Partially pooping outside litter box

[Jessiep25]

Hi all,

I've recently had several incidents where I've fount a nugget or two of poop outside of the litter box when I wake up in the morning.

Prior to the last couple of weeks this had happened maybe twice in the two years I've had Sky but it has happened 4 times in the last 2 weeks.

It seems like she is actually using the litter box for like 90% of her business (and we've never had any urination issues). So I'm not sure if this is a situation where she's having some poop still dangling after (I myself have thick hair and shed a lot of it so I guess it's likely she eats some bt chance) and then this drops when she tries to clean herself after?

She is completely normal in herself behaviour wise so I don't suspect she is sick or anything and her litter box use is completely routine and like clockwork as usual (she pees 2-3 times a day and poops once at about 5am).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I will book a vet appointment for next week to be on the safe side regardless!
Thanks in advance!

 

[tabbytom]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

It's hard to guess as there are no eye witness at the scene. It could be anything you mentioned. Can I suggest that you put a camera near the litterbox and have it on all the time and also turn on the motion sensor of the camera. This way, you can have a footage of what goes on at the litterbox. Also have a SD card in the camera so that you can replay the scene. Most camera have an alert of notification to the phone where you install the camera app and you can immediately view the LIVE scene.
Or maybe two camera for different angles.

I think this is the best way to monitor the situation before coming to a conclusion. I have a camera near my boy's litterbox.

 

[Alldara]

It could also be that poops are being kicked out after the fact.

Sometimes that can be solved with more frequent cleanings and sometimes not.

You could try a puppy pee pad outside the litter to catch the rogue poos

 

[Jessiep25]

I think this is the best way to monitor the situation before coming to a conclusion. I have a camera near my boy's litterbox.

The camera is a great idea! I have one sitting around (from when she was a kitten and I was nervous about leaving her along when I was at work) that I don't use anymore and can repurpose!
My vet is on vacation at the moment but I've left a message to ask for an appoonect week - hopefully with some video evidence we can work out what's going on!

 

[Jessiep25]

It could also be that poops are being kicked out after the fact.

Sometimes that can be solved with more frequent cleanings and sometimes not.

You could try a puppy pee pad outside the litter to catch the rogue poos

Yeah I wondered if it might be that but some of the nuggets can end up quite some distance away, spread over her usual route from her litter box to the couch!

I'm pretty good with cleanings, I do it every AM when I first wake up which is usually only an hour or two after she poops - I guess I could try moving back her dinner time gradually in the hope that pushes back her poop time and then I can be closer in time!

 

[cmshap]

I used to find nuggets outside the litter box in my cat's earlier life. He is 10 now, and I'm talking about up to age 7 when it stopped.

Interestingly, it was almost always where he was sleeping. Like he was squeezing them out during sleep, or after waking up.

It wasn't often. But enough for me to find it gross and have to clean up from his sleeping spots semi-regularly.

Does that sound at all familiar?

 

[Jessiep25]

I used to find nuggets outside the litter box in my cat's earlier life. He is 10 now, and I'm talking about up to age 7 when it stopped.

Interestingly, it was almost always where he was sleeping. Like he was squeezing them out during sleep, or after waking up.

It wasn't often. But enough for me to find it gross and have to clean up from his sleeping spots semi-regularly.

Does that sound at all familiar?

It is fairly consist spots that I find them, but they're not where she sleeps. This morning for example there were 3 little nuggets dropped at intervals between the litter box (in the bathroom) and the living room.

I'm more concerned by the sudden frequency with which it's started happening - 4 times in the last week alone now (incl this am).

I've set up a camera now and whilst she's never seemed to have an issue with the fact that she has a covered litter box maybe that's become a problem so I'm considering removing the lid if the camera can't shed more light on the issue!

 

[cmshap]

I'm more concerned by the sudden frequency with which it's started happening - 4 times in the last week alone now (incl this am).

This is good "cat-thinking." Always be observent to changes in routines and habits.

Your camera strategy is a good start. It might be a temporary GI issue. Have you ever looked into probiotics?

My cat hat chronic vomiting and diarrhea in his early life, and probiotics really helped. I know those aren't your particular problems, but probiotics just generally better regulate everything in the pooping realm.

Probiotics have helped him both when having diarrhea, and when being constipated. They just regulate the whole thing.

Constipation was just another idea I had being a possibility in your situation. When my cat's been constipated, he drags his butt along the floor and has left nuggets or streaks.

 

[Jessiep25]

Yes, I now have a note in the notes app on my phone to keep track of the incidents so I have a record to show the vet!

Good idea on the probiotics ! I'll see what the local pet store has to offer on my way home from work today and start implimenting them

 

[cmshap]

Yes, I now have a note in the notes app on my phone to keep track of the incidents so I have a record to show the vet!

Good idea on the probiotics ! I'll see what the local pet store has to offer on my way home from work today and start implimenting them

There are foods containing probiotics, but I have never used any. When I was using probiotics, I got it in the form of a powder from my vet, which I kept in the fridge and added to his food once a day.

It's been a while so I can't remember any brand names, sorry. But it worked.

 

[Alldara]

Can't wait to see what kind of insight the camera provides.

 

[Jessiep25]

There are foods containing probiotics, but I have never used any. When I was using probiotics, I got it in the form of a powder from my vet, which I kept in the fridge and added to his food once a day.

It's been a while so I can't remember any brand names, sorry. But it worked.

Yeah I found some in capsule form, that you open and sprinkle on the wet food so I will see if it helps!

 

[cmshap]

Yeah I found some in capsule form, that you open and sprinkle on the wet food so I will see if it helps!

Just another note. I found I had to mix it thoroughly instead of just sprinkle on top, otherwise my cat wouldn't eat it.

 

[Robyn5678]

That happens if mine eat dry food. The poops are just to hard so they don’t fall all the way off. They come out of the box and whip it around til it comes off. I find when I feed wet food, this doesn’t happen