Help! Pooping next to litter box :(

[Weathergirl16]

Hi there!

I have a year and a half old cat named Mishka. About 5 weeks ago she started pooping near her litter box most of the time, but sometimes in the box.

I realized I accidentally bought the scented litter pellets and thought that might be the issue, but alas, it hasn’t stopped. Tried a brand new clay litter (she thought it was a toy to play in) and tried moving the box to where she is pooping.

Everything she leaves looks healthy if you catch my drift , and she doesn’t seem to be in pain or straining.

Any advice???

 

[hexiesfriend]

Have you actually seen your cat poop outside the litterbox?

 

[Weathergirl16]

Have you actually seen your cat poop outside the litterbox?

Yes. She “chirps” before she runs upstairs to do her business so it’s easy to know. I’ve tried to relocate her to the box as she’s sniffing for her spot on the floor.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Sounds like you might have to try some different enzymatic cleaners to get rid of any residual smell. If she is sniffing that area, she smells her scent (even if you can't) and that can be a like an invitation to go in that same place over and over again.

Also, you might try adding another litter box, and place two side by side. For whatever reason, sometimes cats decide they want to poop in a different box from where they pee. It could be that she has changed her preference on how much 'stuff' she will tolerate in the box too. So, another thing to try is to scoop after each use if at all possible.

 

[hexiesfriend]

Sometimes they do this because either they can’t squat and move around in the litterbox does she happen to be a big girl?