Litter Box Issues

by Stephanie

My friend has brought home her formerly stray cat. (He has been neutered and has his vaccinations.) He is adjusting pretty well. He is confined at the moment to her room with her and her husband - partly so he can get his bearings away from their other two cats, and partly because he is getting over an upper respiratory infection. He is very affectionate and seems to be comfortable in his surroundings. However, he is defecating outside his litter box. He uses it sometimes and other times he will go in the corner or on their bed. His litter is kept extremely clean and his food and water dishes are not kept near the box. As I said, he appears relaxed and doesn't seem anxious or fearful at all. I don't know what the problem could be. I do not want to see them get rid of this poor little guy. Any ideas you might have would be greatly appreciated. I would do anything so that he can keep this home.

RESPONSE:

There are several reasons why he may not be consistently using the litter box. He may not like the litter or may not like the box itself.
He previously had all of the great outdoors to use as his litter box. If he didn't like one area for whatever reason, he simply moved to another to do his business. Defecating is also another method cats use to mark territory.
First, any areas where he has gone must be completely cleaned of any residue and especially odor. Use a cleaner specially designed to get out the odor. (We use Urine Out! and Smells-No-More from Planet Urine. It's the only thing we've found that REALLY works!)

Next, make sure the box he is using is big enough. He needs to be able to dig and turn around. We use big tote bins. Since he is used to being outside, try adding some dirt from the yard to the litter. Click the Cat Litter Box link on the left for more litter and litter box suggestions.
Lastly, try to block his access to the areas he seems to like. If he is using one area of the room the most, try putting his box there. Cover the bed with plastic and see if that discourages him.
He may just be expressing his unhappiness at being confined to 1 room. Try using Walnut Bach Flower Essence. It helps cats adjust when transitioning from the outdoors to indoors.
Also, make sure he gets plenty of active play time. Leave some toys for him to play with when no one is there. Hide treats around the room for him to hunt for. Make sure he has some type of scratcher to use. Make a point to play with him as well. A feather or sting toy for interactive play will help. Being able to play will help him adjust to his new environment.
The important thing is to remember that the cat is not doing this to be mean or spiteful. He is trying to communicate something. The trick is in figuring out what he is saying!
Tell your friend not to give up hope! A few easy modifications to his environment can go a long way toward improving the situation.

Donna
House Full Cats Mom