Sudden change in pooping habits

[libertybella]

Hey everyone. My 9 month old is suddenly pooping right outside the litter box. It started out with her doing it only occasionally, but now it seems like she does it almost every time. What's even weirder is that its not in a corner of the room or something, the poop is right next to her litter box. I haven't switched her litter or her box, she has been using the same one ever since I adopted her in October, and she has been pooping in it up until recently. I use the Tidy Cats Breeze system. Dirty litter isn't the problem as I just changed and cleaned it about a week ago. I don't think its a health issue because she is pooping just like she always does, there's no change in the poop itself. She's acting like her normal self, running around and being a crazy kitty. I'm just confused as to why she's doing this all of the sudden. Any ideas?

 

[misterwhiskers]

How often do you scoop the box out? Might you try putting a second box next to it with a different kind of litter / box?

Is your current box enclosed or open?

 

[michael broad]

My guess is that she has developed a 'surface preference' meaning she prefers the surface of the material next to litter tray over the litter material. I stress that is a guess based on experience. She may have developed this preference. Perhaps a change of litter material may be the answer. There is no problem with location or using the litter. Therefore it seems likely the problem is the material she is pooping/urinating on.

 

[michael broad]

Another possibility is that the litter needs to be cleaned out more frequently. You say you did it last week. Do you clean it out daily?

 

[jcat]

How often are you scooping the box? Perhaps she's chosen not to go in a box that's already been used. Adding a second box is definitely worth a try. Many cats decide at some point, sometimes as they reach maturity, that they want two boxes - one to urinate in and another to defecate in.

 

[libertybella]

I scoop her box as soon as she goes to the bathroom if I'm home. I fully clean it (by that I mean I empty the litter, clean the box with lysol and replace it with new litter) about once a month. 

I actually caught her in the act today. She was about to go outside the litter box, but I pushed her butt into the litter box and she tried to back out of it again. I pushed her butt in again and then she pooped inside the box. 

Any suggestions on litter boxes? I am definitely open to getting two, just not sure what the best type is. I live in an apartment and the box is in my room, so one that has the least odor would be ideal.

 

[detmut]

 
I scoop her box as soon as she goes to the bathroom if I'm home. I fully clean it (by that I mean I empty the litter, clean the box with lysol and replace it with new litter) about once a month. 

I actually caught her in the act today. She was about to go outside the litter box, but I pushed her butt into the litter box and she tried to back out of it again. I pushed her butt in again and then she pooped inside the box.  

Any suggestions on litter boxes? I am definitely open to getting two, just not sure what the best type is. I live in an apartment and the box is in my room, so one that has the least odor would be ideal.

did she cover it up? 

 

[libertybella]

No, but when she goes outside the box she covers it with the corners of a towel that I put down.

 

[detmut]

doe she cover her pee?

 

[libertybella]

Yes, she covers her pee.

 

[jcat]

The bigger the box, the better. If she has a covered box, try one with the cover removed as a second box, or vice versa. If you use a covered box, remove the swinging flap from the entrance, which should be as wide as possible. Have you tried replacing the towel with a rubber mat? Not being able to cover her business with a towel could discourage her from doing it outside the box.

Sometimes it's a matter of finding the right combination. There's a cat at the shelter who consistently pooped on the floor, and we spent months experimenting with types of boxes, locations, and litters. The magic formula turned out to be a jumbo covered box with clumping litter. Once he had that, he completely stopped going outside the box. The cover meant he couldn't hang his rear over the rim, and it encouraged him to turn around to look out the opening, and the size meant he could go deep inside.

 

[libertybella]

@jcat  Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try it out and see how it goes

 

[Anne]

@jcat   gave you some great advice. You can find out more about why cats stop using the litterbox and what can be done here - 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/litterbox-problems-in-cats-the-ultimate-guide

 

[shimie1]

"clean the box with lysol".................... (sound of screeching tires).  There is your problem right there, you should only be washing out a catbox with mild dish soap and water. Make sure you rinse off all soap residue. The cat will reject the suffocating smell of lysol, even if you cannot smell it. 

 

[shimie1]

"clean the box with lysol".................... (sound of screeching tires).  There is your problem right there, you should only be washing out a catbox with mild dish soap and water. Make sure you rinse off all soap residue. The cat will reject the suffocating smell of lysol, even if you cannot smell it. 

 

[nansiludie]

I use non-clumping, unscented kitty litter and I scoop it twice daily, sometimes more, I wash it twice a month with vinegar and a little plain dawn dish soap, I rinse it twice and then dry it, layer a little baking soda and then refill with clean kitty litter. She might not like the placement of the box or the smell of the lysol as  Shimie1 listed in their response. I use large clear plastic sweater boxes as litter boxes, also storage totes without lids with a doorway cut in one side.