Cat pooping and peeing outside the box.
by Joni
(Columbus, Ohio, USA)
Hello,
I have a 1 and 1/2 year old female spayed cat, she sometimes goes outside the litter box, poop and urine, I also have 2 other cats which have no problem. I have 3 very large litterboxes, each twice the size of a regular litter box, one for each cat, which I clean out every other day. I have tried everything with this cat, (I think). She has been to the vet and checked for a urinary infection, and stools tests. Sometimes her poop is hard other times it is diarrhea. The food I feed them is supposed to be the best it is EVO. She does occasionally express her anal glands when I pick her up and inspect her bottom for matts, she is a long haired cat. When I put her in her litter box 99% of the time she has to go and I praise her when she does.
She does throw up, and have coughing spells because she gets hairballs. She seems to be a very small cat, she still has a kitten face, and petite body. Could she have a UTI infection that she fights off and then it comes back? Does she need different food. I don't know. I do not want to get rid of her, but my husband insists she needs to go if the problem persists, which he has been saying for a year now.
I love love love, this cat, but I need help!
re ply
i suspect that she may be an anxious cat and living with other cats can cause such cats to scent mark both with their urine and poop. Please read my page about middening which will give you some more information about this here
https://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-poo.html
if this is the case then their are calming sprays and medications which can help such cats. This page has some information about these.
https://www.our-happy-cat.com/scared-cat.html
If she does have a uti then ensuring that she drinks plenty of water will help. My way of doing this is to feed a mainly dry food which encourages water drinking.
If after trying all these things you may have to consider finding her a home where she will be the only cat. Sometimes some cats are only happy and relaxed in these circumstances. But lets hope that one of my suggestions helps.
best wishes Kate