Cat poo outside litter tray :(

[claire17480]

Hi all I hope someone can help!

Briefly, our cat Tiffany one day decided she was not going to poo in a tray, she pee's in a tray no prob but prefers to poo on carpet. Right in front of the tray (on a carpet mat we bought for that reason), on the mats in bathroom and kitchen (both machine washable) but things now have gone beyond what we can cope with.

Two days ago I found 3 days worth under the spare room (kitten nursery) bed, that door is now shut, hoping she would go back to using the kitchen and or bathroom (machine washable) mats but no, on the middle of the living room rug and again last night!
I don't know what to do, the OH is threatening to give her away (not a chance he'll be out first) but still we can't have this what on earth can we do?

So far we have tried, different litters, more trays, uncovered and covered trays I just dont know what else to do. I'm sure she once had a fright in the tray and thats why she is reluctant, if I catch her in the act I can put her in a tray and she uses it as long as I am sitting with her but she goes at a different time each day so this is not practical. I also have two kittens in the house which is probably not helping the problem but no way any of them are going anywhere.

Anyone know an animal psychic? I need her to get a good talking to!

[Raylyns]

pmsl  sorry i had to laugh at the psychic bit im a developing medium lol  its obvious she is not happy as this is something cats do to show their not maybe it is the kittens around her are they using the same litter tray! have one just for her if you can Cats are normaly very clean maybe she dont like to go in there when it has been used?

[claire17480]

Well I was serious about the pet psychic bit so please feel free to have a go!

We think it started when our previous kitten spooked her while in the tray, that was back in November, we have since lost that kitten and now introduced two new ones. This problem has been continuous since November, we have tried different litter, more litter trays nothing works, I can't see how we can have a tray and not let the kittens use it?

She is quite friendly with one of them but isn't at all fussy about the youngest, we did have 4 trays at one point and that didn't help. We really don't want to lock her in a room on her own for a week which is the only advice I have seen online other than what we have tried (different litters x 3, more trays, covered trays). I'm out of ideas, tonight we will have to close the livingroom off which seems unfair to the other two if not her or we have to roll the rug up every night before bed, its just not practical surely there must be something we can do?

[Purrrrfect]

Hi Claire, Firstly i would concider going to see a vet to make sure there is no underlying cause to her behavour. Secondly i would think about that it is the kittens that are upsetting her. Cats are not pack animals and prefer to be alone other than coming together to mate. It is certainly not fair to shut her in a room so please look at your options. I hope things are sorted soon for you.

[Natso]

Hi Claire

I am so sorry to hear the problems you are having . My cat Cammy was the same, and I sadly have to say that she never went back to pooping in her tray, only on the floor. nine times out of ten was in the bathroom or in one particular patch in the hallway, but occasionally she would do it in front on the bedroom door, pretty grim for late night loo visits!

Liek Purrrrfect said check her over at the vets to make sure is nothing underlying! You didnt say how old she was? As my problems started when Cammy was about 8, and even though she lasted another 10 years the vet did say was the start of old age!

You could try a feliway diffuser to see if she needs calming down,(an oderless kitty pheromenes diffuser), and the spots where she has pooped, clean with warm water & biological washing powder or hand wash stuff, then when dry wipe some surgical spirit over it as this really gets rid of any lingering smells! I hope this helps or at least reverts her back to pooping in the proper places
 

[Jennax]

I hope you get your problem sorted, I have noticed in the passed with mine that sometimes the miss the tray when they are pooing, they stand in it but their bums are too far over the edge so it lands on the floor, maybe a bigger tray would help? Its difficult to know though why they do some things.
My three cats all share their tray but because of cuthberts problems he pees outside of the tray, the other two have started doing the same so there is only ever poo in the tray! I go through alot of newspapers in there cat cupboard! but the only way I could stop it is to keep them seperate which is going to happen so I guess Im stuck scrubbing the floor