Cat Help!

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ratherbeskiing
ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
in Chit-Chat
So, my cat (not sure which one) has started a new habit of pooping on the carpet. I don't know why or how to stop it! Their litter has not changed. Their box has only because you are suppose to change it every year (germs and such) but I got one very close (closest I could find) to their old one. They know where it is... that has not changed. At first he or she only did it at night - so I locked them into my room where their litter box was (usually they have free roam of the house) and it stopped for a while. NOW they are doing it during the day when I am at work. I just don't know what to do?!?! Any suggestions please!!! ??!?!

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  • inspirem
    inspirem Posts: 182 Member
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    I have 5 cats (don't ask how i got them just know I didn't want that many), and I had to get 2 litter boxes just because some wouldn't use the same box as the other cats. We have 2 cats that prefer to spend the majority of their time upstairs ( indoor cats) so the use the box upstairs...the other 3 cats are outdoor/indoor cats and mainly go outside, but I have a box for them downstairs. Since you changed the box, maybe you need to change where you put it! They could just be annoyed you changed their territory!
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
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    that's a good idea! ... I just got to figure out where to move it to now... hahaha
  • inspirem
    inspirem Posts: 182 Member
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    And animals are suppose to bring us joy and makes us live longer? Nothing like blood pressuring increasing because you discovered one of your animals decided to take a dump on your floor ( I hope it's not carpet?) hee-hee!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    The rule of thumb is one litterbox per cat, plus one. So if you have one cat, you should have two boxes, two cats, three boxes, etc.

    Personally, I think that's a bit excessive, but I have six boxes for my seven cats. (Same as above... I didn't PLAN to have this many! But they're like potato chips... :wink: )

    Also be sure to clean the area he pooped very well with an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle. They have very sensitive noses and if it smells like poop, they'll think it's the place to poop.
  • Bubs05
    Bubs05 Posts: 182 Member
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    I heard from a friend who had the same issue that after a vet visit, the problem with his cat was that the cat was not drinking enough water. That made it harder for the cat to poop which made it uncomfortable to use the litter box.
    Seemed like a weird diagnosis to me, but after making sure the cat drank more water (which I'm not sure how to do beyond holding their little head underwater), his problematic cat has improved his pooping habits.
  • krnlcsf
    krnlcsf Posts: 310
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    on a different take than other posters, my cat took to peeing and occasionally pooping on the carpet in the basement when i moved into my new house. it progressively got worse, and he started doing it upstairs, and occasionally right in front of me. it turns out he was/is sick with a stress-related disorder and acting out like that was his way of getting the attention to say "HEY! I don't feel good!"
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
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    yes, it is on carpet- I will go and get that cleaner and super clean the carpet- good ideas thanks so much. I think they drink enough water but I don't know how to be sure- they have a water dish upstairs and downstairs that is changed several times a day.

    *oh and I do clean the litter box twice a day so it is not like they don't want to step in a dirty litter box anything.
  • ShelleyD81
    ShelleyD81 Posts: 237 Member
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    Have you heard of the programme 'How Clean is Your House?'?
    There was a lady on the show that was having the same problem, the advice they gave her was that every other time you change the litter you should not clean it with cleaning products, you basically empty out the litter and rinse with water then put the new litter in.
    Apparently it is something to do with them marking their territory, if you keep washing away their scent they don't recognise where their 'toilet' is and they just go anywhere.
    I don't know how true this is but once I started to do that my cat doesn't go anywhere else in the house anymore.
    Hope you get it sorted! :)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    If it keeps up, it wouldn't hurt to take a stool sample to the vet to check. You shouldn't need an appointment for a fecal exam... just put it in a plastic baggie and drop it off. Probably about $15. Worms and parasites don't always show to the naked eye, but can make pooping uncomfortable enough that they associate the litter box with discomfort and poop elsewhere. (Same goes for UTIs and inappropriate urination.)
  • DWilbanks
    DWilbanks Posts: 420 Member
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    I had this problem with my kitty in my old house. I couldn't figure out why all of a sudden he started doing it. Never did find out. But since we've moved, he's fine.
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
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    Mine did that too. Turns out he wanted options. He has a litter box in my bathroom, in the laundry room, and in the garage. For multiple cats, the general rule is at least 1 box per cat. Would you want to walk where someone else has pooped?

    Edit: He also didn't like his litter. We switched to the Breeze and have had no problems since. http://www.breezeforcats.com/
  • BrendaPetersen
    BrendaPetersen Posts: 69 Member
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    Cats love options where to go potty at. Their temperment toward other cats will change as they get older. Not knowing the age of your cats I would provide two spots with litter pans. Have you changed anything like food or notice the cat itching or dragging the behind? Sometimes they will poop on the floor if there was a sick cat in the little at any time. My parent's cat will not use the litter box if it isn't cleaned everyday and that just started out of the blue one day.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,791 Member
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    My cat will seek out my sister-inlaw's bra when she comes to styy with us, and p*ss on it. Otherwise, he always goes in his litterbox.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    My cat will seek out my sister-inlaw's bra when she comes to styy with us, and p*ss on it. Otherwise, he always goes in his litterbox.

    While she's wearing it?! :laugh:
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
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    They are two years old. Hum. I am going to try a bunch of your suggestions - I did have an extra litter box around (it is the one we take when we take them camping. (No joke SPOILED). They r also on a duck and pea or duck and potato diet due to a food allergy. Thanks for all your help!
  • seph_house
    seph_house Posts: 101 Member
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    good luck with your investigations.

    i thought i'd add that i have the same problems with one of my cats. we've recently figured up that he has recuring urinary problems (that was a nicly expensive in-patients vets bill to sort out :/) and a probably related tendancy toward constipation.
    since we've moved him to a special urinary diet and added laxitives (laculose?) he's not slipped once.

    now, just to stop the other cat licking the remains of the laxatives from the empty bowl. he really *really* doesn't need them :D

    (why do we love these guys again:)
  • myshell26
    myshell26 Posts: 113
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    Cats typically use "their" litter box to mark their territory and show dominance. There is likely a cat that is laying in the path of the litter box and is causing the other one to be too scared to use it. Check to see if you notice this. I definitely recommend 1 litter box per cat spread throughout the house. This is likely a case of who "owns" the litter box.

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