Occasionally not using the litter box

[ZsadistRaven]

Hello, I have 2 orange tabby cats that are about 3.5 years old, one male and one female. My female cat has taken to randomly pooping on the carpet no where near the litter box. (We’re pretty sure it’s her since I’ve caught her a few times.) Originally, it was only when the box was full, now it’s practically once a week.

I’ve replaced the one box with two (admittedly a little smaller, but her brother, who is bigger, doesn’t have any issues) and completely clean them once a month. Scrubbing and replacing the litter. And even after I clean the box out and put i she’s still popping on the floor.

It’s weird because she’ll do it usually over night on Thursday or Friday (sometimes on Saturday) but come Monday, she’s back to using the box. (She might also be peeing, but by the time we notice there is no scent and the poop is hard, so it’s hard to tell.) Thankfully, she continues to poop in the same locations (I’m having a hard time getting rid of the scent since she first pooped in one spot as a kitten, despite trying to soak up everything), but I would really like to find a way to get her to stop.

Does anyone have experience with this kind of behavior? If so, any advice?

Thanks

 

[mani]

Hi Z ZsadistRaven .. Firstly you need to clean that spot so that there is no hint of scent, and for cat, that means a very deep clean with an enzyme cleaner .. here's a good article on that ( I know it's about urine, but it works for both):

How To Remove Cat Urine [Step By Step Guide] - TheCatSite

Uncover effective methods to tackle stubborn cat urine stains and odors, ensuring a fresh and welcoming home.

thecatsite.com

The fact that she pooped there as a kitten makes me think that she considers it to be another litterbox, and any scent will reinforce that. I'm bemused by her routine of doing it on certain days.

Secondly, I've had cats that have decided, even after a few years, that they don't want to wee where they poo, or share, or whatever it is that is going on in their furry head. We often say have one litterbox per cat + one extra. I have that, and my two have sorted out what they do where, and who's box is whose.
A bit of an out-of left field option is to get a new box and place it over the spot (after the cleaning).

But I'd go with the deep clean first.

 

[FeebysOwner]

 

[Mamanyt1953]

But...this confuses me, and makes me VERY interested...she's a weekend offender? How very odd. I'm betting that there's an environmental factor in here. Some change in routines in the household around the weekend, or in background noises/scents/etc from outside of the home perhaps...but SOMETHING is making this cat do this ONLY ON THE WEEKEND.

Put on your deerhunter hat, Sherlock, and call Dr. Watson! We need clues! This is a fine mystery. Weekend pooping. Every time I think I've heard it all, I run across something that makes me go, "HUH?????" Cats never cease to amaze me.