Your cat could be pooping outside the litter box for a variety of reasons, including health problems, stress, a smelly litter box, the litter box in the wrong spot, a change in their household, or a new family member.
Behavioral Issues and Stress
Another common cause for cats to poop outside the litterbox is stress. Common causes of stress that may cause your cat to poop outside of the litterbox include: Moving to a new home – a change in a cat's environment, such as a new living space, can cause stress and lead to this behavior.
So if you want to stop your cat pooping on floor, you need to make sure their litter tray is incredibly clean – both the tray itself and the litter. It's also a good rule of thumb to have as many litter trays as there are cats, plus one. So if you have two cats, have three trays.
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.
Anxiety has many forms and often contributes to cats looking for alternatives to defecating in the litter box. If a stressful event occurs in the litter box itself like loud noises, being attacked by a house mate, or even a line to get into the box may cause cats to begin looking for a new place to go.
Don't reach for the bleach or other common household cleaners. Instead, grab a good enzymatic cleaner that is manufactured specifically to neutralize the odor from cat pee and poop. Most quality enzymatic or bio-based cleaners will do, but we prefer the Unique Natural Products Pet Odor and Stain Eliminator.
This behavior isn't something you should be concerned about unless it happens frequently. Cats are pooping on the floor to let you know that they're unhappy with something, such as a change in their environment or the level of attention they're receiving.
However, if your cat continues to poop outside the litter box for multiple days in a row, it's time to head to the vet to make sure your cat doesn't have any underlying health conditions. If you suspect your pet is sick, call your vet immediately.
Certain medical conditions can cause a cat to potty outside of the litter box. These include arthritis, gastrointestinal issues, and urinary tract infections.
No. You don't punish animals. You have to teach them where to poop especially when they are young. Most kittens learn on their own when you show them the clean litter box.
Use scent deterrents
Try orange and lemon peels, cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and mustard oil. You can either sprinkle drops directly onto your flower beds or soak a cotton wool around it and place at entry points.
Many reasons exist for pooping and/or peeing outside the litter box, the most common of which are medical issues, territorial marking, and reactionary measures.
She also may not have enough litter boxes around the house, or dislikes their locations. In some cases, she may associate her litter box with a painful or uncomfortable situation. She may also dislike her litter, especially if you've recently switched to a different type. Cats prefer unscented litters.
Stress can cause litter-box problems. Cats can be stressed by events that their owners may not think of as traumatic. Changes in things that even indirectly affect the cat, like moving, adding new animals or family members to your household—even changing your daily routine—can make your cat feel anxious.
Think food puzzles to engage minds and bodies, vertical space for climbing and surveying their domain, scratching posts, safe outdoor access (like a catio), window perches and interactive play. “Play is an important part of relieving stress,” Delgado says. “It helps cats release those feel-good hormones.”
Clinical Signs
Common signs of feline IBD include vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea, bloody stools, lethargy, and decreased appetite. These signs can vary in severity and frequency, and the predominant signs depend on which parts of the GI tract are affected.
The reason your cat is pooping on the floor is because of a medical condition, stress or simply an issue with the cat litter box. If their litter tray is full or if you have moved its position then you may find that your cat decides to poop outside the litter box.
Your cat could be exhibiting this behavior for various reasons, including stress, litter box aversion, territorial behavior, or medical problems. If your cat continues to poop outside the litter box every day or often, consult a vet who can help you determine the underlying cause of the behavior.
Cats have a much keener smell than we do. It is possible that they smelled even mild sweat on a piece of clothing and it was close enough to a “potty smell” that one peed on it for good measure. Now it is suddenly the new fancy “powder room”. Clothes meet the test: absorbant, dry, scratchable.
Diarrhea or Constipation
If your cat has diarrhea she can't control, she may start pooping outside the litter box because she can't help it. On the other hand, if she's constipated, she might associate the litter box with pain and may try pooping elsewhere.
Just a little bit of baking soda in the bottom of your cat box absorbs odors and can help to keep the area smelling clean. You can also just place an open box of baking soda near the box to absorb the smell.
Consider investing in an enzymatic cleaner as this is the most effective product in dealing with the odor from pet stains. Also, if you clean it using a home remedy, consider using one that involves baking soda or vinegar as these are also effective household products that can assist in reducing the odor.
How to remove dog and cat mess from carpet. Remove as much of the stain as possible, then blot with paper towels dipped in a solution of bicarbonate of soda and water, to which you have added a few drops of disinfectant. Blot dry.