My beautiful 7 yr old male neutered cat has started pooping outside his litterbox. Nothing new has happened in out house. He is our only pet. I think he is punishing us for something. He is afraid of the vacuum cleaner and doesn't like loud noises - of which we have had none. We use crystal litter and keep it clean. No one abuses him. Recently when he was boarded at the vet clinic he became aggressive, but upon arriving home, he was his normal self again. Originally he started pooping on one of our stairway landings, and then along with there, in one of the bathrooms. Since he was punished for that by being picked up by the scruff of the neck and placed in the laundry room where his litter box is kept, he has started going all over the house! I am at my wit's end and ready to get rid of him. Please help!
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cat pooping outside litterbox
Replies (1)
The cat needs to go to the vet for a check up ASAP. Sometimes there is a medical cause for inappropriate soiling.
If all is clear on the health front, then the problem is behavioral. You will need to take steps to retrain the cat to the box. Basically you need to confine the cat to a room like a bathroom, or a large cage with only food, water, bedding and the litterbox. As he begins to use the litterbox consistantly you can expand his space. "Cat Attract" litter can be a lifesaver to getting the cat to use the box again. There is more information at this link:
Litterbox Problems
And also here:
Litterbox Solutions
Cats need easy access to boxes and you may need to put several boxes around the house.Be sure to keep all boxes very, very clean. Scoop at least once a day!
You need to thoroughly deodorize wherever the cat has been pooping. Petastic is highly recommended as is Heaven's Own. It is the smell of the "accidents" that causes a cat to reuse the place.
Check into using Feliway, a spray that mimics the happy scent cats leave when they rub their check against something. You can get it from your vet or from Cat Faeries at http://www.catfaeries.com
If you visit the website, you will see a phone number that you can call and for a fee discuss your cat's problems with someone. The person who does this is very knowlegeable and it may be worth the $$ for you. Feliway is also available in most large pet supply stores. There is also a plug-in with Feliway that can help.
Finally, if all else fails, ask you vet about using an antianxiety medication such as Buspar or Prozac. These very often work, however the decision to prescribe them will rest solely with your veterinarian who will be able to monitor the dosage and side effects.
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