Help! Cat Has Decided Not To Poop In The Litter!

[mjtroubadour]

I have a lovely 4 year old cat who was adopted as a pair - we love our boys! Lefty has decided to no longer poop in the litter box - but just outside of it. We have 2 separate boxes and he has no trouble peeing in his. His bowels movements are normal, but we have booked a vet appointment to see if there is any underlying health issue. Our patience is long...but limited.

 

[Timmer]

What a great and caring cat owner you are! Thanks for taking him to the vet for a check up.
Gotta ask -- do you scoop and clean the box regularly? They do say one litter box for every cat in the house and you said you have two already.
I had a cat who used to stand inside the box and poop outside it. That's just how she was wired. But sometimes that can indicate some issues like constipation. I think that when a cat doesn't feel well, really one of the only ways they can tell us is in the litter box. When my male cat didn't feel well, he wouldn't cover his poop, as if to tell me see? I don't feel good.

I hope you get some answers.

 

[mjtroubadour]

What a great and caring cat owner you are! Thanks for taking him to the vet for a check up.
Gotta ask -- do you scoop and clean the box regularly? They do say one litter box for every cat in the house. Maybe a second one is needed.
I had a cat who used to stand inside the box and poop outside it. that's just how she was wired. Sometimes that can indicate some issues like constipation.
I hope you get some answers.

Thank you so much for the response! We already have two litters and I try to scoop after almost every use....but at least 3 times a day. I'm hoping it's as simple as a constipation issue....behavior will be much more complex I think! Thanks again!

 

[Timmer]

you are welcome. Is the stool real hard and dry? Or gummy, maybe like brownie batter or cookie dough..you know, sort of formed but soft?

 

[Columbine]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Oftentimes, pooping outside the box is pain related...and not just constipation. Pain when peeing can often be the cause, as can arthritis or sore paws (especially in declawed cats).

Whilst you're looking for answers, puppy pee pads in front of the boxes make clean up really easy. I did this for one of my old boys (who had perfected the trick of going into the box, then peeing out the door ).

Adding in extra boxes never hurts either, and there's always a chance that this alone will solve the problem. In any case, I'd always rather scoop an extra box than clean up accidents

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

 

[mjtroubadour]

you are welcome. Is the stool real hard and dry? Or gummy, maybe like brownie batter or cookie dough..you know, sort of formed but soft?

I would say it falls more on the side of being formed, but if anything...a little on the soft side, like a thick brownie dough.

 

[mjtroubadour]

Good Point and I agree! Thanks so much for your input!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Oftentimes, pooping outside the box is pain related...and not just constipation. Pain when peeing can often be the cause, as can arthritis or sore paws (especially in declawed cats).

Whilst you're looking for answers, puppy pee pads in front of the boxes make clean up really easy. I did this for one of my old boys (who had perfected the trick of going into the box, then peeing out the door ).

Adding in extra boxes never hurts either, and there's always a chance that this alone will solve the problem. In any case, I'd always rather scoop an extra box than clean up accidents

How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your V

 

[Timmer]

I would say it falls more on the side of being formed, but if anything...a little on the soft side, like a thick brownie dough.

That sounds about right.

Columbine mentioned using pee pads. My female likes to stand up and pee sometimes rather than squat so I got a box with a very tall sides on it except one side is lower. I think it was supposed to have a hood on it but I opted not to get that. Then I got pee pads for humans at the dollar store and put them around it. That made clean up real easy for the times she peed over the edges of the box.

 

[mjtroubadour]

That sounds about right.

Columbine mentioned using pee pads. My female likes to stand up and pee sometimes rather than squat so I got a box with a very tall sides on it except one side is lower. I think it was supposed to have a hood on it but I opted not to get that. Then I got pee pads for humans at the dollar store and put them around it. That made clean up real easy for the times she peed over the edges of the box.

I will definitely try this, but will also continue to find the root cause. I certainly don't want him in pain for any reason or to ignore a health issue. Thank you so much for your help!