Pet Lovers

[Newgate]

I need some help with suggestions as to what to do about our l4yr. old kitty!  He has been the most loving pet we have ever had and very well behaved within reason, of course for a cat.

He has always used his litter box but in the last year or so he decides to go poop in our living room on the carpeting on occasion!!!   I am a clean freak housekeeper and this just sends me over the edge when it happens.  His litter box is always clean and is his alone.  We have no other cats or animals!  Anybody know what might be making him do this?   at

[fthunt]

Age is probably the reason.  That's what happened with my 15 yr old dog.  She never never 'went' in the house - one morning swung my feet out of bed in the Am and bare feet hit a wet spot.  From there it just got worse for year and half.  Sorry!

[GCR18]

I went through that with my boy.  It started in his teen years.  He is now over the bridge.  I was never able to get to the bottom of it.  At the time, he was an only cat.  His litter box was in the cellar.  Nothing else down there, but it.  He'd go down and pee in it, then he'd go somewhere else in the cellar to poop.

things I tried:

New litter

New litter box

New mat under the box

A second litter box

A checkup at the vet

Moving the litter box

Different food

Talking with him about it

[Sammycat1]

@Newgate, your cat is officially a senior, and arthritis in his spine, hips or legs may be starting to trouble him.

First, have your vet do a once-over to see what may be amiss.  If she/he suspects arthritis, a great help is the Cosequin for Cats supplement...it takes a while to build up in them, but it can be a godsend.  Also, more fiber in his diet may make stools easier to pass.  Probiotics can help along these lines as well -- but let your vet give the go-ahead first to make sure.

Second, when is the last time he got a new litter box?  "New" is different to them from "clean."  Plastic litter boxes retain odor that they pick up and we miss.

Third, how high are the sides of the litter box?  He may need one with a lower entry point to make it easier for him to get in and out.

Good luck!  Clearly you cherish your lovebug and you'll find a solution.

[summerwind]

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Talking with him about it

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@GCR18, how did that go?  

[GCR18]

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@summerwindwrote:

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Talking with him about it

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@GCR18, how did that go?  

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@summerwind. It went in one ear, out the other.  LOL.  When you are desperate, you try anything.

[Marp]

@Newgate, I have gone through this with geriatric cats and could never find a definitive reason.  One thing my vet suggested is that the smell of his urine could  subtly change periodically and that caused him to seek an alternative place to poop.

If that is the case with your cat I doubt there is a real solution; I never found one but did buy two new boxes and placed them apart. It was helpful but not a reliable solution.

The best we can do is get them a thorough vet check, discuss the situation with your vet, continue to love and cherish them and realize that age is likely the biggest contributing factor so we just do what we have to do to keep them comfortable.  It is not their fault.

[summerwind]

@GCR18. I hear ya!  Come to think of it, I've done that too, that, and the pointed finger shake. "Now, that's not how we do it in this house!"

[Newgate]

Thank you to all the above!  I will try and be patient and for sure take him in to the vet.  

As far as talking to him goes...I tried that and he got behind the couch and would not come out for a few hours!!  Guess he didn't like my tone of voice!  He is just too smart for a cat!!