Cat Suddenly Pooping Outside Of Litterbox

[RagsToRiches]

Hi everyone! I am a relatively new cat owner-- I adopted my 8-year-old Ragdoll, Liora, about two months ago. The first few weeks, Liora was absolutely fine and well mannered. She used the litterbox exactly as she was supposed to, and was extremely clean. However, about a month and a half into owning her, I began to catch her going to the bathroom elsewhere. It started with her bed. One morning I woke up to find poop in the middle of it, but I had heard that cats never soil where they sleep, so I brushed it off and thought perhaps it had just gotten stuck to her butt after she relieved herself and somehow ended up on her bed when she went to sit in it. A few days later, I actually caught her in the act, and realized that it couldn't be an accident. Then it began to escalate. Soon she was pooping on our couch, then our rug, and finally the plain old floor. I have no idea why this is happening-- and getting worse. The only thing I could think is that either she is reacting negatively to my new roommate moving in (which happened around the time that she started pooping outside the box), or she's reacting negatively to the furniture (all of which is new because when I initially got the cat there was no furniture as I had just moved in to my apartment.)
A little background info on Liora: She came from a home with multiple other cats, she is not spayed, she is eating and drinking normally, she cleans herself regularly, she is playing normally, she is shy but social with me.
If anyone has any insights on what is causing this behavior, please let me know!

 

[abyeb]

The first thing I would recommend is taking her to the vet for a checkup. Litterbox problems can be a sign of underlying health issues in cats.

Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet

Another possibility is that this is caused by anxiety. Cats can be nervous about changes, so a new roomate could have been the reason. A Feliway diffuser could help.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Congrats on the adoption of Liora. Sorry she's started having litter box avoidance issues. A vet checkup is always the first recommendation, just to confirm there's nothing medical going on.

she is not spayed

Did you mean to type she is spayed?

If she really isn't, at 8 years old I would ask the vet about spaying her. The older a female cat gets without being spayed, the greater the chance of her developing "female" issues. Here's a couple articles with more info:
Why You Should Spay And Neuter Your Cats
When To Spay Or Neuter A Cat?

The outside the litter box pooping, could be stress-related, particularly since it started at the same time the new room-mate and furniture arrived. Here's some more articles that might be helpful.

Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
You, Your Cat And Stress
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

 

[RagsToRiches]

The first thing I would recommend is taking her to the vet for a checkup. Litterbox problems can be a sign of underlying health issues in cats.

Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet

Another possibility is that this is caused by anxiety. Cats can be nervous about changes, so a new roomate could have been the reason. A Feliway diffuser could help.

Hi, thanks for the response. I actually took her to the vet this morning, however they were unable to find any underlying illness. They did however advise me to purchase Feliway, and recommended I change the type of litter I've been buying. Hopefully that will help sort out the problem.

 

[RagsToRiches]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Congrats on the adoption of Liora. Sorry she's started having litter box avoidance issues. A vet checkup is always the first recommendation, just to confirm there's nothing medical going on.



Did you mean to type she is spayed?

If she really isn't, at 8 years old I would ask the vet about spaying her. The older a female cat gets without being spayed, the greater the chance of her developing "female" issues. Here's a couple articles with more info:
Why You Should Spay And Neuter Your Cats
When To Spay Or Neuter A Cat?

The outside the litter box pooping, could be stress-related, particularly since it started at the same time the new room-mate and furniture arrived. Here's some more articles that might be helpful.

Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
You, Your Cat And Stress
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

Hi, thanks for the info. I went to the vet with her today and she was cleared of any illnesses. They suggested that her issues are most likely stress related. I guess a new home was stressful enough, but adding on the roommate and furniture really sent her over the edge unfortunately.
She actually came to me un-spayed. I'd love to fix her at some point, but honestly I haven't been in a financial situation where I am able to do so just yet, especially with my recent move. Do you think it could be excess hormones that are causing her toileting issues?

 

[jen]

Hi, thanks for the info. I went to the vet with her today and she was cleared of any illnesses. They suggested that her issues are most likely stress related. I guess a new home was stressful enough, but adding on the roommate and furniture really sent her over the edge unfortunately.
She actually came to me un-spayed. I'd love to fix her at some point, but honestly I haven't been in a financial situation where I am able to do so just yet, especially with my recent move. Do you think it could be excess hormones that are causing her toileting issues?

So not only is she hormone crazy being intact but she also is in a new home, and now new furniture on top of that. Cats are finicky creatures and she is probably territorial too being intact. What tests did the vet do? At 8 years I would hope bloodwork, a urine check, fecal test for parasites... What did the vet do to determine she is "fine" as a regular basic check up isn't going to tell much really.

First thing is you need a second litterbox, You should always have one per cat plus one extra. So 2 boxes in your case. Is she urinating outside the box or just defecating? Maybe try a different litter too as the vet recommended. Not just another brand of clumping clay, or whatever you use, but TOTALLY different kind. Like non clumping and unscented, or World's Best

Second, you can look into Feliway, calming collars, things like that to keep her relaxed.

Third, she needs spayed, like, yesterday. Where do you live, we can help you find a low cost clinic. This will help with her health overall and should be done.

 

[rubysmama]

Hopefully the Feliway will help. There's also calming treats that you could look into.

It might not make a difference in her case, since she already has litterbox avoidance issues, but normally when you change litter, it should be done gradually. Here's an article with more info: When And How To Switch To A New Type Of Litter

Also, a 2nd litter box could help. Some cats are quirky, and like to pee in one box and poop in another. Also, are you cleaning the litter box regularly. Some cats also don't like to use the litter box if it's already been used. That's why you hear stories of the cat, literally, jumping into a litter box as soon as it's been cleaned.

Here's 2 more articles with info:
How Many Litterboxes Should You Have?
How Often Should You Clean The Litter Box?

In Liora's case, it probably is stress. It could also be hormonal.

Has she had a heat cycle since you've had her?

Spaying sooner than later is probably best, as though it's not cheap, it'll be cheaper than trying to save her life if she develops pyometra.
Pyometra in Cats

Here's a couple links with info on low cost vet clinics:
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life
Financial Aid for Pets