Why Is My Cat Suddenly Pooping Outside The Litter Box? Keep Your Feline Healthy!

Are you facing troubles with your cat’s pooping habits? Is your cat pooping outside the litter box? If you are one of those people who are trying to fight these problems, then here you can be rescued.

Generally, a cat poops at least once a day. It does not seem a big issue at first, but when your cat starts pooping outside the box every day, you get a bit worried. You may start wondering and ask questions like why is my cat suddenly pooping outside the litter box?

There can be many reasons behind this. Your cat is just like your family member, which should certainly make your worry about her changing pooping habits. It may be because she is unwell. Moreover, when your cat poops everywhere other than the litter box, it is also a hygiene issue. And, what more, you have to bear the horrible stink too.

However, let me tell you, this is pretty normal and a lot of people who own felines struggle with this problem at one point in time. I also have faced this issue and while I surfed through the net and consulted some vets, I found out quite a few reasons behind this that actually turned out to be true with my furry pet.

This is why I have put together this blog so that you can be informed as to what’s wrong with your adorable cat. So, without further ado, let us get started and figure out together the reasons behind the peculiar behavior of your feline.

You cat may poop everywhere except the litter box, such as near the back door, the front door, on the floor, etc. There can be two main things behind why your cat is pooping outside the litter box. Quite simply, either there is something wrong with your cat or something is wrong with your cat’s litter box.

Nonetheless, assay the situation and work out the issue accordingly. Have a look at the reasons as to why your cat is pooping everywhere and what is amiss in your litter box.

What Is Wrong With Your Cat?

Owing to some medical or other issues, your cat might be pooping outside the box. Check out if your cat is having any of these problems.

1. Medical issues

Many medical problems can make your cat uneasy about pooping inside the litter box. For instance, your kitty might be experiencing constipation, in which case the box may seem to be a sign of pain to her and thus she may poop somewhere else.

Additionally, your cat might be experiencing bowel problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease, impacted anal glands, diarrhea, etc. In such a case, your cat would have to bear cramps and discomfort, which in turn can cause her to release her solids anywhere she is present at that time. She might not have the strength to reach the box. Moreover, if your cat is quite old and suffering from arthritis, then it might be hard for her to sit on the litter substrate to release solids.

2. Behavioral Changes

A change in your everyday routine or a recent traumatic event might also trigger a change of conduct in your feline:

For instance, if one of your family members has died recently, your cat may act up to reveal her distress. Or, you might have changed the setting of the room where her litter box was placed. Thus, you must consider the commotions in your house that might disturb your cat and take action as soon as you can.

Even though I did not see any behavioral alterations in my cat, I still took her to a veterinarian and luckily she was all fine. Thus, if you notice some changes in the behavior of your cat, then you must get your cat examined. Take your cat to a veterinarian as soon as possible. This way you can know about any underlying medical problem.

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Furthermore, to ensure that your feline does not visit the same pooping place again, you can use an enzymatic cleaner like Anti-icky poo or Petastic. This will remove any whiff that might be present at that place, which will not entice your cat to further perform the objectionable act at the same place. You can also use other methods to keep your cat away from that place, such as closing off the room, placing a tin foil, placing the carpet upside-down, spraying a cat repellent, etc.

3. A Furry Butt

Nobody likes long hair at unwanted parts of their body. So do cats. Your cat might be having long hair on their rear, which in turn may be creating a problem when they poop. Cats do not like the residue sticking to their fur. In order to solve this problem, they poop somewhere else rather than in the litter box.

To avoid this, trim your kitty’s fur around her bottom. I use this pair of pet grooming scissors for this purpose. You can watch this video for some help while you do this.

One of the reasons why your cat is leaving little landmines around your house is because of your litter box. Your furry friend might not like their litter box.

The Litter Itself

Experiment with the type of litter you put in the litter box. See which one your cat likes and then use that litter. Your cat might not like a certain type of litter, which could be the reason why she might be shunning away from the cat litter boxes. This was the reason why my cat was pooping outside the box for many days.

I changed by litter with Dr. Elsey’s litter, recommended to me by a friend. I found out my cat really liked this litter. Ohh! I’m so relieved now seeing my cat poop inside the box. You can also try different depths of the litter in order to see which depth suits your furry pet.

Conclusion

Hope that you have got the answer to your question. Now, you do not have to seek answers to “why is my cat pooping outside the litter box?” Try these above methods and you’ll see that your cat will start pooping inside the litter box, rather than dirtying up your home.

And, don’t just wait for your cat to start pooping inside the box on its own. You are the parent of your cat, so it’s your responsibility to take action right away you notice some change in your cat’s pooping habits.