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Why is my kitten pooping outside of his litter box? He has 2 boxes, 1 is in our master bathroom & 1 in the master bedroom. He is only pooping outside of the master bath litter box & it isn’t directly outside of the box, but behind the toilet & in the garden bathtub. I clean both boxes daily, sometimes twice/day. He doesn’t even use the box in the bedroom. We kept him in the bath when we first got him, & sometimes he was there for a few hours by himself. Not sure what to do? Is this behavioral?

Why is my kitten pooping outside of his litter box? He has 2 boxes, 1 is in our master bathroom & 1 in the master bedroom. He is only pooping outside of the master bath litter box & it isn’t directly outside of the box, but behind the toilet & in the garden bathtub. I clean both boxes daily, sometimes twice/day. He doesn’t even use the box in the bedroom. We kept him in the bath when we first got him, & sometimes he was there for a few hours by himself. Not sure what to do? Is this behavioral?

Updated On January 21st, 2020

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 5 months and 7 days old

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Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

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Cats will defecate outside the box for many reasons. Here is a good article to explain the different reasons: https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-top-5-reasons-your-cat-is-avoiding-her-litter-box-and-what-to/ The first thing you need to do is have Zuma checked for abnormalities or pain. Constipation or a painful bowel movement is a common cause. Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet can often help as can feeding a canned food with additional water added. There is also a special prescription diet made by Royal Canin called Fiber Response that many cats respond well to. If the veterinarian thinks this is behavioral, there are a few factors to adjust. Cats are sensitive to the type of litter, size of the box and location of the box. If you have more cats, you need 1 litter box per cat + 1 additional box. You should also have a litter box on every floor of the house. This article discusses different types of litter and litter boxes: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-litter-finding-the-right-fit-for-your-cat/ In general though, cats prefer large, uncovered litter boxes, clay-based clumping litter that is scoped every day and a private, quiet location. If you have other cats or dogs, if they can access the litter box, it may cause Zuma to be afraid that he could be trapped in the box. Cats are a prey species in the wild and they still retain those instincts. Clean the soiled areas with a good enzymatic cleanser. This will to get rid of any smells. There are things you can do at home to help to keep Zuma relaxed and that may help to ensure good litter box habits. Here is a great article about cat's instinctual needs: https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-every-cat-needs-a-place-to-climb/ Use a Feliway diffuser, set aside 30 minutes a day for vigorous play and/or switch the food to Royal Canin Calm. Most cats response best to combination therapy. The veterinarian can also prescribe medications which can help with house soiling. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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