Should a Cat Poop Every Day

I have a 5 month old kitty driving me nuts with the litter. Where I'm living, it's very hard for me to afford commercial cat litters so I shift to sand, soil, or strips of paper. When I cannot find sand, I use shredded paper to her litter, but it seems she's hooked on sand. Is it normal for a cat to refrain from defecating when she's not satisfied with her litter, even if it's clean?! It's been 2 days now and she didn't use her litter.

HI Heidi, sorry but you're going to have to stick to the litter that your kitty likes. I'm very very concerned about your cat. Her litter box avoidance for TWO whole days is very serious. I really hope that she's finding a place to eliminate because two whole days of no urinating could indicate a serious physical problem. Investing in litter box and litter that your cat likes is paramount. 

I've tested every litter on the market for our extremely litter-picky cat. We have now narrowed it down to one, but it took lots of effort, time and patience. Are you so remote in the country that even Amazon won't deliver? They have great prices and they'll deliver right to your doorstep for free. 

Please read the articles and threads below related to litter box issues:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-solve-litterbox-problems-in-cats-the-ultimate-guide

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/litter-box-maintenance

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/when-physical-problems-turn-into-behavior-problems

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316389/i-need-litter-suggestions#post_3967432

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316607/cat-pees-outside-box-moments-later-after-using-the-box

Hello cocobutterfly,

I don't think she's ill or anything, she's in high spirits. But I'm teaching her not to be picky. I do hope she's eliminating somewhere else, but she yowls whenever she enters the litterbox. I feel it's my fault. 

Cats, kittens in particular, are extremely good at ignoring symptoms of illness and going about their daily life. Is she still urinating regularly? Not urinating for 2 days would be very worrying!

Most vets will say that a cat needs to be defecating at least once a day, but "normal" for some cats is sometimes less than that, especially if they're on a low carb diet. However, if there is a change in how much she is defecating, then that is cause for concern. She could be holding it, and that can lead to problems. If her appetite slows down at all, you should take her to a vet immediately, but when it gets that bad it's going to be a lot more expensive than litter! It's best to get the litter she prefers to avoid creating much worse problems.

When it comes to litter, it's mostly up to our cats. If a cat doesn't like its litter, it will soon find other surfaces in the house, and it can be VERY difficult to get a cat to break that habit, so it's very important to keep the litter box appealing!

If you have a Tractor Supply store nearby, I believe they sell equine pine pellets that are identical to cat litter pellets but are much cheaper. Some loose dirt from outside might even work in a pinch.

Hi Heidi, I too am sorry, but cats are very picky when it comes to Poo. I am sad to admit that I was very busy last week and I forgot to clean my kittytoilet ( I do bleach  it Sunday as a ritual because the bins go out Monday) and I opened my front door and off she went to have a dig in the garden. ( she is meant to be indoor only, queue heart attacks )  My fault. I don't think I had picked up since the thursday...which was clearly a heinous crime on my part.  it's all about texture, smell feel under their paws. If they know what they like, it's what they like. 

You might have to order in bulk when you do get the litter your cat likes, it beats having a random poo somewhere in your house or an angry, constipated cat. Toilet problems can lead to long standing issues in cats, the price or effort of litter is going to be a lot cheaper than frequent trips to the vet. 

For me, I'm making sure I scrape that tray as soon as I smell a present.

Good luck

~kiss

OP is in Egypt so tyypical US suggestions for pet stores and litters are not possible. http://www.thecatsite.com/t/170887/evidence-of-worms-after-deworming#post_4006644

Most cats poop once every day and maybe pee a few times daily. If you're not seeing anything in the litter box, perhaps your cat is going outside. I belive your other post said your cat is semi-outdoors. If your cat seems constipated or is showign signs of urinary issues, then you need to take your cat to the vet for treatment.

Yesterday she defecated normally (after holding it for a while). It was very hot, so her urine release would be quite little, I guess. But she does use soil. Today I spread sand. I beg to add I come from Egypt so pet commodities are very rare in this country (human commodities as well).