Inconsistent litter box behavior

[njtom]

Occasionally, our cat does her business outside of the litter box. Same room.  We keep the box clean, but if we are not around, and she has used the litter box once already, she generally won't use it again. Apparently she likes a clean litter box.   Note that we have an extra-long box, so there is plenty of room for her.

Sometimes, it's an indicator that it's time to wash out the box and put in fresh litter.

But, here's what happened the other day. Cat did her business in the box, no problem.  We picked it up right away.  Literally 15 minutes later, she did it (#2) on the rug instead of the box.  It was very mushy and wet unlike the first one.  I am wondering if either (a) she couldn't control it and it just came out, or (b) she actually senses that this one isn't going to be 'normal', so she'd rather not mess up her clean litter box.

 

[detmut]

how many litter boxes do you have out? has a fecal test been done recently?

 

[njtom]

Just one litter box.  As for test, we have not yet brought her to vet. Most of her bowel movements look normal, but occasionally she gets a looser one.  Never consistently -- she might have one out of the blue, and then it might not happen again for a few weeks.   No other changes in behavior -- seems healthy, normal appetite, friendly.   Can cats get occasional digestive upsets the way people do? 

P.S. this cat is FIV+.  Three years old.  No health problems to date.  Indoor cat.  We don't give her any medication.  She eats a good diet (Wellness wet, plus some dry Blue Wilderness in mid-day.)

 

[fhicat]

It's not uncommon for cats to want two separate boxes -- one for #1 and one for #2. Not uncommon for them to refuse to use a box that has been used even once. That is why generally we advise number of litterboxes = number of cats + 1.

Mushy and wet stool is not common or good either, so I'd definitely advise checking with a vet first.