Poops On Purpose Just Outside of the Litter Box

I have such a sweet cat.  I worked in an apartment community, and a resident left her when they moved out.  Poor thing didn't have food or water for well over a week and had lost almost all of her fur when I found her.  I nursed her back to health, and she has been the most loving pet I have ever had.

She has always urinated on clothing and things on the floor, even if the litter box(es) are clean.  I have had her checked, and no health issues.  She does TEND to do a LITTLE better if the litter box is cleaned absolutely spotless.  We have two cats, they share a litter box, but I don't think that is the problem.  She has shared two boxes with another cat, and she has also been the only cat in the years since I found her, but she has always peed on clothing.

Now, she is pooping just outside of the litter box.  I have watched her do it to make sure it is a purposeful thing, and it is.  She will get in the box and pee, then jump out, turn around, and poop.  I don't get it!  If the box is good enough to pee in, why isn't it good enough to poop in?  Also, she never covers her waste, whether it be pee or poop.  She just does her thing, and RUNS out of the room.

I have tried different types of boxes and litters.  She seems to like the box we have better than most, and does like the litter more than my old brand.  She doesn't pee on clothes as much as she used to, thank goodness, but the poop thing baffles me!  She has been to the vet recently and she got a clean bill of health.  I can't think of anything that has changed to bring on this new poo issue.

I believe that some of her little personality traits that I love about her are because of the past she had. She is intensely affectionate.  She will let us carry her around all day if we wanted to.  She is a total lap cat, and follows us around like a little puppy.  She does not like closed doors, tight spaces, or the dark.  She loves to sit on the edge of the tub when I take a bath.  She walks through the house crying for my daughter when she is at school.  She is truly a part of the family; I have never had such a sweet animal.

Could her past be the reason why she has peed on clothing and why she is pooping just outside the litter box?  Has something triggered her to start this?

Cats in the wild usually don't pee and poop in the same place as a matter of self preservation, nor do they go in the same place as other cats. For that reason, we recommend that you have at least 1 box per cat, plus an extra one. I have boxes all over my house, and there are some that are never used for anything other than pee and others that are never used for anything other than poop. It's a natural instinct in cats.

Try adding at least another box, and if it continues, look into a brand of litter called Cat Attract. It has an earthy scent that cats are drawn to and is guaranteed to bring them back to the box or your money back.

She sounds like a sweetie pie!

Hi, Jenisno! Welcome to TCS! 

I second both of Momofmany's suggestions. Add a couple more boxes - NOT next to the current box, though - and pick up some Cat Attract.

You can also, if you like, try some Feliway plugins. They contain a feline cheek pheromone that helps soothe and relax cats. No guarantee it'll have an effect on this habit (it's usually used to reduce multi-cat infighting), but there's little harm in trying. You'll need to purchase one plugin per average-sized room, and Amazon has the best prices on multi-packs.

Good luck!!!

AC

Yep to both posts above.... :nod:
There isn't something going on with her personality, aside.... from being a cat.... She is letting you know though she is not going to poop in there, and I would listen to the message, there is nothing much you can do about it IMHO....
Cat attract works wonders... If you don't get it, do make sure that you get a clumping, unscented litter, and a large, open litter box. Put it in a quiet, undisturbed place. You can put close to the other one, but not next to it. She needs to know it is a different one.
Thank you so much for rescuing this little girl - she is obviously very lucky to have had you to save her

Ny first thought too, get at least one more box. Some of mine will only pee in one and poop in another. Peeing on clothes is an insecurity thing - she is telling you that you are hers, and mixing her smell with yours. Difficult to stop in my opinion, you just have to make sure there is nothing on the floor that she can get at. But Feliway may work on that, to make her feel happier in her home.