Pooping outside of box?

[mellieanne]

Wondering if anyone that's been through this can give some advice!

My kitty has been pooping directly outside of the box on and off for about a week which is very unlike him (never really had issues with this before). He has pooped in it once this week, but the other times have been outside.

This past month or so, I did get him a new box (old one was getting kind of gross). This box has 3 slightly higher sides, and 1 lower side. I also switched his litter from clay to World's Best. He didn't seem to really have an issue with this litter as he's used it for at least a couple week, but who knows! I'm wondering if it is either the litter, or the change of box? He always pees right where the lower side is (he likes to put his foot on the edge haha), so I'm thinking if he does that first, maybe he doesn't want to step over it to get to the back of the box to take care of the rest of his business? I clean his box out twice a day so its definitely not that its dirty.

Another thought I had was...he is prone to constipation off and on, and he was a little constipated late last week. I gave him a bit of canned pumpkin, and that did the trick (of course, outside of the box and not in it). I hadn't noticed him straining in the box at all before, but maybe he did when I wasn't around and now has bad associations with it? 

I've just added an additional box next to the current one and also cleaned the mat with an enzyme cleaner. Anything else I should try?

I should also mention that he was at the vet just a couple weeks ago (checkup and shots), and was in good health then.

Thanks!

 

[yayi]

Since you added another box, hopefully your boy will use it for his number 2. 

 

By the way, what do you feed him? 

 

[pisces7386]

We have a female cat that did that  few months ago. Two weeks after we changed litters she started pooping on the bath mat  next to the litter box on and off. We switched back to the old litter when we noticed that she would not dig in the new stuff. We don't think that was the pooping issue though because she still doesn't like to dig anymore. We also suspected constipation and added water to her food. Pretty quickly she started pooping in the box more and more often. Now we add extra water to her food all the time.  Your similar situation almost makes me wonder if the new litter made them not want to poop and that led to the constipation.  Another thing we did was watch her like a hawk... whenever she went to squat outside the box we put her in the box. It scared the heck out of her, but she didn't poop on the carpet

 

[pj100]

Maybe try to slowly introduce the new cat litter in with the old  one. Try buying some of the old cat litter and mix putting enough of it in with the new one. Ensuring that there is more of the new cat litter then the old in the box. Leave that for a  about a week, empty all the litter out and then put even more of the new cat litter and less of the old cat litter in there then there was the previous week. Try to make this a gradual change for your cat.

 Try to retrain your cat to use their litter box and make it a positive experience for them. You can do this by trying to calmly place your cat in their litter box after play sessions with you, nap times or after meals. When you place the cat in the litter box try petting them a little on their back and giving them a treat occasionally while they are in the box or if they dig in the box, but do not give them a treat all of the time.

After cleaning where the cat went poop outside of the box with an enzyme cleaner you could also try to spray a little bit of cat nip spray out side of the litter box, perhaps this would help your cat to associate the litter box with a positive smell. Just do not spray to much.

 Is the new cat litter that you changed it to scented? maybe the cat is having a problem with the sent of the new cat litter . They are finding it to strong or do not like it. You could then try using an unscented brand.

 

[lamiatron]

WOW. i've had a similar experience when i switched to WBCL (Worlds best cat litter)

I was using it for like a 1-2 week period, and that was the only time i had issues with one of my cats and the litter box. she would always poop out side the box..ALWAYS. and my other cat really didn't seem to like that litter either. he would jump in the box, somehow manage to do his business and jump out as QUICKLY as possible (which is weird for him, cus he likes to dig to china before he pees or dumps and take his sweet time burying it too!)

Maybe try slowly transitioning your kitty to WBCL, where you mix it with the old litter....but it very well may be the litter. As with my cat, once i switched back to the old litter, she did not have accidents outside of the box anymore. it stopped immediately. 

Some cats just dont like natural litter : /

 

[lamiatron]

also! forgot to mention...maybe you can try some cat attract herbs to mix in with the litter you're using? might help attract kitty to the litter when its time to do his business.

 

[mellieanne]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!

He has always eaten all canned food (currently its the Hills allergy prescription stuff...not my fav obviously, but the vet has recommended it while we try to figure out his allergy issue). I also add water to it as well, so he definitely gets plenty of water.

It may just be the new WBCL, in which case I might just switch back to the old stuff I was using (I love it...its lighter and clumps great, but I'm not the one that matters here! lol). Maybe I'll put the old litter in his secondary box and see what happens. The WBCL is "unscented" but I notice it does have a bit of a natural scent to it.

 

[lorie williams]

I had a major problem with this and the end result was she has IBD and the foods I had been feeding her had been really irritating her bowels for a long time, and when it got worse, she would associate the pain with the box and would poop outside the box, sometimes diahrrea and sometimes not.  Sometimes it is trial and error on what the cause is, but do not give up.  I switched mine to all Grain Free diet and so far (knock on wood) its been a real positive experience all around.  She is healthier, her coat is soft and shiny and she is much happier cat!!