[Lamya]

Hi friends!
We have two cats we got from the shelter. One we adapted over two years ago and the second over one year ago. They both used litter box. Both are sprayed. Then, months later, the new younger cat started pooping just near the litter box but not inside. Her poop is normal. Last couple of months she started pooping farther- one tye carpet. We tried putting to boxes, putting a bix where she poops, changed the sand type, kept the box without sand but she will just poop outside. The house smells and cleaning the carpet is nor easy at all. Anyone can suggest how to re-train her?

 

[Mosi]

Hi there. The first thing you have to do is remove the smell. Ordinary cleaners will not do this. Even if you can't smell it, the cats can, so you have to spend the money for the really good stuff that work with enzymes to remove the smell entirely.
If the cat is pooping near the box, I suggest covering the carpet in that area with sheets of plastic. Cats do not like pooping on the plastic and it may get her to use the box.

You might have to cover a large area, but do it. It is not permanent. Once the cat re-learned to use the box and has been doing it faithfully for several weeks you can remove the plastic and in the meantime it will keep the poop off the carpet.

Make sure the box is very easy for her to get into and out of, so has low sides. If it is a covered box, give her an uncovered one. If it is uncovered, try covering it. Try Dr. Eisley's cat litter which is designed to be attractive to cats to get them to use the box. If, of course, you can get it in your location, which you may not be able to, but you could find out. It doesn't work for all cats but works for a lot of them. If you have been using sand, try shredded newspaper, or clumping cat litter, or plain cat litter, or even cracked corn of the kind they feed to chickens.

The other thing is to try to figure out what changed before the newest cat started pooping outside the box. Really think about it, because it could be something that to you is small but to her is not small.

And, you can add another box. Common wisdom is that if you have litter box issues it's good for there to be as many boxes as there are cats, so for you that would be three boxes.

Maybe others here will have additional ideas. This is a problem many people have had and have solved, myself included. But no one ever knows for certain what will work with a specific cat so the more ideas you have to try the better. Best of luck to you.

Is she only pooping outside, but she is peeing properly in the box?

 

[miscellaneous]

Sometimes cats go outside the box because of a medical problem. Does your cat get enough wet food to keep her hydrated so she doesn't strain while pooping? Have you discussed this with your Vet or gone in for a check-up since this started?

If you've ruled out any medical problems, has the relationship between your cats changed at all? Sometimes cats get on each other's nerves and need to be reintroduced again.

 

[Lamya]

thank you very much! We will try all that. What should I say when asking for the cleaning detergent? Do we get it from the supermarket or pet stores? Luckily she pees inside the box. But now she has expanded her space and is pooping just out of the box, half a meter a away, and a few meters away! (PS: Apologies for the delay in respinding and thanking you. I missed the email notification.)

 

[Lamya]

We in fact reduced wer food and increased dry food because of the smell and mess caused by wet food. I shall make a shift. Hope it helps. Thank you. As for the vet, yes. They asked if her poop was watery or soft but it isn’t. Perhaps the dry food isn’t ok. Will try more wet food.

 

[3rags]

We have 3 cats and had issues with Freddie dropping duece's next to the box. Tried everything yelling at him, taking him to the box picking it up and placing it inside. Changing litter types and scents. Cleared at the vet. Freddie goes usually every 2 days, world class duece's. What I realized later was the room deodorizer was citrus based and spraying was cascading into the box, cats hate citrus. Changed the litter and cleaned the floor and he started to use the box again not always but began giving him treats when he did now he hasn't missed the box since and comes yelling for his treats and goes twice a day. Thought I'd share. Freddie is on the right.