litter box issues

[bmccasland]

Calypso is getting used to being an only cat - enjoys her snuggle time, likes to wake me up in the morning, enjoys chasing squirrels in the yard. Life is good, and I should be happy, with one exception....

She poops near the litter box, not in the litter box. This started when Bonnie and Herald began their decline. And I thought with their passing, and fresh litter in the box, the problem would resolve itself. It hasn't. Funny thing was, I took one of the litter boxes with us for a weekend visit to some friend's house, along with the cheap floor mats that are the usual targets (but she'll also go on the carpet), and she was a good house guest, using the litter box. Come home, put the box back, and she poops next to it. What gives

Her vet is equally confused.

And I'm using the Dr. Isley's (sp?) cat attract litter.

[spokewench]

Have you tried moving the box to another room or another area?

[westtexas]

So, cats defecate outside the litter box for a number of reasons. Sometimes just one bad experience with the box is enough to change their habits for the rest of their life (cats with cystitis comes to mind in particular). There are several things you can try, but I would probably only do one at a time, that way you know which one works.

The first thing I would do is set up another box in another location if you have one you can put a box in. Make sure your kitty is using the new box and then you can get rid of the old one altogether. Sometimes just the location and the memory associated with that is enough to make cats eliminate outside the box. If you don't have another location, I would try moving the box just a little bit nearby where it is - sometimes just a reorientation is enough.

You can also try a new litter. Gradually mix in the new litter with the old litter until it's all new litter. (I'd do this over a couple of weeks). Another thing cats get weird about.

The last thing you might try is to closely examine everything in the area where you cat box is already placed. Is it near a dryer where the buzzer startles your kitty when she is using the box? Is there a lot of traffic with people coming and going? Sometimes just little things that would disturb your kitty on the box is enough for them to "make a statement" by eliminating outside of it.

I know when my cat is stressed or upset because he will pee in my sink. I move the box for a few days, try to keep everything as low key as possible, and he will go back and be happy after that.

HTH.

[Kubla]

I don't personally have much experience with cats, but have heard that they are ultra-sensitive to household smells that we humans cannot detect: colognes, air fresheners, cleaners, etc.

As someone else suggested, maybe the kitty doesn't like that brand of litter-or there is something (noises, foot traffic?) upsetting them within the litter box location, etc.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Whatever you do, don't buy the fragranced cat litter. I'm convinced it makes cats nauseous and causes them to dislike the box. When my cat was sick with cancer she became terrified of the box, and I now suspect the odor-eating stuff in the litter might have been making her nauseous when she smelled it.

Get litter that is 'fragrance free' and as chemical free as possible.

I now mix the fragrance-free litter 1/2 with plain cedar shavings litter. Seems to work for us.

[bmccasland]

I discovered that she detests fragrance earlier, so I am using non-fragrance litter.

I've moved both litter boxes to other parts of the rooms they're in - bathroom and office. She's peed in the bathroom box, and hasn't gotten to the time of day for pooping. Just what all y'all wanted to know

[bmccasland]

Stinker pooped in the exact spot where the litter box used to be. Then later pooped on one of the floor mats.