Litter Box Sos

[SuefromTN]

Our 1 year old kitty we’ve had for a week & a half is doing great and seems to be adjusting fine, but this morning I discovered that he pooped beside the litter box instead of in it. Any ideas why he would do that?

 

[Kieka]

Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet

The above article goes more in depth but the basic idea is that litterbox problems are usually related to one of two things. Health or stress/behavior.

Unless you have recently changed placement, the box or the litter itself (even just scented to unscented or brand changes), the first things you'd want to rule out is health problems. I've heard of cats having litterbox problems due to things as seemingly unrelated as ear infections. So your first place to start is a vet exam and probably a urinalysis or/or blood panel just to make sure there isn't something hiding.

After the vet appointment you can look for stressors around the home that could be causing it.

 

[silkenpaw]

Maybe the litter box was not up to his standards of cleanliness? It should be scooped at least once a day. Also, the recommendation is one litter box per cat plus one more, so you should have two litter boxes. They stay cleaner that way, too.

 

[happilyretired]

I've been having a similar problem with my 5-year-old girl, but she also poops IN the box on some days. I've noticed that the poop outside the box, although well formed, seems 'softer,' and I suspect that she 'loses' it as she climbs into the box.

I'll mention it to the vet at our next visit, but I'm not very concerned. I just ordered some FortiFlora, which I've used with other cats, to see if she has any digestive issues that this may resolve.