Pooping outside litter box?

[ashleynicole]

My Marlee is a 10 yr old cat I adopted when she was just about 6 wks old. She has always been a skittish/shy cat but is very loving with me and my husband.

We had a son a little over 2 yrs ago, plus we moved into a new house a few weeks before that. (She had been through the multiple moves before with no issues). Ever since then she has occasionally been pooping outside her box...usually in the same 2-3 places. My husband is threatening to get rid of her if we can't fix this, but I don't know what else to try.

Her and our other cat have 2 rooms that are blocked by baby gates to keep our son out. There are 3 boxes, all in different locations of the house. Litter type doesn't seem to make a difference. I don't think it's a cleanliness issue, bc sometimes she will do it right after we have scooped/cleaned boxes. I even got a Feli way diffuser and placed where she often poops....thought it worked bc she didn't poop outside box for about a week, then is started back up. Please help!!!

 

[ashleynicole]

The place she usually poops is right outside the door to my husbands bathroom, in the master bedroom. Our sinks are in an open area of the bedroom, the toilet and sink in an enclosed room. She poops in the small area outside the door to toilet/shower, beside one of the sinks.

Should we make that master bedroom off limits to her and see what happens? I just don't want to make the issue worse and have her start pooping other places...

 

[justagimmick]

Probably not an ideal solution, but maybe try putting a tray near there?
 

My cats have on occasion done this too, in the past I put tinfoil down where they pooped because they don't like the noise of it and that works somewhat.  

I hope your husband doesn't stand by his threat.  Have you taken her for a health check?  There could be many reasons she's doing it, health issues being one.  Its fine to find a solution to stop her going in specific places, but you need to ideally find the underlying issue.

Good luck x

 

[ashleynicole]

Probably not an ideal solution, but maybe try putting a tray near there?

 
My cats have on occasion done this too, in the past I put tinfoil down where they pooped because they don't like the noise of it and that works somewhat.  

I hope your husband doesn't stand by his threat.  Have you taken her for a health check?  There could be many reasons she's doing it, health issues being one.  Its fine to find a solution to stop her going in specific places, but you need to ideally find the underlying issue.

Good luck x

Her litter box is on the other side of the sink, so not far from where she is pooping. May try the tinfoil. She has been for her normal checkup since this started (started over 2 yrs ago), but not since it has gotten worse. I think the problem is our son...she was the center of attention before he was born, and she doesn't care for his rambunctious attitude. I hope we can find a solution...

 

[justagimmick]

If loss of attention is a possible cause, is there any way to engage kitty with playtime involving your son?
Maybe if she can bond somewhat with him and they can have a good relationship that might help?  Of course, I'm assuming that there isn't a relationship already.

 

[ashleynicole]

If loss of attention is a possible cause, is there any way to engage kitty with playtime involving your son?

Maybe if she can bond somewhat with him and they can have a good relationship that might help?  Of course, I'm assuming that there isn't a relationship already.

I would love for them to have more of a relationship, and we are working on it. It is just so hard bc he is a normal, energetic 2 yr old and with her already being a skittish cat...hard combination! We are working on "calm and gentle" petting. And I go out of my way to encourage her to stay with me in living room or my bedroom when son is napping and after bedtime. I hope it keeps improving, bc she is our 1st baby and we want to make this work!!

 

[justagimmick]

Sounds like you're going the right way about it.  Having never introduced a cat to a baby, I can only suggest what I think would be the right path.  

Does she have plenty of hidey holes? How is she with your other cat?  

How long exactly has this been going on now?  Could you think of anything that may have changed to provoke it?