TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › Pooping on Carpet...Please Help!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Pooping on Carpet...Please Help!

post #1 of 6
11/1/10 at 11:20am
Thread Starter 
Hello, I just joined this forum and this will be my first post. I thank you in advance for your feedback.

Background info:
We got Pipurr as a kitten and treated her like a princess. As a kitten growing up she was everything to us as all of our attention was on her. She's been spayed. She just turned 2yrs old.

Current situation:
We have an 9mth old baby boy who eats up all our attention. We spend most of our time on the main floor and not so much in the basement (Pipurrs favorite play area)

Problem:
As of late, around a month now, Pipurr has been pooing on the carpet in the basement rather then in her litter box. I havn't changed anything with her litter. Its the same brand and I clean it just as regularly as before, no more, no less. We tried disciplining her a couple of times which would involve locking her in the washroom where her litter is for a night. It seemed to work for a week then she would go back to pooing on the carpet. I steam cleaned the areas that she crapped on and sprayed it with Ewwww, a Bisell brand repelant for these types of mistakes. She doesn't seem to get it and I'm desperate for advice. What can be done to stop my cat from pooping on my carpet?
Reply
post #2 of 6
11/1/10 at 2:45pm
My guess is that it's stress related - the change in your relationship (normal though that is) is probably a really big deal to Pipurr (what a cute name) - imagine how you would feel if suddenly the two most important people in your world didn't really care for you any more. Can you imagine how your tummy would feel?

My suggestion would be, besides a vet check to make sure there's nothing physical going on, to try and set up a consistent play time with your kitty - she's still very young and has a lot of energy. Even a consistent 5-10 minutes morning and evening if you and your husband can manage may help. Try to talk to her a lot and tell her you still love her. Try and maintain a very loving upbeat calm attitude (yes, hard when you're new parents) - but she has no doubt picked up on all the emotions, good and bad, and stress involved with a new baby. She probably feels like her whole world has turned upside down. Don't punish her - the bathroom segregation isn't punishment, as long as you're not yelling at her - try not to make her feel that poo-ing itself is a bad thing. She's stressed already, I think.

Then, get an enzyme cleaner or Zero Odor to make sure there's no scent retained in the area. If you can install a Feliway diffuser downstairs that would probably be good.

Then I'd try a new box with Cat Attract litter - there's a manual (and coupon) in every bag - the manual will also discuss cleaning and litter box training.

Does she not want to come upstairs at all? Or can you spend more time with her downstairs, baby in tow?

My boy had box issues - I know how desperate it can make you feel - and how hard it is not to show irritation, or tears. Good luck to you and both your babies.
Reply
post #3 of 6
11/1/10 at 5:38pm
You are not alone. This happens a lot when people add more pets or a child. Cats are very easily stressed and the response from the last person is right on. Cats do not understand discipline so don't bother with punishment.

Be sure to give her lots of extra attention- she was there first and she needs to know she has not been replaced.

Is she an indoor kitty? Has she been outside recently? Getting a med check up is a good idea to rule out any underlying conditions. Cats that are stressed can develop all sorts of diseases.

Patience is the key. Cat attract is a great product, but if this is her way of saying she is unhappy it may not work. It may be that she needs your attention so think of ways to involve her in your daily routine. Even 30 minutes of play at night with rotating toys may help repair the relationship.
Reply
post #4 of 6
11/2/10 at 6:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by darlili View Post
My guess is that it's stress related - the change in your relationship (normal though that is) is probably a really big deal to Pipurr (what a cute name) - imagine how you would feel if suddenly the two most important people in your world didn't really care for you any more. Can you imagine how your tummy would feel?

My suggestion would be, besides a vet check to make sure there's nothing physical going on, to try and set up a consistent play time with your kitty - she's still very young and has a lot of energy. Even a consistent 5-10 minutes morning and evening if you and your husband can manage may help. Try to talk to her a lot and tell her you still love her. Try and maintain a very loving upbeat calm attitude (yes, hard when you're new parents) - but she has no doubt picked up on all the emotions, good and bad, and stress involved with a new baby. She probably feels like her whole world has turned upside down. Don't punish her - the bathroom segregation isn't punishment, as long as you're not yelling at her - try not to make her feel that poo-ing itself is a bad thing. She's stressed already, I think.

Then, get an enzyme cleaner or Zero Odor to make sure there's no scent retained in the area. If you can install a Feliway diffuser downstairs that would probably be good.

Then I'd try a new box with Cat Attract litter - there's a manual (and coupon) in every bag - the manual will also discuss cleaning and litter box training.

Does she not want to come upstairs at all? Or can you spend more time with her downstairs, baby in tow?

My boy had box issues - I know how desperate it can make you feel - and how hard it is not to show irritation, or tears. Good luck to you and both your babies.

Last night she pooed in her litter box, so it makes me wonder if Cat Attract is necessary. I guess it wouldn't hurt the matter.

Pipurr is upstairs quite a bit actually. The basement was were we spent most of our time since we watched a lot of TV. While watching TV, we would play and have fun with her. But now we hardly have time to watch TV anymore. Pretty much the only time we go in the basement is to do laundry.

We are trying to spend more time with her in the basement with her so moved one of the jumpers to there to occupy our baby while we play with Pipey. Guess what?! I later found out that she pooped right beside it. Is this a sign of something?
Reply
post #5 of 6
11/2/10 at 6:54am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat Connection View Post
You are not alone. This happens a lot when people add more pets or a child. Cats are very easily stressed and the response from the last person is right on. Cats do not understand discipline so don't bother with punishment.

Be sure to give her lots of extra attention- she was there first and she needs to know she has not been replaced.

Is she an indoor kitty? Has she been outside recently? Getting a med check up is a good idea to rule out any underlying conditions. Cats that are stressed can develop all sorts of diseases.

Patience is the key. Cat attract is a great product, but if this is her way of saying she is unhappy it may not work. It may be that she needs your attention so think of ways to involve her in your daily routine. Even 30 minutes of play at night with rotating toys may help repair the relationship.

http://catconnection2.com/
She is an indoor cat and never goes outside. She would only go as far as the door frame. There seems to be an invisible barrier for her.

Thanks for the advice. We are now making an even bigger effort to play and involve Pipe in our day to day routine.
Reply
post #6 of 6
11/2/10 at 7:01am
Just wondering what others think - anybody think it's a good idea that whenever baby and kitty are near each other, and kitty is being 'good' she gets a treat or a little extra cuddle - sort of a 'see, good things happen when baby is around' idea, like when you introduce a cat into the family? I know, maybe a bit much.

Again, bless you for having the patience and determination to try to work with your Pipurr...believe me, I've been through the litter box issue situation and I know there are times you want to just quit. And it's hard to project calm and well-being when you're cleaning up the carpet, and I know you've got to be thinking ahead to when your baby starts crawling. But, if it helps, my boy hasn't had an accident in over a year now - and looking back it was basically stress and change that initiated the whole problem. He didn't want to be a bad boy - he just had few options of telling me things weren't good in his world.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Behavior
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › Pooping on Carpet...Please Help!