poops outside the box

[shiraz21]

hi,
my cat (i've had for about 5 years) poops outside the box almost all the time. this has been going on since i got her. she stopped after taking antibiotics for a uti... she didnt go one time outside the box for about 2-3 months. then started up again, then had surgery for crystals and they took out a tumor while they were in there. doing fine but still going right outside the box... now she's on prescription food... still doing it...
MY QUESTION IS: do i just accept this is what she's going to do for the rest of her life or keep prying the vet for answers? if she needs to get better, i want her to have a good life... but i just am not seeming to find anything conclusive.

 

[pami]

I would get another box and get a large rubbermaid type box used to store clothes. Some cats need big boxes and some wont poo and pee in the same box.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Pami

I would get another box and get a large rubbermaid type box used to store clothes. Some cats need big boxes and some wont poo and pee in the same box.

I was going to say the same thing. Many cats do not like to poop and pee in the same box. She has experienced pain in the box from her UTI and crystal issues. So she may be associating that box with pain.

Add a couple more boxes, one next to the old box and one in another part of the house.

Observe her when she poops, and see if there is any straining. Keep track of how often she poops to make sure she's going often enough, and the size and consistency of the stool. If you think she is having trouble, the stools are huge and infrequent, or hard and dry, she may have constipation problems, again she will blame the box, so she will need help with constipation.

 

[pat traufield]

What was different about the 2-3 months she did not go outside of the box?

If you have taken fecal samples in a worked with the vet to rule out medical causes - well that is the first step. If you have ruled out medical causes then you may want to work with a behaviorist.

When I do a full-scale cat house-soiling case I ask dozens of questions to help me figure out what is going wrong.

Behaviorally I try to figure out what is the difference between the litter box and where the cat is eliminating. Things like - what is the surface and location of the soiling? Describe the litter pan, litter and maintenance of the box. For example if a cat always soils on something hard and slick like tile, tubs, hard floors then a litter pan with very little litter is used. If the cat always soils on something soft like textiles then make sure the litter is soft.