Poop outside the litterbox

[peugeot206]

This morning for the first time ever, my cat Elvis pooped outside his litterbox on the kitchen rug.

Let me first say that, I'm not really sure if it's really poop, because it doesn't smell (and his poops does smell I know because he forgot to cover up his poop once and the entire room smells like it), it's not really hard and it's cold but anyway, let's just assume it is. I came up with 3 possibilities why this might happen.

1) I know I shouldn't do this but lately he's been knocking on my bedroom door too early in the morning so what I did to try to discourage him is to use those air canister (those used to blow dust out of a computer) and blow it through the gap under the door (to mimic the motion-sensing ones). I don't blow right at him (I can tell where he is outside the door) but this could've stressed him out and caused him to poop there. However, I don't know if this could be any stressful than when we brought him home 4 months ago and he didn't pooped outside the box.

2) Dirty litter box. Because he usually poops in the early morning, I can hear him use the litter box when he shovels the litter around and he scratches on the box after he uses it. This morning, it sounds like he jumped into the litterbox and jumped back out quickly. However, I find the litter box isn't really that full. It's not empty but it certainly isn't that bad. We went for a 1 night trip a month ago where nobody cleaned his litter and he didn't poop outside while we were away. What I did today after I cleaned the mess up is pour fresh new litter in his box, place him in the box, praying he recognizes his litterbox is once again clean.

3) And finally it could be a medical issue, though I'm not seeing any distress from him. Yes, I know cats are masters of hiding their sickness but he's been eating well, grooming himself, sleeping normally. Though I do notice he seems to meow a bit more than usual but other than that, it's just the normal him.

If he keeps on doing it, I know I'll have to take it to the vet. But in the mean time, what do you think?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

 

[peaches08]

Constipation? From hairballs perhaps?

 

[peugeot206]

Actually, it could very well be hairball, but I don't know if hairballs puked out come in a tubular shape shape.

 

[di and bob]

My cat can have hairballs that look exactly like poop, but like you said it didn't smell so I knew it wasn't poop. He too smells up the whole room!

 If you sniffed it and there was no odor I would bet it was a hairball. If it is poop and is by the door you are trying to keep him out of maybe he waited too long to make it to his litterbox, or you scared the poop out of him with the canned air!

 

[vball91]

Actually, it could very well be hairball, but I don't know if hairballs puked out come in a tubular shape shape.

Yes, hairballs do come out a tubular shape in my experience, but you should be able to break it up and see that it's mostly hair. Also, there would usually be some liquid that is brought up with the hairball.

 

[peugeot206]

I would  then conclude it's airball because I sniffed at it and it doesn't smell one bit. Anyway, this really makes my day. Had it been a litterbox problem it will be much more complicated.

Having said that, I will continue to monitor him.

Thanks for the reply everyone!