) just setup 2 litter boxes and retrain the kitten to use the new one. That way the older cat will keep his and the younger one his, so all are happy.

If he is older, it could just be that he is 'unaware' that it's happening. My cat also did it sometimes but I swear those incidents were complete accidents. It was like he couldn't feel that he had more and then it would just drop as he exited the litter box.

If it were me, though, I'd get them each into his own litter box and see if that resolves it. It's like little kids. When you have one that you've been spoiling for quite some time, they usually aren't thrilled when another one shows up...same for cats (although this is only an assumption).
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post #4 of 9
10/15/07 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Well, Asher has pooped two more times on the floor near his litter box (not on the rug this time) since I posted the original post.

To answer some questions:
Jack is new, we've had him for 2 months, but Asher started pooping on the floor soon after I got this new litter (world's best cat litter).

Asher's litter box does not have a hood on it.

There are two litter boxes in the house. One in Jacks "room" for Jack and one in the laundry room for Asher. I don't know how to stop them from using each other's litter boxes.

Asher is only 4 so he's not old.

Asher uses the litter box (pee and poop) but on occasion he poops on the floor and I don't understand why.

Argh! This is frustrating and I don't know what to do?
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post #5 of 9
10/16/07 at 7:17am
Can you switch back to the old litter to rule that out?
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post #6 of 9
10/16/07 at 8:02am
I would switch back to the old litter, it could be that he doesn't like the feel of the new litter on his paws. When you changed, did you do it gradually? Also it is a possibility that now the kitten has settled in that he is 'guarding' the litter tray - staring at the older cat while he's trying to use it - one litter tray per cat plus one is recommended for multi-cat households and you may find that additional trays solves the problem

I do sympathise, my Sonic always does a balancing act on the edge of the litter tray and sometimes he manages to end up facing the wrong way and poos on the floor
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post #7 of 9
10/18/07 at 4:13am
Mine pooed on the floor the other day because he stunk out the room and since he has a covered box it must have really stunk in there... he couldn't bear it so he went out and finished in the living room, neatly covering his #2 with a napkin for me I sympathize... I think everyone covered the suggestions that could work for your situation.
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post #8 of 9
1/14/10 at 5:23pm
I have an 11 year old cat that started doing the same thing 12 years ago when we moved from a house into a condo. He is a male cat, and for 10 years he has been peeing in the litter box, but pooping outside of the litter box. He recently became ill (eventually diagnosed with diabetes) so I asked the vet about this. I was told that you should have 1 more litter box than you do cats. For example, I have 2 cats so I should have 3 litter boxes. If I had 1 cat I should have 2 litterboxes. According to the vet, for whatever reason, particularly when you have more than 1 cat, some cats decide to use 1 box for number 1 and a different box for number 2.
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post #9 of 9
1/14/10 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kroach1914 View Post
I have an 11 year old cat that started doing the same thing 12 years ago when we moved from a house into a condo. He is a male cat, and for 10 years he has been peeing in the litter box, but pooping outside of the litter box. He recently became ill (eventually diagnosed with diabetes) so I asked the vet about this. I was told that you should have 1 more litter box than you do cats. For example, I have 2 cats so I should have 3 litter boxes. If I had 1 cat I should have 2 litterboxes. According to the vet, for whatever reason, particularly when you have more than 1 cat, some cats decide to use 1 box for number 1 and a different box for number 2.
Hello and welcome! This was what I was going to say, to the OP, add at least one more litter box. Plus, some cats are very picky about litter. Go back to the old litter, in at least one of the litter boxes.

One more thing. Make sure he isn't having trouble with constipation. Chronic constipation causes megacolon, so you want to be right on something like that.

Are the poops normal size and shape and consistency for him?
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