Question:
Hi all,

I have been having this battle with my 2.5 year old cat Mya for almost 5 months now, and with a new baby on the way, i'm at my wits end!! Mya is an Orange Tabby and is fixed and declawed. About a year and a half ago I got a new cat who is also female but is not fixed or declawed. I have had no problems with them sharing a litterbox up until the last 5 months (I also happen to be 6 months pregnant.) Every day and night without fail, she has begun deficating on the floor beside her litterbox and recently I think she is also started urinating there as well. She only does it in the one spot and it seems like she is trying to tell me something. I tried moving the box to a more private place but she continues to do this. Nothing has changed in her life, the litter is the same, her food is the same, her temperment is the same but I can't seem to break her of this terrible habit she has picked up. Is she sick, should i take her to the vet??

Answer:
does she poop in the same spot even if you move the litter box?/
if that is the case then she recognizes the smell. You'd have to use that urine spray specially designed for that because that totally gets rid of the smell and she won't return there.

Also, try getting another litter box just for her. Even if they enjoyed sharing the litterbox before, she might've changed her mind..who knows why cats do weird stuff

Answer:
The simplest solution is 2 litterboxes, however, anytime a cat does what you're describing, it's a good idea to take it for a full vet workup. She may have something physically wrong with her that you wouldn't be able to tell directly. Also a good idea to get the other one fixed (please don't declaw - it's inhumane to the extreme), so there's no room for territorial issues. Good luck and keep us posted

Answer:
You should take her to the vet for a check-up. A lot of the time, a cat will stop using the litter box if she's experiencing discomfort while pooping because she associates the pain with the box, not with the pooping. It's always a good idea to rule out a health issue first and foremost.

Like jiorji said, another litterbox would be in order. The general rule of thumb is one litterbox per cat, plus one. So, with two cats, you should have 3 boxes scattered around the house.

Getting the second cat spayed would also be in order. She may be emitting 'come hither' messages that your first cat finds disturbing, even if you can't see, smell or hear them. It'll also prevent any 'oops' pregnancies ('cause cats are very resourceful when the right guy is on the other side of a door or window).

Good luck with the new baby!

Answer:
Jawert..

I completely agree with you on the declawing issue, my Vet talked me into it with her, and i regret it terribly. It was so heartbreaking to see her afterwards. As for the other kitty, i had an appt. booked and paid for her to be spayed, but i had to make an emergency trip out West to visit a sick relative and ended up staying there for 6 months ( with my kitties of course) By the time i got back home, she was over a year old and my vet told me it wouldn't be a good idea to get her fixed now. So the money i paid for her operation was donated to the humane society.

Thanks everyone for the advice, i am going to pick up another box on my way home from work.

Answer:
Its never too late to spay, seriously, a vet telling you that a cat over 1yr old is too old - well I'd be finding a new vet as that is HORRIBLE advice. But back to the topic at hand, you'll want to also pick up some Nature's Miracle, if you haven't already. It's an amazingly good enzymatic cleaner and will help tremendously with what you can and can't smell

Answer:
Short of a medical issue making it dangerous for a pet to go under anesthesia, there is never a time that is 'too late' to spay or neuter. I as well would be having some problems continuing to use a vet that isn't actively encouraging clients to spueter.
In cats, they also undergo heat cycles almost near continuously if unspayed. That can get pretty uncomfy for you and them.

Answer:
If the same vet who told you it was too late to spay her also persuaded you to declaw, I'd look for another vet. What other cr*p will he be shovelling at you in the future? Not exactly criminal but not a straight-up guy either.

Answer:
I agree with what everyone said. It's never too late to spay a cat and is one of the best things you can do for her. I also think you would be better off going to a different vet. Good luck with the litterbox issue.

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