What causes a cat to poop outside of the litter box?

Answer 1

Some breeds of cats will not use a litter box, You may need to set down newspaper around the box. And if you have more than 1 cat, that cats my not want to share. Or It could be the type of litter you are using. There are a few suggestions for you to ponder.

Answer 2

If you have multiple cats, that may be why. Some cats do not want to share a litter box with other cats. Some won't use it unless it has fresh litter. If he is going right outside of his litter box, he is indicating a problem inside the litter box. He's obviously wanting to use the "proper place" so it is likely the type of litter, another cat using the litter box or that is just needs to be thoroughly cleaned and made up with fresh litter. Examine the litter box for anything suspicious and try cleaning and using a new type of litter.

Answer 3

When you say, "outside the litter box," do you mean, right outside the box? Like, somewhere in the vicinity of the box?

If so, then there are two possibilities: 1) the cat accidentally aims its rear end over the side of the box, so it poops right outside the box instead of inside, or 2) the cat poops inside the box, but accidentally kicks the poop out while trying to bury it, or while exiting the box.

If this is what's going on, then there is no real solution, in my experience. Only thing you can do is use a litter box that has a cover. Or buy one of those "litter box houses." These go one step further than a litter box cover. It's basically a little house, and the litter box goes completely inside of it. So, ideally, any poop the cat kicks out will stay in the little house. You still have to clean up the spilled poop, but at least you won't accidentally step on it. In theory, anyway. I have one of these, and sometimes the poop still gets kicked out onto the floor.

If the cat is pooping in other areas of the house (not in the immediate vicinity of the box) then the most obvious reason is that the box is too dirty. If the box is not dirty, then the cat may not like the litter you're using. Try switching to another kind.

If the cat was an outdoors cat, or a stray, then it probably never learned to use a box. See the Related Links below for help with litter box training.

Answer 4

How old is your cat? This is quite often a sign of advanced age, and age-related psychosis or senility.

This may also be stress related; is there anything that has changed recently in the house that might be upsetting her?

Have you cleaned the litter box? If a cat finds old feces in the box every time she goes to dig out a hole for new feces, she will try to find somewhere else to go; likewise, if the ammonia smell is terribly strong. Cats are cleanly beasts and will avoid overused litter boxes.

And finally, have you changed litter types recently? Cats who have been trained on, e.g. "Yesterday's News" litter made from old newspapers may not use a litter box filled with standard clay litter.

Answer 5

I read on PetCareRx that feline Diabetes, urinary tract infection, or a scarred bladder can be the primary reason why your cat is pooping outside the litter box. It can also be due to kidney stones or simply old age. It is a good idea to consult with a vet if you are concerned about this.

Answer 6

He might not be house trained yet, just like dogs cats need to be shown or taken to the litter box if you see them poop outside of it, slowly they will get the picture.

Answer 7

maybe because there's some litter around the box and it doesn't like the odor of the litter

Answer 8

ADULT CAT POOPS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE LITTER HAVE CHANGED LITTRS BUT TILL DO IT

Answer 9

that means you need to change the litter