Cat pooing under bed!

wendyscats

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Hi all, new to forum please help .we have 2 male cats and 1 female. they share a litter box. Lately though the female has been deficating under my bed. Is there a resolution to this? She is afraid of human males. The male cats pick on her.
 

addiebee

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give her her own litter box!! and make it in a different location than the boys boxes.

Rule of thumb is one box per cat.
 

cheylink

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Yes its important to have atleast 2 litter boxes with 3 cats, and keep them clean. They will all use both since they have to mark it!
 
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wendyscats

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Sorry it took so long to reply.Our computer crashed. Yes, all 3 cats are "fixed". If I do add 2 more litterboxes, do I line them all up in a row (that would be ok for us) or do we have 3 different locations throughout the house? We do not want a box in our bedroom. These cats have shared a box for 5 years, this pooing under the bed has just started within the last 3 months.
The problem cat has an issue with "hot spots". She licks her belly raw , right down to the skin. The first time we took her to the vet, they gave her a steroid that miraculously stopped the licking. This treatment lasted for about 1 year. The second treatment lasted for about 9 months. The third and latest dose of steroid lasted maybe 4 months before belly licking started anew.
Is it possible the cat is building a resistance to the drug?
Is it possible that the two issues are related to each other?
We figure a trip to the vet is coming, But its getting a little expensive to have this shot so often.
All responses are appreciated.
 

epona

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Put the litterboxes in different places, out of sight of each other. I have 3 litterboxes for 3 cats, each in a different room. Cats can guard a litterbox and prevent another cat from using it simply by sitting and staring at it, so it's important to have them set up so that the dominant cats cannot guard all of them at the same time.

Your female sounds stressed which could well be causing the overgrooming. Cystitis caused by holding in urine (for example if she is prevented by the other cats from using a litter box) or caused by stress can be extremely painful and is known to cause overgrooming of the stomach. I would discuss this possibility with your vet.
 

plebayo

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Is it possible the cat is building a resistance to the drug?
I do believe steroids become less effective the more you use them. We were giving my cat depo, the first injection lasted 8 months, the second 2 months, and the third didn't do anything at all, so I would talk to your vet about other alternatives, also talk about inhaled allergies, flea allergies, and food allergies which can all be a factor in the over grooming.
 

laureen227

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while i think it'd be great if you could put them in different places, that's not an option in my house... i have 3 in one closet, & one in another. doesn't seem to boher my 5 - they use all 4 boxes pretty equally... altho yesterday Firefox got into all 3 of the ones in the 3 box closet before choosing one
 

okiron

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i have 3 cats 2 litterboxes. both are right next to each other. 1 litterbox was too much to share for 2 full grown cats, 3 cats werent gonna work for us. we're planning on getting a third one once our sassy gets bigger.
 

strange_wings

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Epona has given great advice. If your little girl is skittish it may just be too much trouble for her to keep dealing with them over the one box.

Is your bedroom where she goes to feel safe and hide from the other cats and strange humans? If so a litter box in there may be a good idea. I know you probably think that's gross, but it's better she goes in a litter box then under your bed. Thoroughly clean under the bed with an enzyme cleaner to neutralize the scent. Then if you can, try putting some stuff under there for a while to block it off. Adding the litter box in that room at that time should help - she'll have somewhere close to go, maybe later you can move it out of there and to another room that can be her room to hide in. You may have to keep your bedroom door shut to keep her out till she adjusts to another room being her's.
If you use a good litter and scoop once or twice daily you shouldn't have to deal with any odor.

You may want to consider adding some Feliaway diffusers throughout the house to help.
 
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wendyscats

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Thanks all for the input and suggestions. We will set out another litter box tonight and post results.
 
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wendyscats

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I'm sorry to bring this thread back to life but we are desperate. Our problem cat "Thumper" is at it again. Since my last post we had 2 litterboxes side x side in our basement all went fine. We even got to the point where we went back to just 1 box..This worked well until 2 months ago when our son's moved their play area to the basement which was enroute to the litterbox. She has started using our bedroom as her toilet..Is there any way to change this behavior?? We really do not want a box in the bedroom. I must re-state that she is AFRAID of human males. Not quite at wits end, but getting close.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by wendyscats

We really do not want a box in the bedroom.
What's better? Her pooping on the floor or even the bed, or going in a litter box in the bedroom? Compromise first and see if that helps solve the problem.
 

white cat lover

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She's too scared to use the box, IMO. You need one in a place she can get to easily (without having to go past people/busy areas). I'd add another one in - does she have a favorite area to "hide-out"? If so - put a box there.

Think of it this way - if you're afraid of heights, you don't go up high. In kitties case, she's afraid of males - so she avoids your son's play room.
 

cheylink

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

What's better? Her pooping on the floor or even the bed, or going in a litter box in the bedroom? Compromise first and see if that helps solve the problem.
I really have to agree with above. Even if there are 2 litter boxes, they shouldn't be right next to each other. First rule of thumb is to not set up one to fail, by moving your sons play room in the path of the litter boxes, you have triggered the behavior again. Would it really be so bad to have a litter box in the bedroom? There are so many ways to have it "heard but not seen" and smell should never be an issue since they should be cleaned on a daily basis. You have stated the other cats pic on her and she is fearful of some people, she is obviously extremely stressed out. Hair loss and obsessive grooming is another sign of stress. Steroids can be dangerous and should only be used as a temporary treatment.
Please try before any drastic decisions, she doesn't understand what she is doing wrong as much as you don't understand why shes doing it.
 

auntie crazy

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Poor Thumper sounds like she's really stressing out. I imagine she's probably holding onto her poo for as long as she can before she goes, too, which can't be good for her.

Buy a large-size sweater box (see here and here - the bigger the better), cut a hole in the top large enough for her to fit through easily, fill it with litter, and put it your bedroom. The litter will stay mostly in the box, since it's so big with a top opening, and your girl will feel so much better.
 

epona

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I have a litter tray in the bedroom - I view it as a small price to pay in return for the cats acting as hot water bottles at night
It gets cleaned regularly and doesn't smell.
 

fuzmugly

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Originally Posted by wendyscats

Since my last post we had 2 litterboxes side x side in our basement all went fine. We even got to the point where we went back to just 1 box...
If things were going well with two boxes, and now you're back down to one, adding that second box might help.
 

jack31

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May I just ask, if things were going so well with two, why did you opt to remove one?

This is how I think about litter boxes in my house. My cats didn't choose to live with me--I made that decision for them. I also decided they were going to be indoor cats that used a litter box. So if they decide the litter box needs to be in the kitchen for them to use it, then that is where it will be. I've had a litter box in my bedroom it was fine, no smell, I've had one in my kitchen again, was fine. Were these my first option, absolutely not! But I do want them to be used without fail, so I'll do whatever I have to to make sure that happens.

Leslie
 

diane8704

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I have to agree with all of the other posters. If she's intimidated by human males and the other two cats you have, then she isn't going to go.
Moving your sons playroom to the basement and removing the second litter box set back her progress. There definitely needs to be 2 litterboxes in different areas.
Other than your room, is there anywhere else that she safely navigates where you could place a litterbox?
 
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