Pooping outside the litter box is typically the result of an underlying medical condition, litter box issue, or stress within the home.
Cats may avoid the litter box for behavioral reasons, most often related to stress.
Your cat could be exhibiting this behavior for various reasons, including stress, litter box aversion, territorial behavior, or medical problems.
One of the most common reasons why cats poop outside the litterbox is because it’s dirty, undesirable, and uncomfortable for them.
A common reason for a cat pooping outside the litter box is change. Cats are creatures of habit, so if you have just moved to a new home, changed the location of the litter box, changed the litter box itself or the type of litter, your cat may have some difficulty adjusting.
If we start from the original meaning of the litter box, for cats, as long as the toilet can cover the smell, it is a good toilet, but from the actual situation, it is obviously not that easy.
Simply put, there are several main reasons why cats do not defecate in the litter box:
- Disease
- Dissatisfied with the cat litter
- Dissatisfied with the shape of the bowl
Most cats do not have a very obvious preference for size, as long as it can accommodate their buttocks.
But there are also some cases where the cat litter box is too small, the cat master stepped on the edge and turned over, and was frightened and never wanted to go in again.
The cat litter should not be too thin, and the bowl should not be too shallow. If the cat litter is not thick enough and cannot be buried, it is normal for the cat to be dissatisfied. Some kittens like the cat litter they are used to, and changing it may be bad.
The key is the location and quantity.
Cats are used to marking their territory when they feel threatened. As mentioned in the previous article, the way cats divide their territory is by smell. So how do you judge which part of the house it is not confident about?
Look at where it often poops, and put a litter box nearby.
1. Odor problem
Some owners think that even if they poop in the litter box, the poop still smells bad, so they “think they are smart” and spray some deodorizing things on the cat litter, or spray around the litter box, such as air freshener, etc., but this smell is okay for people, but it does not mean that cats like it. In this way, they will not be able to find the location of the litter box by smell, or directly think that this is not the place where they poop.
2. The litter box is too dirty
You should know that cats are very clean pets and have high requirements for the environment. If the owner does not clean the litter box for a long time and it looks dirty, don’t blame the cat for not pooping properly in the litter box. So, don’t be lazy, clean it on time.
3. Size problem
When the cat is young, the size of the litter box is not well grasped when buying it, and the one bought is too small. When it grows up, the litter box will be too small, which will cause the cat to defecate in this cramped basin.
Therefore, it is necessary to change to a larger litter box, which should be about 1.5 times the length of the cat’s body.
4. Cat litter problem
The reason why cats bury their poop is that they don’t want their enemies or prey to know that they have been to this place. This is a hereditary habit, so this requires that the things covering the poop are soft and loose, which can ensure that their excrement is buried in the shortest time. If the cat does not bury its excrement after defecation, or does not defecate in it directly, it is necessary to consider whether to change a cat litter
After the cat is used to trying a cat litter, it has adapted to the touch and smell of the old cat litter. If a new style of cat litter is suddenly replaced, the cat will not be able to adapt to the new cat litter for a while and will refuse to go to the toilet in it.
Therefore, it is recommended to mix the old and new cat litter for cats to use at the beginning, and then gradually reduce the proportion of the old cat litter until the new cat litter is completely replaced. The cat should be given a gradual adaptation process.
5. Litter problem
Another problem that is easy to overlook is the problem of what is under the cat litter. Some owners will pad newspapers, plastics, etc. underneath.
This will cause the cat’s claws to touch the newspapers, plastics, etc. below when digging the cat litter, and then stick to the claws. This is a feeling that cats hate. They don’t like to dig things that are different from cat litter, and they hate things sticking to their claws even more. So make the cat litter thicker and change the padding underneath to other materials.
6. Location problem
The cat litter box should be placed in a relatively quiet place at home, away from objects that make loud noises when working, such as washing machines, microwave ovens, dryers, etc., but not in gloomy places, such as a nap in the toilet, etc., to ensure that the cat can easily find it when it wants to defecate. The food bowl and water bowl should be far away from the cat litter box.
If there are children at home, the litter box should be far away from the place where the children usually play. If there are dogs, it should be placed in a place where the dogs do not often go.
If there are multiple cats, the litter boxes should not be placed together, and they should be separated as much as possible, with a distance of 2 meters between each. However, some cats can live in harmony and share the litter box, which is the best. Finally, there is a less common problem, that is, some cats are very strange and do not like to defecate and urinate in the same litter box. In this case, you can only prepare two litter boxes, after all, some masters are really difficult to serve.
Cats are very stubborn little animals. When they are used to defecating in a certain place, they will go to the toilet there in the future.
If the owner suddenly changes the place where it defecates, the cat will protest and refuse to defecate and urinate until the owner puts the litter box back to its original position. Therefore, the owner should not change the litter box at will. It is recommended to place the litter box in an inconspicuous corner of the house at the beginning to avoid frequent movement.
Related:
How to Train a Cat to Use a Litter Box
FAQ (People Also Ask):
1) Why don’t cats always cover their poop?
They may see no reason to if they are completely comfortable in their home, or they may be too stressed, or they may not like the litter box or the type of litter in it.
2) Should I be concerned if my cat doesn’t cover their poop?
If they never learned to cover their poop, it may not be a problem, but if they have recently stopped doing so, there may be a new behavioral or medical issue that needs to be addressed.
3) How can I encourage my cat to cover their poop?
Add additional litter boxes, make sure to keep them clean, and consider larger ones that are uncovered or have lower sides. Also, actively train them to cover their poop.
4) Can I train my cat to cover their poop?
Cats can be trained to cover their poop, but some cats learn this lesson quickly and others take longer. Be prepared to be patient while teaching your cat this skill.
5) Is it normal for kittens not to cover their poop?
Many kittens are still learning the “cover your poop” lesson, and it’s totally normal for kittens to be works in progress with regards to this behavior.
6) Why do cats know to cover their poop?
It is a natural behavior for many cats, and they may learn to cover their poop by observing other cats do so.
As a cat owner, it’s important to be aware of the reason Why Is My Cat Pooping Outside the Litter Box and know how to deal with it.
