There are many reasons why your cat may toilet in a place other than the litter tray. If it’s just a one off, consider if your cat could’ve been trapped in a room, unable to access the litter tray. If it’s a recurring situation then something has happened in your cat’s world to upset them.
Cats are fastidious so this is no ‘dirty protest’ and it’s important not to scold him or her. In this blog, we delve into the minds of our cats to understand things that may affect their behaviour and toileting habits. While it’s important to try understanding your cat’s point of view, as this issue is often behavioural, it’s also important to rule out medical causes. Contact your vet to discuss a check-up as part of the process.
Table of contents
Position of the tray
Litter trays in a low-traffic area of the house allow cats to feel safe and not overlooked (unlike the poor cat in the photo who has nowhere to hide!). You may have to think creatively about how to provide privacy. A well-positioned plant may create some private space, for example. Consider what is in the vicinity of the tray. Cats don’t like to have their food source near their toilet. A big, scary washing machine is bound to put your cat off.
If you don’t provide the peace and security your cat is looking for then they may find a nice, secluded corner for themselves, such as behind the TV set, in the bath, or behind the sofa. When bringing your cat or kitten home for the first time, try not to give them the full run of the house initially. This will help them get used to where their tray is, returning to it when allowed free roam, rather than trying out different spots around the house.
Most cats don’t like to share trays. Behaviourists recommend one litter tray per cat, in separate locations, plus one. Practically speaking, if you have two cats, that’s 3 trays.
Dirty litter tray
Cats are clean creatures and require the solids removing from their tray as soon as possible, and the whole tray changing at least every couple of days, if non-clumping, or the smell can put them off. It’s also important to use a non-scented cleaner. When getting your cat used to a tray, don’t be tempted to clean it too often. Having some scent will remind the cat where the appropriate toileting place is.
Type of litter and tray
Cats can be fussy characters, some preferring certain types of litter over others. Most prefer the grainy, sand-like litter as adults, as it’s more comfortable underfoot. Try different types until your cat is satisfied, making sure it’s not scented as this may put the cat off.
Some cats prefer covered trays as it makes them feel secure. Others feel trapped in a covered tray with only one exit. Again, it’s important to experiment. Most cats like a big tray. If it’s too small you may find your cat sits in the tray, and then does its business over the edge.
Age or illness
Older cats may struggle to get in and out of a tray. Look for a tray with low sides and position it so it’s easy to get in and out of. Your elderly cat may also be caught short, and just not make it in time. Try adding more trays around the house so there is always one nearby. Many older cats will be used to toileting outside, but as they get older prefer the comfort and safety of indoors. You may find yourself training your elderly cat to use a tray.
If your cat has diarrhoea or urinary tract disease, urgency many mean they don’t make it to the tray. If your cat has suddenly started urinating inappropriately around the house, a vet check is needed. This could be a sign of FLUTD. If they are passing small spots here and there, or there is any blood, it’s vital you ring your vet immediately.
This condition can end in a life-threatening blockage in male cats. It’s often related to stress so think about anything that may be causing stress and eliminate it where possible. Stress can be caused by many things, such as inter-cat issues, a new cat in the area, a new household member, a change in routine or even something as innocuous as decorating.
Cats are excellent at hiding pain or stress, so subtle behaviour signs such as changes in urinary habits should not be ignored.
As well as addressing the source of stress, pheromone therapy may help. Pheromones are airborne hormones that can affect our pet’s behaviour. A synthetically manufactured pheromone such as Feliway can have a calming and soothing effect on cats. Felifriend is useful in multi-cat households where there may be some obvious, or more subtle, signs of poor inter-cat relationships.
Dealing with ‘accidents’
It’s important to clean any ‘accidents’ using biological washing powder (or a commercial pet cleaner) rather than regular cleaner, as this will eliminate the scent. If scent remains this will encourage the cat to go back to the same spot. You can use a temporary well-placed obstruction such as a table to physically obstruct your cat from going into that area until your cat has got the idea of where to ‘go’.
How is spraying different?
Urine spraying is like a calling card, signalling that this is their territory. They do this standing and often paddle their back legs, passing a small amount of urine backwards onto a vertical surface like curtains, shopping, or doors. It’s not totally certain why cats do this, although there may be a sexual reason. 90% of intact males and 95% of intact females show a significant decrease in spraying after castration/spaying.
Neutered cats may spray if they are suffering with medical problems, behaviour problems or stress. As a result, it’s important to get your cat checked out by a vet in this case.
If your cat has stopped using its litter tray, or you’ve had previous experience, share your questions and ingenious solutions below.
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Discussion
I also just took in an 8 week old kitten. She came from a litter of eight, and according to the lady that is the Mama cats owner, the kitten we received was going in the litter box. Now that we have him, he’s never used the box and we don’t know why. We can tell that he knows that he’s supposed to use it, but he’ll either poop or pee right outside the box, or go in a corner, under the bed etc. We even tried using the same brand of litter he was using initially, while he was still with his Mama and siblings.
We’re on our third type of litter. It almost seems like he doesn’t want to be in the box.
Any suggestions or possible solutions would be appreciated!
PS. We are using the Feliway pheromones also. Other than his litter box issues, he’s perfect! We love and adore him immensely and we don’t want his refusal to use the litter box jeopardize anything.
Thanks 🙏🏽
Most cats work this out on their own – so start with the basics: Is it clean all the time? Can he physically get into it, or is it too tall? Is it far enough away from his food and water? Is it secluded so he doesn’t feel that he’s being watched? Is there another cat who is bullying him for using it? Is he passing normal faeces or is he loose (which may suggest there’s an underlying medical issue and he might be being “caught short”).
The simplest solution if everything is correct on that list is to buy another litter tray and put it where he normally pees and poos, so he gets the idea.
Alternatively, it’s going to be a matter of catching him and putting him in the box when he starts, then rewarding him for going in the box: but if he doesn’t like it, he could be stubborn!
Good luck!
Thanks so very much for your advice! He’s getting the hang of it. I’ll usually have to put him in the litter box, but he’s starting to go in on his own! For awhile he was pooping outside the box and then hopping into the box to cover it up … he had the right idea, it was just a little backwards! We changed to the pellets, and he seemed to like it better than the sand. I am having trouble identifying the dirty spots. The poop, I obviously can find within the pellets, but the pellets don’t show where to scoop up the urine. I’m hoping to gradually change over back to the sandy gravel litter by slowly adding it to the pellets and every time I clean the box, I’ll put more sand & less pellets. Does that sound like it might work?
Thank you 😊!!!
Yes, weaning across like that sounds a great approach – good luck! He’ll get the hang of it eventually… but some boys take a bit longer than others!
I have an 8 week old kitten and I recently got him. He has already peed and pooped outside the litter box. But the thing is that he already used the litter box and has done his buisiness there before. What should I do?
Make sure the litter tray is kept clean, and he’ll probably get the idea! Reward him when he uses it, and not if he doesn’t (don’t punish him), and I’d expect he’d get the hang of it within a week or two. The only other things to consider are (1) if he’s stressed, he’s less likely to “make it”, and (2) if his faeces are very soft and sloppy, he may have a stomach upset meaning he gets “caught sort”, so see your vet in that case.
my kitten if 8 month old recently recovered from diarrhea and she eat n drink well but the thing is she used litter box very less frequently then she used to before her diarrhea had occurred she is eating the same amount but not using the litter and passing a stool once a day and peeing only twice or thrice in a day is it normal for kitten as am really worried about this
At 8 months old, that doesn’t sound worrying – as cats reach their full growth, their metabolism slows down, and with it their intestines, so if she’s perfectly well otherwise, I wouldn’t be too concerned.
My cat poops just outside the tray… she pees inside it but poops outside it. We don’t know why she does this. She’s not ill or old She’s just 4 years old. And in the beginning she used to poop in the tray. We couldn’t figure out why she does this. Even when the sand has just been changed she does the same
It might be that she wants a separate tray for faeces – that’s not particularly uncommon. Try putting a second tray where she likes to poo and seeing what happens!
My senior cat is pulling her hair out an eats it
This is a common sign, and can be due to stress, skin disease such as parasites or allergies, or – sadly – sometimes dementia. I’d suggest a vet check and a discussion about how best to manage it – good luck!