8m old pooping outside the litter box

[Twinkster]

I have asked this in a few other places but I have a few more questions.
Our youngest cat became sick with FIP back in March. She could barely walk . She had no strength in her back legs. That is when the pooping outside the box started. Watching her it was like she didn't even know she was pooing. She never stopped to go it was like would just fall out of her. Fast forward to June (and a new vet) we finally find out what is making her sick. We are treating her for FIP , our vet is very involved and we see her every few weeks.
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We actually saw her last week for this months blood tests ( which are perfect YAY) but she is still pooping outside the box.
So here I am looking for ideas on how to get her litter box trained again. Or should l wait until we are no longer treating her for the FIP? Then try? she came to us box trained so I have will have to look up how to do that.

we have 4 boxes in the house , they are scooped 1-2 times a day, cleaned every 2 weeks.
We have a Very SMALL house , but I could try moving a few around, maybe she doesn't like where they are. She does pee in them , I see her do that. None of the boxes are covered , I heard that was not recommended.

 

[di and bob]

If she pees in them then there is something she doesn't like that makes her avoid them for pooping. MANY cats use one box for pooping, and one for peeing. Does she have a private box she can use, or is it shared by others and she smells the pee? I would take one of the boxes and try a different type/brand of litter and see if she prefers that, too. I wish they could tell us what they want!
My cats have leukemia. They were diagnosed almost three years ago and are doing good. I have them on LifeGold, a supplement for cancers, and DMG a VERY good immune booster. They are also kept strictly inside so as to not pick up any diseases from other cats. I'll pray for her!

 

[Furballsmom]

I agree, I don't think it's so much that she needs training since she's peeing in the box, but rather determining what it is she needs to be redirected to pooping in the box again.
In addition to the suggestions above can you take a piece of her poop and leave it in a box so she finds it there?

 

[Twinkster]

I agree, I don't think it's so much that she needs training since she's peeing in the box, but rather determining what it is she needs to be redirected to pooping in the box again.
In addition to the suggestions above can you take a piece of her poop and leave it in a box so she finds it there?

Thank you. I will try that. I was going to try the clay clumping litter in one of the boxes as well. I hate clay litter (which is what we where using when we adopted them, shortly after I switched to Okocat) but I will change one of the boxes to it to see if that fixes it.
My daughter thinks it may be the other kitten we have who is much more rambunctious and does tend to run up on her when she is in the box....

 

[danteshuman]

I would get a black light and enzyme cleaner and clean all that glows. It is possible her poop smell us on the floor.

yes I would give her cat attract litter and put some of her poop in a litter box.

It may be that your box is to small or has a lid so she feels less secure.

You can try a new texture in front of the litter box. If there is carpet s new litter mat may help break the cycle.

My very long cat is to big for the “large” litter box. So he has a plastic storage tub & one of his small litter boxes. Plus the tub helps contain his litter had he tries to kick it out of the box,

If she is having trouble walking in/out of the box then a cheap litter box you cut one side of go give her a 3 sides litter box may be a solution.

 

[sunny578]

Thank you. I will try that. I was going to try the clay clumping litter in one of the boxes as well. I hate clay litter (which is what we where using when we adopted them, shortly after I switched to Okocat) but I will change one of the boxes to it to see if that fixes it.
My daughter thinks it may be the other kitten we have who is much more rambunctious and does tend to run up on her when she is in the box....

Sometimes when cats develop a habit like this, it can stick even after the health issue that started it has been resolved. It could also very well be your other cat making the perpetrator too nervous to poop in the box. Where are your boxes located? You want them to be in areas that have good visibility and multiple points of exit and entry so that no one feels like they can be ambushed while using the box.

You could also try cat attract litter.

Do they have lots of high up places to jump to? Lots of scratching options?

 

[Twinkster]

Sometimes when cats develop a habit like this, it can stick even after the health issue that started it has been resolved. It could also very well be your other cat making the perpetrator too nervous to poop in the box. Where are your boxes located? You want them to be in areas that have good visibility and multiple points of exit and entry so that no one feels like they can be ambushed while using the box.

You could also try cat attract litter.

Do they have lots of high up places to jump to? Lots of scratching options?

We have 1 box next to the bathroom, 1 in our bedroom, 1 in the living room and 1 in the kitchen. We have a very small house. It really is getting out of hand. I talked to the vet about it she said there must be something she doesn't like.
I have tried the cat attract but I saw there is a litter with it already in there. I will try that as well. I may have to confine her to my room until this is fixed. She pooed on my bed yesterday I am going to have to cover my bed in sheets/pee pads or something . I was going to put her in the bathroom with a box while I'm at work but that seems so mean....
She has another set of blood tests that she is having done next week to make sure her FIP is under control. we stop her meds at the end of Sept. I just worry that somehow this is learned bad behavior and there is nothing we can do.

Do the calming collarsbhelp with bathroom issues ?

 

[Furballsmom]

I was going to put her in the bathroom with a box while I'm at work but that seems so mean....

I don't think cats, who are clean animals, avoid litterboxes intentionally especially if they were using them before.

However, with that said, this isn't mean. As a matter of fact it is sometimes suggested to contain the cat in a small room with boxes, so it might help more than you'd expect but at least it will make any clean up easier.

You could get one or two washable pee pads for large dogs for the bed (some are scented with an attractant so avoid those).

Calming products might help if the issue/cause is stress related.