Litter Trained Cat Pooping on Floor

8furballs

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Background: My mom and I adopted Chloe in May of 2010. She was REALLY thin and skiddish. She started gaining weight which we thought was normal. Well a 1 1/2 later she popped out 7 very healthy kittens. Chloe and all of her kittens are litter trained. We have more than enough litter boxes. Mom and I went on vacation this last June. About a week after we came back she started pooping on the floor. We are now in August and she is still doing it. I know she was diagnosed with Giardia and in the process of getting it cured. Is it the Giardasis or something else? I'm open for suggestions please!
 

burretje

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Giardia might cause pooping outside the litterbox, especially if she has really thin stool.

However, if this has been going on this long it might also have become a habit. Make sure you clean thoroughly with something that removes the smell.

You mention that this started when you were on holiday. This means that stress might also have been a factor. If anything else changed in the household, this can be a cause as well (a new cat, new furniture, anything).

Finally you need to think back if anything changed concerning the litter boxes. Did you get new ones? Did you change the litter to a different one? Did you move the litter boxes? Have you used a different detergent than before? Anything that changed can be the cause. 
 
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8furballs

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Nothing new has came into the house. We did get one new litter box...but she was fine when we were away. We haven't changed litter brand in a year. And yes we did move the litter boxes to the basement before vacation. After she started it we moved a litter box to the level she was doing it on and it seemed to have stopped for a little. The she did it again. What gets me is that before she only did it if we were sleeping or out of the house. The other day she did it when we were in the next room over! 
 

ldg

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So you have all 8 kitties at home now? How many litter boxes do you have? Is everyone spayed/neutered? When was she diagnosed with Giardia? How long has is been since treatment started?
 
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8furballs

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So you have all 8 kitties at home now? How many litter boxes do you have? Is everyone spayed/neutered? When was she diagnosed with Giardia? How long has is been since treatment started?
Yes I have all 8 at home with me. I have one for each cat. Everyone is spayed/neutered. She was diagnosed like 3 weeks ago. And not treated yet.
 
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8furballs

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I'd move the litter boxes back to the location they were in before you were on holiday. 
Only problem with this is the fact that they were in our furnished attic...and it doesn't exactly get AC up there. It stinks really bad even though we do litter like twice a day and keep the litter fresh. 
 

ldg

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Yes I have all 8 at home with me. I have one for each cat. Everyone is spayed/neutered. She was diagnosed like 3 weeks ago. And not treated yet.
I suspect that once you get her on the metronadizole, she'll get back to using the box shortly. Though adding litter boxes by putting one or two up in the attic where they were before would be a good idea. :nod: To help with the smell, when you're done scooping, give a light spray of enzyme cleaner over the top of the litter each time. Not wet so it clumps - just lightly. It helps things to keep smelling... "fresh." :)
 
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8furballs

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I suspect that once you get her on the metronadizole, she'll get back to using the box shortly. Though adding litter boxes by putting one or two up in the attic where they were before would be a good idea.
To help with the smell, when you're done scooping, give a light spray of enzyme cleaner over the top of the litter each time. Not wet so it clumps - just lightly. It helps things to keep smelling... "fresh."
Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try! 
 
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