My cat is terrified to poop in the litterbox...

[pawprints1986]

I am so at a loss here....

We had a problem initially friday morning with poop on the couch... and i later found that he had sprayed on the mat by the front door. The feliway had run dry so i thought maybe something territorial was going on. I was trying to hide it so I just quickly lysol wiped where the poop was, and blotted and used vinegar where the spray was.

Monday morning there was more poop on the couch, but this time a full set of logs. not just one log like friday. after i found the log on friday i upped his miralax a little bit. I thought this might work. I went out and got natures miracle and soaked the areas, several times. I put a light coating on every night until wednesday I went out and bought some feliway spray. I was hoping the problem was solved.

Now today, He almost pooped outside of the box - again!! Luckily my cleaning worked and he didnt go for the couch upstairs again. This time on the floor near one of his favourite blankets! I happened to be up and caught him, so I picked him up and brought him to the box... he was terrified!!! I don't know what happened to make him so afraid of the litterbox for poop.

Help??!?? I don't know what to do!!!!

He didn't even get out of that box and go for the others... he went for the couch downstairs!!

So I got him off there and he ended up going on the floor down there. I don't get it?? How the heck can I correct this???? He doesn't poop everyday so I can't very well set up a routine.....

I thought of another detail that makes no sense... when he was blocked up before (constipated) he didn't even avoid the boxes then, until it was to the point of no return, trying so hard to pass little nuggets anywhere he could... even after those vet visits with the water up the butt, he still pooped in the box. So I don't know now if I'm dealing with a pain issue now or what the heck.... if it was pain he would have avoided after the vets would he not???

and then just now im even more confused.... when what happened earlier happened, i put the poop in "his" box.... then at some point between then and now, he went pee in that same box, on his own, which he was terrified of hours prior..... maybe that pee was before the poop, but he had just gone pee like, 5 hours prior, so it had to be after...

while im relieved that he went pee on his own in the box (ive been feeling the need for my own piece of mind to coax him to the litter and at least watch him pee at night, after what happened), I dont know how to help him with the poop situation?? Should i leave that poop in there until he has to poop again??

The problem is that i dont know if earlier he checked the boxes first or just didnt want anything to do with them when he had to go..... 

I read online somewhere that some people use puppy pads to let their cats go on... but i really dont want to do that. that will just teach that anywhere soft is fair game...

Im so at a loss.... what can i do??

If it was pain related, the poop today just literally fell out of him... it was formed but no strain at all. months ago (before we thought about constipation), ive watched him in the box, push and push, and finally able to go. so this one didnt hurt him, at all. Im so confused....

We already have 3 litterboxes for 2 cats... it would seem silly to add a 4th one.

Just the other day i rinsed all the boxes out really well too

 

[p3 and the king]

Has he been to the vet?  Usually when cats do this sort of thing out of the blue, it is for one of two reasons... They are trying to tell you they don't feel good and something is wrong.  Or there is a change going on.  It could be meaningless to you... But cats don't like change.  It could be tiny or it could be huge.  Maybe an animal is outside and taunting him (spraying or making noise) and it's upsetting him?  First, make him an appointment at the vet and rule out any medical issues.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Hmm..  A vet visit isn't a bad idea.  I wonder if he could have been spooked by something while he was in there?  Did you use any cleaners on the box that were different?  A different scent even?  Can you try moving the boxes around so it's in a different (less scary) spot?

 

[pawprints1986]

Was just at the vet in september when he was blocked. besides the block all was well. the block was resolved with an enema. 

Im almost certain its got to do with fear. When i found the first poop, it had started (or finished, but im betting started) in the litterbox. For whatever reason he bolted.

the only thing i can think is that our other cat has been spending alot of time downstairs.... maybe she has somehow began dominating or something... But this doesnt seem like her nature at all.

 

[pawprints1986]

Bit of progress, i did see him poop in the box early monday monring, which did help, but im still not "at ease". 

I did wash out the box again with some gentle soap I found (the first time i only used water, and even i thought it stunk). 

Yesterday though i did find that he peed on his blanket, so thats washing for the second time right now.

But, since the blanket has been gone, ive seen him go in the box twice (last night and this afternoon). 

I do have the feliway spray but i didnt think to spray it on that blanket, since he normally loves it (to the point of dragging it around the house and kneading it) i didnt think that would become a problem. (oh PS, anywhere to buy this stuff in bulk? I buy the diffuser refills in a 6 pack. does any such thing exist for the sprays??)

But at least if the washing that doesnt fix the problem, thats something cheap and easy to fix or just do without. 

Im toying with the idea of putting a litterbox in my bedroom as a last resort, but im afraid that if i do he will think the whole room is fair game to "go" because his scent will be in the room? My door is always closed (with cat door access). I dont know how to make him know that only the litterbox is fair game in that regard. he would definitely be comfortable enough, i just dont know how to control the odors, especailly when he doesnt bury it. 

he does sleep on my bed also, which is fine. just dont need him going on it.