Hi,
We have a cat that has started pooping outside the litter box. We have two female cats, 9 and 10 yo. The 10yo we have had for a about 9 years, the 9yo about 8. They have never really gotten along, the 10yo being dominant, the 9yo being mellow about it. They are both very social, but the 10yo is the one that follows us around the house the most. The 10yo has recently started pooping outside the litter box about once a week. Other times, she poops inside the litter box. We have two litter boxes, cleaned every night. They are on a diet, and are fed twice a day in two separate bowls.
After we determined that it was the 10yo that was pooping, and taking her to the vet to ensure that there's nothing obviously medical, we have tried the following:
1. One week isolation, fencing off a portion of the (finished) basement
2. A feliway collar after isolation to try to keep her calm
This worked for about two weeks, and then it started again. So, we tried isolation for an extended weekend. This didn't have any change. The poop is very smelly, and she does not try burying it. Because the middening happens at night, we have taken to putting her in the pen at night.
We spend the winters in another part of the country. The last couple of years we have driven with the cats across the US, and this is probably what has precipitated the sense of insecurity she has (she really did not like the drive). This year, we are going to fly with them, to reduce the stress time.
In general, she's always been a high-strung cat, easily startled, and we're not sure if we should continue with this regime, giving it time to work, or whether we're just making the situation worse. And, we're not sure what else to try.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Bradley.
We have a cat that has started pooping outside the litter box. We have two female cats, 9 and 10 yo. The 10yo we have had for a about 9 years, the 9yo about 8. They have never really gotten along, the 10yo being dominant, the 9yo being mellow about it. They are both very social, but the 10yo is the one that follows us around the house the most. The 10yo has recently started pooping outside the litter box about once a week. Other times, she poops inside the litter box. We have two litter boxes, cleaned every night. They are on a diet, and are fed twice a day in two separate bowls.
After we determined that it was the 10yo that was pooping, and taking her to the vet to ensure that there's nothing obviously medical, we have tried the following:
1. One week isolation, fencing off a portion of the (finished) basement
2. A feliway collar after isolation to try to keep her calm
This worked for about two weeks, and then it started again. So, we tried isolation for an extended weekend. This didn't have any change. The poop is very smelly, and she does not try burying it. Because the middening happens at night, we have taken to putting her in the pen at night.
We spend the winters in another part of the country. The last couple of years we have driven with the cats across the US, and this is probably what has precipitated the sense of insecurity she has (she really did not like the drive). This year, we are going to fly with them, to reduce the stress time.
In general, she's always been a high-strung cat, easily startled, and we're not sure if we should continue with this regime, giving it time to work, or whether we're just making the situation worse. And, we're not sure what else to try.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Bradley.
Aside from health issues, the most common reason for pooping outside of the box, is aversion to the box itself or to the litter.
