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- Feb 1, 2020
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So our 2-year old male domestic shorthair, Milo, has started pooping outside his box. It's been going on the last 2 months but it's been very weird and we're not sure what triggered it and how to stop it. A few particulars:
Thanks in advance!!
- He has been to the vet and there is no issue of obstruction or UTI. In the past, he has had pooping "accidents" outside his box, but they were all related to likely tummy issues (like he didn't make it to the box in time). Once that cleared up he was fine.
- He does not pee outside the box. Never has.
- The pooping is literally only in the morning. If he poops a second time during the day, it's in the box.
- The box is cleaned the night before. He does pee in the box sometime during the night (based on morning cleaning) but that's it.
- We have taken to completely changing & cleaning the litter every 2 weeks thinking he was getting finicky about the cleanliness.
- He won't use the other litter box we have for him in the bathroom.
- Originally, we thought it was a noise issue (upstairs neighbors making noise in their bathroom while getting ready and thus "scaring him") but there have been mornings when they have been quiet that he's still pooped outside the box.
- He only will poop on the tile. If I cover parts of the floor with a puppy pad or newspaper, he avoids that area and finds another.
- About 2 months ago, we changed his feeding schedule from dry-wet-wet-dry to giving him wet food in the morning to try and keep him better hydrated (we also bought him a fountain). We originally thought his behavior was directly related to him not having as much dry food access as normal and wanting our "attention", but we left extra in a timed feeder out (opened early in the morning) and he still pooped outside the box.
- Only thing we haven't tried yet is getting the *huge* litter box for him; we're reluctant to drop $30 on something that may not work.
Thanks in advance!!