Cat Not Pooping In Litter Box But Still Peeing In It

[LNMD93]

My cat is 9 years old and has been to 5 homes. He pees but will not poop in the litter box. He had constipation when he first came here and I have 3 litter boxes and have tried all kinds of litter. He will sit right in front of me and poop. I have not yelled at him while he is doing this as to not exacerbate the problem. I had him going in the litter box consistently over the winter but now that summer has come and the windows are open he will not poop in the litter box, I am at my wits end. He is happy and healthy otherwise. I have used the enzyme cleaners, calming spray, and composure to no avail. I am out of suggestions and he is not afraid of me at all and it is just me in the home. I have even contacted Jackson Galaxy with no response. I can't continue to have him do this.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Usually cats spray when they detect other cats outside their home but based on my Poppycat's behavior, I wonder if your cat is trying to utilize his poop to define/mark his territory.

Do you have cats roaming outside?

Have you tried Cat Attract litter, and also what about some dirt from outside in one of the litter boxes?

 

[WMM201]

Does your cat poop in the same place each time (outside the box) or in different places? Recently, my cat Mumu had a couple accidents, and tracked poop in a couple of areas in her room. I cleaned it up and sprayed on the affected areas, but I noticed she kept sniffing around different places on the carpet. Then, when she had her next poop maybe a couple days after the accident (some poop issues happening), she pooped in the same spot where she had made the biggest mess in the accident a few days ago. I couldn't smell anything but apparently she could. I used a carpet cleaning machine this time and soaked the floor with enzyme cleaner after because the smell was still there. I mean SOAKED. It took days to dry out, but the smell is gone and I have not seen her sniff around the floor for her poop spot since. I also picked up some of her poop and put it in the litter box and buried it there for a day, so that she could smell that her poop is in the box and maybe get the hint that the box is where she should be leaving future poops. The next day, she pooped on the pee pad NEXT to the box (she just went blind, I think she was making an effort), but since then, she has pooped in that box or other boxes around the house where I did the same thing.

I hope this helps! If your cat is pooping to mark, would some Feliway plug ins make him feel less territorial?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Am I reading too much into the comment you made - "I had him going in the litter box consistently over the winter but now that summer has come and the windows are open he will not poop in the litter box." Is he allowed outside and wants to do his 'business' out there? If not, then I tend to agree that there might be something out there he can see/smell/sense and he is 'reacting' to it through territorial pooping as opposed to spraying.

He is 9, and that technically is considered a senior - many senior cats have arthritis and that can bother them when trying to use the litter box. Most cats hold a different position when they poop vs. pee, so that might be bothering him. Also, with windows open it tends to cause the humidity to rise in a home, and that can also have a bearing on arthritis. He blames the box for how he feels, not his body, so he avoids the box.

Another thing to consider is that he now wants two boxes - one for pee and one for poop. You might try setting up two boxes close together and see what happens. Also, as mentioned above, you can also try soil in one of the boxes instead of litter. Either way, place some of his poop in the second litter box.

And I also agree with the cleaning aspect as another attempt to make sure he can't smell his scent where he is currently continuing to poop.

 

[LNMD93]

Hi
Usually cats spray when they detect other cats outside their home but based on my Poppycat's behavior, I wonder if your cat is trying to utilize his poop to define/mark his territory.

Do you have cats roaming outside?

Have you tried Cat Attract litter, and also what about some dirt from outside in one of the litter boxes?

I have tried cat attract litter. I believe the marking is part of it. I have squirrels and birds outside the window and an occasionally feral cat walks by but he is pooping wherever, not just where he can see outside. He will poop right in front of me like its nothing. I'm really stumped and I do not want to yell at him or make it worse but I really am at wits end.

 

[LNMD93]

Does your cat poop in the same place each time (outside the box) or in different places? Recently, my cat Mumu had a couple accidents, and tracked poop in a couple of areas in her room. I cleaned it up and sprayed on the affected areas, but I noticed she kept sniffing around different places on the carpet. Then, when she had her next poop maybe a couple days after the accident (some poop issues happening), she pooped in the same spot where she had made the biggest mess in the accident a few days ago. I couldn't smell anything but apparently she could. I used a carpet cleaning machine this time and soaked the floor with enzyme cleaner after because the smell was still there. I mean SOAKED. It took days to dry out, but the smell is gone and I have not seen her sniff around the floor for her poop spot since. I also picked up some of her poop and put it in the litter box and buried it there for a day, so that she could smell that her poop is in the box and maybe get the hint that the box is where she should be leaving future poops. The next day, she pooped on the pee pad NEXT to the box (she just went blind, I think she was making an effort), but since then, she has pooped in that box or other boxes around the house where I did the same thing.

I hope this helps! If your cat is pooping to mark, would some Feliway plug ins make him feel less territorial?

At all 5 homes he has been too he ended up back at the shelter due to pooping on the floor. It's sad and it's terrible for both the cat and the owner.

 

[BellaBlue82]

It may not help, but my oldest cat Casper will poop outside the litter box. We found out he not only has arthritis, but also gets pretty constipated at times. He'll also throw up after a particularly strenuous BM. I started giving him Cosequin, a daily probiotic, and every few days Miralax. It seems to be the only combo that helps him go IN the litter. I also use Cat Attract in the box, and clean it multiple times a day - usually morning before work, and when I come home, then I'll check it once more before bedtime. He's an ornary old man I tell ya! But I love him lol.

 

[Furballsmom]

I believe the marking is part of it. I have squirrels and birds outside the window and an occasionally feral cat walks by but he is pooping wherever, not just where he can see outside.

Granted, we don't know what all was happening in his former homes, but regarding defining his territory, what Poppy suddenly started doing was walking clear across the basement to poop in the middle of the floor and he did this so consistently that I decided he was working to make a statement to the just arrived cat in the house just behind us.

Whether the pooping is marking or a result of stress, your boy is very likely stressed by the ferals outside. Can you find a way to deter them, through motion sensitive sprinklers, pieces of cloth saturated with lemon scented furniture polish, that sort of thing?

Along with BellaBlue82 's great comments, something another member did with a cat who was missing the box was to contain the cat in a room with most everything removed and tarp and puppy pee pads on the floor, and a number of litterboxes which were cleaned frequently throughout the day, until the cat learned to use the boxes.

 

[Calicat13]

Is his poop hard? My cat was also doing this and it was because she associated pain pooping in the litterbox from constipation. Once I switched her to Solid Gold Indoor Formula 8% Fiber it helped. I also added 1 drop of Smooth BM In her water - it's expensive, you can buy it from Chewy and they have a satisfaction guarantee so if it doesn't work you can get a refund.

 

[daftcat75]

Has he been to the vet? Cats who poop outside the box often have pain or discomfort with pooping and associate that with the litterbox. BellaBlue82 may be on to something. I would get him to the vet's and have them screen for arthritis and whatever else the vet thinks may be making pooping an uncomfortable/distressing/painful ordeal for him. My angel Krista had GI lymphoma. Early into the chemo, her poops firmed up. But there was still a bit of "poop nonsense" every time. She'd have a good poop. That went in the box. Then she would have one to two more increasingly runny poops. It was 50% chance the second one would make a box. If she had to go a third time, she was putting that on the carpet. After a second or third round, she would vomit. In her case, I finally figured out her lymphoma kept smoldering away in her gut because I was wrapping her nightly steroids pill in a trigger food (fish flakes) to get her to take it. When I switched her to transdermal pred, the poop nonsense went away. She would be one and done and it went in a box every time.

In other words, there may be something health related to why he is going outside the box. If you haven't consulted a vet about this, that's where I would go next before spending more time and money on behavioral reasons.

Are the litterboxes covered? I would eliminate covered boxes if you have them. Some cats really hate covered boxes. They get swampy like porto-potties if they aren't cleaned regularly and often. The covers trap some of the smell which is why owners use them and cats hate them.

 

[Alldara]

Loads of good advice above:

Vet visit for arthritis is a must. We've had a number of pooping incidents in the last couple months with our old man cat (16yrs).

Accidents can come with the territory of an elderly pet, just like with some geriatric people. However, they can be avoided mostly.

Can you let us know if he's on medication for the constipation? Other are right: it's hard to hold that position for an elder cat with constipation. Before it was sorted, Nobel was laying on the floor on his side and pooing. Poor bud. Purina Flotiflora is a great probiotic. Our vet has him on Restorilax which she says will not make his bowels lazier. (Confirmed no other issues as of last week!)

1. Get him in and on pain management and constipation management if necessary. Get him hydration management if necessary.

2. How many floors does your home have? Elderly cats need one box per floor. They can't always make it. I recommend different style boxes for cats with issues, because they might begin to associate one with pain. Usually they'll use another. It's worked well. You could try just paper in one. A good general rule is one per cat plus one.

3. Are you throwing his poop out or moving it to the box? I would recommend moving it to the box and then gently placing him at the box so he can smell it. In all likelihood he will trot off, but he can still smell it.

4. Consider contacting a local TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) in your area to help relocate the feral cats. Otherwise, set up some deterrents but they are highly likely not to work. You could try planting some deterrents or some bushes to block them from his sights. You can bring him in some scents from outside to explore more closely sometimes, he will become more accustomed to the regular smells and less stressed as a result.

5. 100% he needs a second box for poo. Directly next to the first may or may not work.

6. Whenever he begins struggling, if you have an enclosed box, take the lid off for awhile. If he feels trapped he may be less likely to go.

 

[sunny578]

Please keep us updated! I too am wondering about the number of boxes, where they are, whether or not they are covered, if he seems to be straining, if the stool is hard. Does he ever poop in the box?