First time for this

For the first time, one of my three is pooping outside the litterbox.
Not sure which one it is, but's it's happened twice so far this week. I searched some other threads here, but would still appreciate advice.
Whoever it is has pooped (it's pretty solid) on the carpet in my spare bedroom where the second litterbox is located. The other is inside a small storage room on the opposite side of the apartment. We've had the same set up since I brought Pete home six months ago. Their food and water is in the kitchen, nowhere near the boxes, which are both pretty large. There's been no change in their food or litter.

It could be that one of them is sick, but I've seen no other symptoms. If I knew which one it was I'd take them to the vet right away. Maybe I should set up hidden cameras?

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Could they not have accidently missed the litterbox thinking they were aiming right?!.

Rosie did that once and i actually saw her, but her rear was right at the edge of the litterbox but bless her it went over the edge

Originally Posted by Kellyyfaber

Is the poop pretty close to the litterbox??? Sometimes my kitty Sandy gets nervous if another cat is around when she is pooping and stands up rather than crouching down and the poop falls outside the edge of the box. Just a thought

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The first time it was kind of like dragged across the carpet, a few feet from the litterbox. Last night it was in neat little pile, also a few feet away.

Could the litter need changing?!

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Could the litter need changing?!

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Just did this over the weekend. That's what makes this a little frustrating - nothing is out of the ordinary that I know of. Makes me wish I knew what the kitties are thinking!

Hmmm?!, then i wonder if it's something like Kelly said?, or if one of the other cats have startled the one pooping?.

Sophies done that to Rosie a few times when she's in the middle of a poop!. She'll jump on her playfully on the litterbox and stop her concentration

It might be the Poop Wars!

One cat is taking a dump; another feels like disturbing the other cat's dump. The pooping cat therefore has to take off running before he's done; the other cat chasing the pooping cat sees that the pooping cat is *still* pooping... poop winds up outside the box.

I was treated to a "poop trail" complete with tracks, when I came home from work 2 days ago. One of the cats had started the Poop War and taken off running with the poo still attached, then rubbed it off on the carpet.

Or, maybe your poop-confused cat is just marking territory? K.C. does this to me on occasion. In my master bathroom... just leaves me little presents from time to time.

Originally Posted by darkeyedgirl

It might be the Poop Wars!

One cat is taking a dump; another feels like disturbing the other cat's dump. The pooping cat therefore has to take off running before he's done; the other cat chasing the pooping cat sees that the pooping cat is *still* pooping... poop winds up outside the box.

I was treated to a "poop trail" complete with tracks, when I came home from work 2 days ago. One of the cats had started the Poop War and taken off running with the poo still attached, then rubbed it off on the carpet.

Or, maybe your poop-confused cat is just marking territory? K.C. does this to me on occasion. In my master bathroom... just leaves me little presents from time to time.

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A Poop War - great. This actually makes a lot of sense - thanks! You never know what living with these guys is going to bring!

Please don't rule out health issues. Although it would be amusing to think that one cat is scooping other's poop out of the box, if the poop you are looking at has no litter on it, the cat that did the deed may very well be ill. This is one way our cats know how to get our attention.

There is a stuck thread in this forum regarding pooping issues and it gives you a lot of ideas why it is happening, but first and foremost a vet visit would be in order.

Originally Posted by hissy

Please don't rule out health issues. Although it would be amusing to think that one cat is scooping other's poop out of the box, if the poop you are looking at has no litter on it, the cat that did the deed may very well be ill. This is one way our cats know how to get our attention.

There is a stuck thread in this forum regarding pooping issues and it gives you a lot of ideas why it is happening, but first and foremost a vet visit would be in order.

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Thanks. I appreciate your concern and, as with anything regarding my cats' health, am taking this seriously. I've pretty much ruled out anything listed in that thread as the cause, with the exception of a medical issue. Both Katie and Gracie have previously scheduled appointments for check-ups early next week. However, if I see other signs that anything is wrong before then I'm fortunate enough to live within 10 minutes of two emergency vets, and will get them there right away.