Question:
I have a male cat that is almost 2 and has NEVER pooped in the litterbox. He just WILL NOT poop in the box. I have no idea why!!! this is what I've tried so far:
1. Took him to the vet who said he is fine and it is a behavioral problem - basically I'm on my own.
2. gradually changed litters
3. Changed litterboxes while keeping the same one - had 3 boxes for a while and he would pee in all three but poop on the floor
4. I keep the litter VERY clean - I know that is not the problem
5. Got a HUGE shallow plastic storage box (thinking maybe box was too small)
6. Changed location of box
7. Got an automatic box in addition to the regular ones
8. I always clean up the messes right away and use a pet enzyme deoderizer
He doesnt poop in the same spot, sometimes it is right outside the box and other times it is across the room (on my rug!!)
My husband wants to make him an outdoor cat or give him away - we have had it.
ANY help would be appreciated - I love my kitty and want to keep him
KRIS

Answer:
Hi, questions for you.
Have you ever tried putting paper towel - several sheets folded to cover the bottom of the litter box - into one litter box?
Have you ever tried putting the smallest size bathroom rug (17x21) in a litter box - instead of cat litter?
Did you ever have two good size open (no hood) litter boxes with low sides for him instead of just one?
What kind of box are you using? Open or hooded?
Are the stools regular and perfectly healthy looking? If not, how do they look like? Does he go every day? Once? More than once? If not every day, what's his schedule? Do you know whether he ever strains?
Does he have any digestive problems you are aware of?
What are you feeding?
Is he neutered?
Do you have other cats and/or a dog?
I suppose he is not declawed, or is he?
How old was he when you got him and where does he come from?
(Automatic boxes actually scare many cats away instead of being helpful.)
Do you or your husband scold him, punish him, yell at him once in a while or on a regular basis? (This is just for the record, not to judge you.)
Is your home a quiet one or a busy and somewhat noisy one?
Are you saying he's been doing this since day one, the day he came to live with you?
Answer:
my kitty did that except with urinating sick i know!
Answer:
Answers to questions:
Have you ever tried putting paper towel - several sheets folded to cover the bottom of the litter box - into one litter box?
No, what would this do? Maybe help with odor?
If a cat is willing to go on paper towel, that's an indication he is looking for a soft substrate.
Have you ever tried putting the smallest size bathroom rug (17x21) in a litter box - instead of cat litter?
No, wouldn't I have to clean the rug every time he pooped?
This is also to find out whether a substrate preference is involved.
If a cat is willing to start using such a setup - either paper towel or rug - eventually one can begin careful retraining to regular cat litter. (In the meantime, yes, the rug needs to be rinsed and put into the washer. If a cat is willing to use the rugs it's good to have at least two or three.)
Did you ever have two good size open (no hood) litter boxes with low sides for him instead of just one?
yes, I've had up to 3 boxes out at once. I currently have 2
What kind of box are you using? Open or hooded?
open
Are the stools regular and perfectly healthy looking? If not, how do they look like? Does he go every day? Once? More than once? If not every day, what's his schedule? Do you know whether he ever strains?
Does he have any digestive problems you are aware of?
Everything appears normal, Vet says he is fine. he goes at least twice and up to 3 times a day (24 hr period) The few times I've seen him go, he appears fine. No digestive problems, no vomiting
Two-three times a day is not normal. Something is wrong here.
What are you feeding?
He has access to dry food all the time and I feed him an envelope of wet food a day, in the morning
Not a good, healthy diet and in all likelihood has a lot to do with the problem.
Is he neutered?
yes
Do you have other cats and/or a dog?
No
I suppose he is not declawed, or is he?
not declawed (that is a whole other problem!!)
Can you explain?
How old was he when you got him and where does he come from?
he was roughly 10 weeks when I found him on my doorstep and fell in love!! I guess he was either born a stray or was dropped off (how can anyone do that?!). I brought him the the animal control to see if he would be claimed (and we visited him regularly). They made sure he had his shots and had him neutered. I got him about 3 weeks later. Less than a month later he was very ill and stayed a month at the vet (we almost lost him) Ever since then he has been safe at home - indoor cat only with lots of toys!
What was wrong with him?
Do you or your husband scold him, punish him, yell at him once in a while or on a regular basis? (This is just for the record, not to judge you.)
No, I just call him poophead
Is your home a quiet one or a busy and somewhat noisy one?
Well, I have an 8-year-old daughter who loves to play with Sid but other than that it is pretty quiet. 3 days a week he is alone in the house from 8 - 5 and is allowed to roam free except a couple of bedrooms with closed doors. At night he must stay in the basement where all his stuff is - otherwise he doesn't let us sleep!!
What does he do? (Confinement has a lot to do with various behavior problems, that's why I need to ask.)
Are you saying he's been doing this since day one, the day he came to live with you?
yes!! He very occasionally will poop in the box and I get so excited but then he goes back to the floor ( there's a nice big pile on my carpet right now!
A big pile. You shouldn't see big piles from a healthy cat. His digestive system is working overtime, trying to cope with food he can't handle.
So, the things to look at in an effort to find connections:
the illness and long hospital stay
diet
confinement
substrate preference
I'm wondering about the illness, whether it would tell us something.
Answer:
Meowmie wrote:
Everything appears normal, Vet says he is fine. he goes at least twice and up to 3 times a day (24 hr period) The few times I've seen him go, he appears fine. No digestive problems, no vomiting
Two-three times a day is not normal. Something is wrong here.
What are you feeding?
He has access to dry food all the time and I feed him an envelope of wet food a day, in the morning
Not a good, healthy diet and in all likelihood has a lot to do with the problem.
I agree that two-three times/day is more than normal, but it doesn't necessarily indicate an illness.
Also, I don't see how you've determined that the cat's diet is not a "good, healthy diet," and why that its likely that it has a lot to do with the problem. A 50/50 or all canned diet is generally better, but mostly dry and a little bit of wet is not unhealthy if the food is good quality. Many people will also argue that timed feedings are better than free-feeding, but for some people that is difficult, and if the cat is not overeating or overweight than I don't see why it would be unhealthy to free-feed.
I really doubt that this is a diet related problem.
It is possible, though, that if the cat is being fed a lower quality, food it would explain why he poops 2-3 times/day. An animal will have to eat more of a lower quality food in order to get the nutrients required, thereby causing him to poop more often.
I think it is more likely that this is a substrate related problem. The cat may have an avoidence of pooping in cat litter.
KrisD, what other types have litter have you tried? I'm assuming that you've tried different brands and probably scoopable vs clay, but have you tried organic litters, wood chips (but don't use cedar), shredded newspaper, etc?
Have you tried using a lot of litter in the box to almost none at all?
Like Meowmie said, putting paper towl in the box (or other substrates) instead of litter may help determine the problem. If the cat will poop in a box filled with something other than cat litter, then it is a substrate problem.
Also, have you ever tried using a covered box? and have you tried placing the boxes in different areas of your home, particularly the spots he likes to use the most?
My suggestion would be to try using something other than traditional cat litter in one or more of the boxes, and to experiment with different depths of cat litter. If he poops on the floor, put it into the litterbox so he can associate with a proper place to go. Leave a little bit in the box at all times (or at least until he's developed a good habit) so he doesn't forget it.
If that fails, you could try confining him to a small area such as a bathroom or large dog crate. Give him a litterbox, food and water, toys and a comfortable bed. Cats will usually not choose to relieve themselves in their eating or sleeping area, so when confined to a small area, the only other choice he has is to use the litterbox. This is by no means meant as a form of punishment. You can let him out to play and cuddle with him, and when he has gotten used to using the litter box, let him again have free roam of a larger space and then of the whole house.
I would hate to see you have to get rid of your beloved cat or force him to live outside. I think with a lot of determination you'll be able to find a solution. Let us know how it goes
and Cheddar too!
Answer:
Just a very quick one because unfortunately that's all I have time for right now, but we can talk more later if you like.
Quote: Also, I don't see how you've determined that the cat's diet is not a "good, healthy diet,"
Number one, free feeding dry food is the worst thing we can do for our cats. Many serious heath problems are created that way. Timed dry food feedings are no better.
Some kind of food that comes in a pouch was also mentioned. Not a good choice either because of the ingredients in such foods.
Dry food causes problems in two ways. It channels water into the feces, causing water to be excreted in the feces instead of the urine.
Also, hard to digest grain/carbohydrate ingredients can cause large, smelly, or in some cases frequent smaller stools, a sign of poor digestion in both cases. This can happen even from those foods people consider good quality.
Since underlying health problems are involved in many litter box related problems, digestion would be one thing I would want to improve with the hope that it will make a difference, and also for the long-term health of the cat.
Answer:
Answers to questions:
Have you ever tried putting paper towel - several sheets folded to cover the bottom of the litter box - into one litter box?
OK, I understand now what we are trying to find out. I will put a box with paper towels and another box with a bath rug in it PLUS the huge one I have with litter for a total of 3 boxes. I will let you know what he does.
Are the stools regular and perfectly healthy looking? If not, how do they look like? Does he go every day? Once? More than once? If not every day, what's his schedule? Do you know whether he ever strains?
Does he have any digestive problems you are aware of?
WOW, what is wrong with my VET?! Ok, I didn't know this was not right. I use IAMS hairball formula dry food and Friskies and/or IAMS wet pouch food. I had no idea there was a difference (except with the real cheapie stuff, which he would refuse to eat anyway) What the heck am I supposed to be feeding him?? Oh, also - he does a lot of hacking like he wants to vomit up a hairball, but he never does. This happens at any time, but it is most common right after eating the wet food.
I suppose he is not declawed, or is he?
OK, the problem with claws is this - he rips up the rug all over the place. This is also the problem with us not being able to sleep. He will decide "I MUST get into that closet" and then claw at the rug until he has destroyed it completely to get in. So, you say "Why don't you just let him in?" Well, because he likes to chew holes in our clothes!!! We have actually had to replace the hall rug just because of the damage he has done - we replaced it with hardwood - HA! he can't rip that up!!
I have tried Soft Paws (the plastic claw covers) he just rips them off, sometimes making his claws bleed. So, that does not seem to help.
Also, with the nightime confinement - He just will not leave us alone - he is jumping all over the place, clawing at the bed and the rug, getting on my kitchen counter/sink, etc... This cannot be changed. And BTW, I have tried to let him roam free for weeks to see if that stopped the pooping and all it did was make me cranky from lack of sleep (he still pooped)
How old was he when you got him and where does he come from?
OK, about the illness - we have no idea other than it was a virus. He was vomiting and had diarrea and was dehydrated. It could have been from outside (before he came to my doorstep) or from the shelter - who knows? The VET just took care of him until it was over - making sure he had fluids, etc
To answer Nell's questions:
KrisD, what other types have litter have you tried? I'm assuming that you've tried different brands and probably scoopable vs clay, but have you tried organic litters, wood chips (but don't use cedar), shredded newspaper, etc?
I have tried Fresh Step, Scoop Away, Cat Attract, Swheat Scoop, and Petsmart's brand. None made any difference.
Have you tried using a lot of litter in the box to almost none at all?
yes
Also, have you ever tried using a covered box? and have you tried placing the boxes in different areas of your home, particularly the spots he likes to use the most?
yes, I used a covered box for a short time. I have put the boxes in different places in the basement. My DH puts his foot down about having the box in any other part of the house. (he never wanted a pet. He does like Sid, and will pet and play with him, but is not attached)
If that fails, you could try confining him to a small area such as a bathroom or large dog crate. Give him a litterbox, food and water, toys and a comfortable bed. Cats will usually not choose to relieve themselves in their eating or sleeping area, so when confined to a small area, the only other choice he has is to use the litterbox. This is by no means meant as a form of punishment. You can let him out to play and cuddle with him, and when he has gotten used to using the litter box, let him again have free roam of a larger space and then of the whole house.
I read this in the Cat Attract litter manual also, but I don't know how this will be possible - there is no place I can confine him and if I buy a large cage my DH will kill me!
BTW - I do let him outside on a leash sometimes - does this matter?
I am hoping we can find something out with the different stuff in the boxes. I cannot thank you all for this support. and my daughter thanks you!!!
KRIS

Answer:
Okay, in a nutshell.
The food explains everything about the stools. Luckily there are plenty of other foods you can try and no doubt you'll find something - or several things - he'll like.
The rug clawing and other things can all be fixed.
The vet never told you what was wrong with him? Incredible. But not too late to do something about that. I'm guessing what it could have been, but that's not good enough. You need to find out what the diagnosis was.
The night time shenanigans. That can also be fixed.
From the situation you describe it's quite obvious that you have a somewhat hyperactive and anxious kitty. You'll need to work toward calming him down and making him a happier, more secure cat.
(Improved digestion will also be very helpful.)
Hopefully, when you do that he'll also become friends with the litterbox.
This is by no means a hopeless situation.
Answer:
This little cat sounds like he needs another cat as a playmate and maybe to show him how to act likea normal cat. He just seems to not know what is right and wrong and he's trying to entertain himself and getting into trouble doing it. Try getting him an e-smart ultimate scratching post. I just discovered these and they are fabulous. All my cats love it. Even the ones who use to like to claw the sofa. They leave the sofa alone now.
Answer:
When he poops on the floor, right away pick it up and pick him up and take them both to the litter box. With the cat in the litter box, lay the poop next to him and gently grab his paws and "help" him bury it. I did this with my friends cat--who was having the same problem--and within a couple days he was going in the litter on his own.
The Original Male Kitten.
Answer:
Is your cat pooping upstairs or downstairs?
If he is pooping upstairs...then it is simple.
Cat wants a litterbox on the upper level!
Answer:
Sid is pooping downstairs
helping the cat bury the poop - does that work if he's not a kitten anymore? he buries his pee fine. I might try this anyway - getting desperate!!
I now have 3 boxes with litter and he pees in all three, but still poops on the rug! AAAAAAAAAAAaahhhhhhhhhh!!
KRIS

Answer:
How are things going so far? Have you been able to make any progress in the last week?
and Cheddar too!
Answer:
Did you try putting the rug in the litter box so he'll get use to getting into the box? My baby who was using the rug, stopped and is now using the box. I took someones advice and put paper towels in the box without the litter. After 2 days of using that I switched to the litter and now she's using all the boxes throughout the house.