I would recommend adding another box with a different type of litter. My cat started peeing outside the box and I got the idea to finally change the litter and the problem stopped. I would also recommend putting an old rug or sheet under where cat is pooping so she doesn't ruin your floors. You could also try adding another box in a different location for variety. I have several cats and none of them poo in the same box where they pee. They want a separate box for each function.

Thank you, PP's. This is very helpful. I'll talk to the vet about trying Miralax.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - yes, I'm sure the move did upset her, and we've had a new baby since we moved. It is most likely her way of letting me know these things are not okay with her. But that's not why I am seeking help - I can't move us back to our old house and I can't send the baby back. She's going to have to get over it. I just wish I knew how to stop her from doing it.

You're assuming that she's pooping outside of the box on purpose. It's far more likely that she's constipated (which could be a result of being upset).

People always assume a cat going outside of the box is behavioral or them "telling us something." But usually, initially going outside of the box is connected to a medical/health problem. Then later, they associate the box with the pain of the health problem. But in the beginning, it's usually a medical problem. It's likely just coincidence it happened when it did.

I would take her to the vet and try treating her for constipation. Vets usually prescribe either the hairball cream or lactulose. But I found neither to be helpful. Miralax is the only thing that worked. It's actually commonly prescribed to cats in Canada who have megacolon. Ask your vet if it is okay to try a sprinkle.

My cat has Megacolon. It started as just constipation.

It took me a while to realize what was going on, because I thought it was behavioral.

But it was about when he was 6/7 years old that he started to poop outside of the box.

The problem is that the constipation causes straining.

For years, I gave him furball cream and special foods, fiber, and it only made the problem worse.

Now I put a little sprinkle of miralax in his food, and it works wonders.

The vet diagnosed the megacolon with xrays, but chronic constipation leads to it (it stretches out the colon so much). It's better to address the constipation before it turns into megacolon.

I would go to the vet and ask specifically about megacolon.

or you can just try the miralax (just a sprinkle). it is safe, so long as the cat doesn't have a kidney/liver problem. it is over the counter.

Good luck. But it's like the problem is medical, not behavioral.

Anonymous wrote:... if the cat goes there, you can work your way back to a normal cat box.

What kind of cat box you have right now?

It is in her nature to bury her poop. If she does not go to the second big tray, you need to take her to the vet.

... if the cat goes there, you can work your way back to a normal cat box.

What kind of cat box you have right now?

Anonymous wrote:OP here - yes, I'm sure the move did upset her, and we've had a new baby since we moved. It is most likely her way of letting me know these things are not okay with her. But that's not why I am seeking help - I can't move us back to our old house and I can't send the baby back. She's going to have to get over it. I just wish I knew how to stop her from doing it.

Try adding a second litter tray with no cover. Big and shallow would be good to start.

OP here - yes, I'm sure the move did upset her, and we've had a new baby since we moved. It is most likely her way of letting me know these things are not okay with her. But that's not why I am seeking help - I can't move us back to our old house and I can't send the baby back. She's going to have to get over it. I just wish I knew how to stop her from doing it.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she's telling you she's mad at you for moving. My friend's cat would get angry when she went out of town and would do things like not groom himself and knock everything down. I also know someone whose dog popped and pee'd on a tissue box in the living room because he was kept in that area while he was talking to someone at the door and ignoring the dog's barking.

Yes, they are not "angry," per se, but they are trying to tell you they are stressed and bored while you are gone, b/c there is not the normal stimulation they are used to getting.

Maybe she's telling you she's mad at you for moving. My friend's cat would get angry when she went out of town and would do things like not groom himself and knock everything down. I also know someone whose dog popped and pee'd on a tissue box in the living room because he was kept in that area while he was talking to someone at the door and ignoring the dog's barking.

PS I wouldn't call her "naughty" b/c it's her way of trying to communicate something to you. She's not trying to be "naughty." That is anthropomorphizing it.

Anonymous wrote:My 7 year old cat has taken to pooping just outside of her litter box every single day. Never had this problem until we moved into a new house five months ago. She seems quite happy and comfortable in this new house. I didn't change the type of litter or anything like that, and she still pees in the box. She just insists on pooping on the rug mere inches from her box. I'm so sick of cleaning it off the floor everyday. Any advice on how to get this behavior to stop?

Cats mask their symptoms (they had to, b/c in the wild, they'd be identified as the sick, weak one and targeted by a predator) so it's rare that we can tell when our cats do not feel well, are not happy, etc. Often times, changes in litter habits are how they try to tell us. I'd check with a vet. She could have a medical problem that is making it painful for her to hold the poop crouch in the box, or otherwise making it painful to poop, and that is how she's trying to deal with it ("Hey, it hurts when I poop. . . .maybe I'll try it over here. . ."). Does her poop look otherwise normal?

There is a different crouch that is required for a cat to poop than when he/she pees (they have to hold it longer, they have to hold their tail up, etc.), so it may have become painful for some reason for her to hold it that long. A 7-year-old cat isn't old, that is for sure, but I'd say a vet visit would probably be what I'd do and ask them.

You say it happened when you moved? Since you can tie it to this point in time, then it may be also psychological, and how she's just gotten into the habit. Can you put some easily-cleaned surface on the floor (is the box on tile) that you could easily wipe up? When our girl cat gets stressed (like when we're away), she'll poop on the floor next to the box (I feel badly for our cat sitter!) and then when she gets out of that phase, she'll go back to doing it in the box.

My 7 year old cat has taken to pooping just outside of her litter box every single day. Never had this problem until we moved into a new house five months ago. She seems quite happy and comfortable in this new house. I didn't change the type of litter or anything like that, and she still pees in the box. She just insists on pooping on the rug mere inches from her box. I'm so sick of cleaning it off the floor everyday. Any advice on how to get this behavior to stop?