CAT behavior--pooping outside the litterbox
All day long things are fine. No accidents or messes anywhere. BUT, and it seems to go in phases of randomness for a few days, he'll poop in the bathroom not in the litterbox at night. It's getting gross. I feel like since he's fine all day then it's not something medical, but behavioral. Anyone have any suggestions? It doesn't matter if the litterbox has been cleaned minutes before we go to bed, so it's not a cleanliness issue. This cat has issues anyway (like the reason he's in the bathroom!...and he likes to chew inappropriate things like wires, shoelaces and sweaters, grrr). But I'm about at my wit's end having to deal with all this mess, especially with a new munchkin on the way (BTW, the new pooping was happening before this pregnancy, so that's not related) |
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I have a siamese cat. They are renowned for pica (eating things that aren't nutritious). Apparently it's an oriental breed thing. My last siamese ate knitted wool.  ie if I left a jumper or gloves out he ate holes in them.  Is your kitty a skinny minnie? Maybe he has some oriental in him. Come to think of it a friend of mine had a part siamese cat who peed in her laundry (clean) when she was pregnant.  This siamese eats plastic  So I can't leave plastic shopping bags, or freezer bags or glad wrap or poop bags out on the bench without him chomping on them. It's kind of annoying when I get home with lots of bags of groceries. I have to unpack and fend off a chomping siamese all at the same time. It is really hard to remember to keep all plastic away in cupboards. Wayne especially forgets and leaves poop bags in his jacket pockets. Once he takes his jacket off the little sod raids the pockets and eats holes in the bag.Why is this relevant? I hear you ask. Well the plastic has never obstructed his gut but it does constipate him and when this happens I get up to a poop outside the litter box. How do I know this is the problem. Its gross, because I can see bits of plastic in the poop. Maybe your kitty is constipated at times. There are special cat medicines you can get for constipation. Also make sure he has plenty of water around the house so he can drink often. |
| I feel your pain. Start with making sure you don't have a medical issue. Pooping out of the box can be a UTI. I know, we usually think peeing out of a box for UTI but it's true. Try cleaning the cat box EVERY night. Try changing the type of litter. Try the plug in that blows a soothing chemical in the room (you get it from your vet), it's based on the hormone that the mother cat gives off. Peeing on you and pooping out of the box are most likely a medical issue. Take her to the vet.  |
| Periodically, we also replace the litter boxes. Even though we clean the boxes out with a special cleaner, there can be a lingering odor that we can't smell but the cats can. My cats do not like a dirty box so we scoop twice a day. |
| Cats can be vey fussy on the type of litter that's in the tray. I've known them not like the "feel" of the litter on their feet and refuse to use it. Normally cats are fastidious creatures and will definitely use a litter tray unless there is some big reason why they can't. I would try changing the type of litter; mine prefer the white absorbant granules. Nik  |
| Is the kitty using the litter ok during the day? Does he poop in it ok during the day? If yes then its probably not a litter issue. The cat I have now is fussy about the type of litter too but he won't use it full stop if he doesn't like the litter. |
Whaaaat? This can't be! Cats are so clean and tidy and meticulous! It's dogs that are disgusting and filthy!  Seriously, we have had similar problems for years. When she was about age 9, our cat started peeing outside the litter box (always in the same place--right in front of the box) any time we cleaned/mopped the floor of the room where we kept her litter box. This started out of the blue and went on for at least a year. We took her to the vet and were told it was behavioral and the cat was healthy. My husband makes fun of me every time I think there's something medically wrong with the cat. We always end up paying $250 for bloodwork, exam, etc., etc., and the cat is always deemed 100% fine. We tried everything to fix the pee problem (covered litter box, open litter box, new litter, different style of litter, and on and on), but nothing seemed to work. Then one day...she stopped doing it. I am probably jinxing myself as we speak, but it did stop.  I have a lot of friends who are "cat people" and do not care for dogs. They think dogs are sloppy and annoying and dirty. Ha! I've never had a dog that was anywhere near as disgusting as the cats I've had. A litter box is the most vile thing on earth. LOL! I really feel for you. There could be a medical issue, so have the cat vet checked. But I bet it's just typical crazy cat nonsense. I like cats anyway, of course. Always have at least one.  |
Mim wrote: Is the kitty using the litter ok during the day? Does he poop in it ok during the day? If yes then its probably not a litter issue. The cat I have now is fussy about the type of litter too but he won't use it full stop if he doesn't like the litter. Yes, he uses it during the day without a problem. It's just night. And the peeing is just on me. Won't pee on husband or elsewhere. We've done the pheramone plug in, which didn't do a thing. We've done tests, which showed he's fine. He's just a weird cat to begin with. |
| I would die if a cat peed on me considering their pee is the worst smell ever. No dog even if it was 100+ lbs can compare!!! He should come live with our weird female cat who randomly throws up to "Seemingly" tell you that things weren't done right and/or on time. Drives me bonkers, and we never know what will be the next trigger outside of the already present ones (not feeding her FRESH food at exactly the right time, when her sister is locked in another room ...she'll throw up to tell me, etc). It's totally not medical or kind of food from what we know. It's just because she's a cat. |
barney1 wrote: Yes, he uses it during the day without a problem. It's just night. And the peeing is just on me. Won't pee on husband or elsewhere. ohhhhhh I'd die. My SIL had a cat that did that to her. I'm sorry. I have to be honest. If I had a relative that could take the cat I'd give it away.....assuming it would go to a nice home. For some reason this cat has it out for you. I'd let her move on to another home.  |
| And let me tell you, cat pee BURNS, btw. Yeah, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that a new home would be best, but who would want a 7-year old male cat who has pee issues and chews on cords and sweaters/blankets/shoelaces, etc.... That's why I can't get rid of him. I fear for the outcome. How long do cats live, lol |
barney1 wrote: How long do cats live, lol  We say the same thing every time ours vomits. |
barney1 wrote: And let me tell you, cat pee BURNS, btw. Yeah, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that a new home would be best, but who would want a 7-year old male cat who has pee issues and chews on cords and sweaters/blankets/shoelaces, etc.... That's why I can't get rid of him. I fear for the outcome. Oh he definitely sounds like he's got some oriental in him. The chewing sweaters etc, the peeing and the pooping. |
I know My himmie, Potato does the same thing!! He's very territorial (humans, dogs) and will pee anywhere that is "rightfully his". He's only 4 and I keep thinking ugh, how can I put up his bad habit for another 10 years?! but then I'd see his darn cute pushed in face, his huggable soft body and realized that I can never give him up - no matter how angry he makes me.  He has the best dog personality too. most of the time he's like this http://picasaweb.google.com/slaplore/Sh ... 7951629650Recently my husband left for a skiing trip and Potato peed on his side of our new tempurpedic bed (so pissed), on his leather jacket and our crate and barrel chair. I spent all weekend cleaning- soaking these areas. Locking him out of the bedroom for a week helps - you can see he gets guilty. Potato is vindictive.. One time Tony playfully pawed him in the face and Potato just got up, walked over to Tony's bed and peed on it. Orvis bed is the best thing ever when it comes to cleaning and I've developed a habit to put up the dog beds every morning so that Potato wont pee on them. What did work in the past is that we gave him a space where he can own.. He had the whole 3rd floor loft/office to himself where all of our other pets stayed downstairs (they have no desire going up there, whew)-- he didn't pee on anything other than his litter box for 2 years. We will definitely do that again when we move back East. Now that we are living in an apartment - we're pretty much stuck. He will now pee whenever we go out of town... I think because he has no space to himself and he's mad at us for leaving him with the dogs. We'd have to pack quietly and out of his sight. As much as I love Potato, I don't think I could ever get another cat again :/ |
| ^^^^ That is such a sweet pic. |
| Have you tried just giving him a good old fashioned cat shaking? Or a gypsy curse? My sister's (the original crazy cat girl) solution was to section off a hunk of the basement, build a cat playground room for the destructive cats and all their litterbox bad behavior by just keeping all of it confined to one room when they were out of the house. Oddly, the ones that were peeing out of the litterbox started peeing back in it again once they were all together (there's five of them). She also did some crap with spraying that cat pheromone stuff in there. If you're interested, I can find out more about this spray and if it worked or not. I have to admit, when she tells me her crazy cat stories, I totally zone out so I catch bits and pieces. BTW, am I totally missing another pregnant announcement or did you just quietly weasel that in? |
| I am wondering if your cat has been neutered and if not, I wonder if that would help alter his behaviour? But more important than his bad habit, is the fact that pregnant women should not be handling cat litter as the cat’s feces could cause toxoplasmosis. You may be aware of this but if not, please research this online. I had a Himylayan cat who lived to be 17 and in her last couple of years, she would go in her box but hang her butt out over the side and go on the floor. Go figure??? I bought plastic lined pads and spread them under her box. Oh and she loved loved to eat wool , elastic bands, etc, but her very favourite was curling ribbon and wrapping paper. |
ButtersStotch wrote: BTW, am I totally missing another pregnant announcement or did you just quietly weasel that in? you're very perceptive! Yep, pregnant again! He/she will be coming in july.  We tried that pheromone stuff and it didn't seem to do anything. And yes, QUITE aware of the litter box and toxoplasmosis. It's a nice break to have DH change the litter for 19 months. It's just hard to avoid the feces when they are being deposited directly ON you  |
| You've got some good genes too so I can't wait to see pics!!! I'm so happy you're pregnant again!  T is going to be so dang jealous with the new lo since she's gone all this time getting all the attn. So is it already almost that time to find out the sex? |
Joahaeyo wrote: You've got some good genes too so I can't wait to see pics!!! I'm so happy you're pregnant again! T is going to be so dang jealous with the new lo since she's gone all this time getting all the attn. So is it already almost that time to find out the sex? Awwww, thanks! Yes, she is going to be a mess I think! She is SUCH a momma's girl and of course she gets all the attention so it'll be very interesting to see what happens... |
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