Defecating outside the litter box...

[Sillycat41]

I just joined this forum as it seems to be very active with lots of good tips. My problem is with a 13 yr old Bengal named Bali who weighs 19#. About a year ago he got constipated and required an overnight stay at the vet clinic. Since he has a chronic constipation problem the vet put him on Lactulose... first twice a day and then 3 times a day. That helped for a while but his stools were still very hard so the vet added a small dose of Miralax to his regime. For the pas couple of months Bali has been occasionally pooping outside the litter box... sometimes near it but more recently many feet away from it. The Lactulose apparently makes him thirsty so he pees a lot... leaving large puddles but doesn't cover them. I wondered if he didn't poop in the box because of the puddles so I purchased another litter box and put it next to the original. Didn't work... he still poops on the floor about half that time. I've read that Lactulose can cause cramping and bloating... perhaps he associates that with using the box and poops on the floor. Has anyone had similar problems? Any suggestions on how to retrain him to use the litter box?? My husband is disgusted and wants to put him down but I am looking for a solution. I hate to put him down... he's a sweet, lovable cat. :-(

 

[Felix19+]

Have u tried Katalax paste cats cannot resist it, it has cod-liver oil and malt in it, my elderly cat suffered from constipation on and off and this really helped - I always kept 2 trays for her with Thomas Cat Litter which is great for soaking up liquid - and kept them clean all the time - sometimes I would find some hard poop on the floor away from her tray but that was when it was hard and she obviously couldn't quite get rid of it all at her tray - have u tried only soft food no biscuits - may be u could sprinkle some catnip in tray to encourage her to go in - poor thing it would be very sad to have her put to sleep because of this and in any case I don't think a vet would for such a reason

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Are his stools normal now, or does he still show signs of hard stools, especially when he goes outside the litter box? I think you should ask your vet about trying something else besides Lactulose, and perhaps upping the dose of Miralax. I have heard that long term use of Lactulose can actually reduce nutritional absorption in the bowel, which could be causing issues of its own. And, as said above, a dry food only diet only can contribute to constipation as well.

What other tests have been run to try to pinpoint the cause of the constipation? In many cases, there is an underlying cause and if that can be treated, it is better than just throwing laxatives at the problem. The thirst could be related to conditions that can attribute to constipation, such as kidney issues, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, IBD - to name a few. Obesity can also play a role in constipation.

There is no way to re-train a cat to use the litter box if there is a medical reason for the constipation. Please pursue with your vet potential health related issues and work on resolving them. Your cat is WAY too young to be put down for something like this.

 

[Sillycat41]

Have u tried Katalax paste cats cannot resist it, it has cod-liver oil and malt in it, my elderly cat suffered from constipation on and off and this really helped - I always kept 2 trays for her with Thomas Cat Litter which is great for soaking up liquid - and kept them clean all the time - sometimes I would find some hard poop on the floor away from her tray but that was when it was hard and she obviously couldn't quite get rid of it all at her tray - have u tried only soft food no biscuits - may be u could sprinkle some catnip in tray to encourage her to go in - poor thing it would be very sad to have her put to sleep because of this and in any case I don't think a vet would for such a reason

I'm never heard of Katalax but if it is similar to hairball remedies that contain cod-liver and malt he won't eat it. :-( I have several litter boxes and scoop them several times a day so he never has a dirty box. His stools have always been hard and dry even though he drinks lots of water. He eats 3 meals a day of wet food and dry treats in between. He likes to roll in catnip so adding it to the box might be a problem. I wrote to my vet again hoping that he'll come up with a solution. I don't want to put him down... very sad.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry though for the reason that's brought you here.

I understand finding cat poop on the floor can be disgusting, but please don't be thinking of putting down your sweet lovable cat for this reason. Hopefully we can help you figure out what's causing this behaviour, and help him correct it. However, if you reach a point where you are no longer able to keep him, please take him to a no-kill shelter, where he will be rehomed.

The other replies ask similar questions to those I'm curious about. So I'll wait for your reply, before posting more.

Meanwhile, here's a couple TCS articles that might be helpful:

How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide – TheCatSite Articles
Litterbox Problems? Here’s Why You Should Call Your Vet – TheCatSite Articles

 

[RufusGizmo]

have you tried to change litter to cat attract? we had a cat that was peeing a lot of places and i hired a behaviorist, and one of the suggestions was the cat attract litter. i cant think of the brand off-hand but it was Dr. something and in a red big bag. if it is not medical this might help him want to go back to the litter box.

 

[Sillycat41]

Hi. Are his stools normal now, or does he still show signs of hard stools, especially when he goes outside the litter box? I think you should ask your vet about trying something else besides Lactulose, and perhaps upping the dose of Miralax. I have heard that long term use of Lactulose can actually reduce nutritional absorption in the bowel, which could be causing issues of its own. And, as said above, a dry food only diet only can contribute to constipation as well.

What other tests have been run to try to pinpoint the cause of the constipation? In many cases, there is an underlying cause and if that can be treated, it is better than just throwing laxatives at the problem. The thirst could be related to conditions that can attribute to constipation, such as kidney issues, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, IBD - to name a few. Obesity can also play a role in constipation.

There is no way to re-train a cat to use the litter box if there is a medical reason for the constipation. Please pursue with your vet potential health related issues and work on resolving them. Your cat is WAY too young to be put down for something like this.

Thanks for your response. His stools have always been hard and dry even though he drinks lots of water. Without the Lactulose he gets plugged up and needs enemas. I wrote to my vet again to see if there is something else we can try... maybe just Miralax since Lactulose does cause bloating and cramping. I also wonder if long term use of Lactulose can cause lack of muscle control in the bowel. His main meals are wet food and only dry for treats. He has recently had tests done and there were no abnormalities. He is a bit overweight but down a few pounds from his heaviest. I pray that we don't have to put him down for this problem. :-(

 

[Felix19+]

I'm never heard of Katalax but if it is similar to hairball remedies that contain cod-liver and malt he won't eat it. :-( I have several litter boxes and scoop them several times a day so he never has a dirty box. His stools have always been hard and dry even though he drinks lots of water. He eats 3 meals a day of wet food and dry treats in between. He likes to roll in catnip so adding it to the box might be a problem. I wrote to my vet again hoping that he'll come up with a solution. I don't want to put him down... very sad.

yes Katalax similar to what u have tried - I wouldn't give him any dried food at all - does he eat his bowl clean each meal ? Is he overweight ? Hopefully your vet can come up with something x

 

[rubysmama]

His stools have always been hard and dry even though he drinks lots of water. He eats 3 meals a day of wet food and dry treats in between.

Has he been checked for diabetes or thyroid issues? Excessive water drinking could suggest one or the other. And if he's not actually drinking excessive amounts of water, you could try adding a teaspoon or so to his wet food.

Does he ever poop in the litter box? My Ruby has accidents from time to time, and it's always when she's either slightly constipated, or the opposite and more like diarrhea. When things are normal, she always uses the litter box.

 

[Sillycat41]

have you tried to change litter to cat attract? we had a cat that was peeing a lot of places and i hired a behaviorist, and one of the suggestions was the cat attract litter. i cant think of the brand off-hand but it was Dr. something and in a red big bag. if it is not medical this might help him want to go back to the litter box.

Thanks for the idea.... I have tried 3 different litters and even different boxes. Unfortunately that didn't help. :-(

 

[Felix19+]

please let this forum know the outcome/update

 

[Sillycat41]

yes Katalax similar to what u have tried - I wouldn't give him any dried food at all - does he eat his bowl clean each meal ? Is he overweight ? Hopefully your vet can come up with something x

He is a bit overweight but not obese. I'll start feeding him only wet food. Hopefully that won't constipate him. Thanks

 

[Sillycat41]

Has he been checked for diabetes or thyroid issues? Excessive water drinking could suggest one or the other. And if he's not actually drinking excessive amounts of water, you could try adding a teaspoon or so to his wet food.

Does he ever poop in the litter box? My Ruby has accidents from time to time, and it's always when she's either slightly constipated, or the opposite and more like diarrhea. When things are normal, she always uses the litter box.

Yes, he's had a checkup... everything is okay. He does drink a lot though and I thought he might be diabetic but he's not yet. I have been putting a little water in his food for years. Yes, sometimes he does poop in the box, but lately more on the floor away from the box.

 

[rubysmama]

'll start feeding him only wet food. Hopefully that won't constipate him.

Generally since wet food has more water content, it's less likely to cause constipation that dry food. But watch and see how things go.

Yes, sometimes he does poop in the box, but lately more on the floor away from the box.

I know you wondered about this in your initial post, but I'm thinking he's associating the litter box with discomfort. Could you put another litter box in another room? Or at least a bit further away from the regular one? It might make a difference.

 

[Sillycat41]

Generally since wet food has more water content, it's less likely to cause constipation that dry food. But watch and see how things go.



I know you wondered about this in your initial post, but I'm thinking he's associating the litter box with discomfort. Could you put another litter box in another room? Or at least a bit further away from the regular one? It might make a difference.

I currently have 4 litter boxes in different rooms with different litter. I think the Lactulose is causing bloating and he associates that with the boxes. The trouble is when I cut back on the Lactulose he gets constipated. I'm going in circles.

 

[rubysmama]

Oh, poor baby.
What kind of wet food does he eat? There's vet prescription ones with fiber that might help.

 

[minish]

I've heard pumpkin is used for added fibers to prevent constipation. Minish rarely has it and it's during shedding season. Malt paste for passing hair may help..
When minish is constipated she poops right outside the box, very near. It's easy to clean since the litter box is in the bathroom (ceramic floor) so I don't try to solve it. When she poops back in the box, I cheer up and give her treats