Hope someone here can give me some advice. My husband and I inherited our daughter's two cats about a year ago (she moved to a flat where she was no longer allowed to keep them when her relationship broke up) and, on the whole, they have settled in pretty well. They are both neutered males, about six years old and in good health. They have a cat flap which gives them access to the outdoors all day but they are shut in at night. Because the weather is now getting wet and grotty (and one of them is not keen on going out in the rain) we now leave their litter tray down all day but it is always kept fresh and clean and emptied as soon as it is used. Even so, one of them (we haven't discovered the culprit yet) has lately taken to pooping on the carpet rather than using the tray. Does anyone know why this might be happening and what can be done about it? I always thought cats were meant to be very clean but this is not a problem we have ever had with a lifetime of dogs. Both cats are dry in the house and both can control their bowels. As you can probably tell, we are new to cat 'ownership' and wonder if it is something we are doing wrong. Our daughter claims they never did this when they lived with her and I have no reason to disbelieve that. Can anyone help?

Has there been any other change in the household? Sometimes this behavior will be a response to something completely unrelated to the litterbox.

Bloody hell, staffordcastle, that was quick! It did happen a few times a while ago when there was no real reason that we could think of. Right now, I suppose it's possible it could be to do with fireworks (now I sound really stupid for not having mentioned that before). I am shutting them in much earlier at night right now because the fireworks here go on from before Hallowe'en to about a week after Guy Fawkes' night but, oddly enough, there have been no 'accidents' on nights when the fireworks have been particularly bad.

You too, WildMaggie! Thank you both for your suggestions. I think my next step is to try moving the litter box to the preferred spot - the trouble with that is that it's right under the large table and just where I keep banging my head getting in there to clean up. Ah well, just one of the trials we go through when we have pets, I guess.

You could also try getting a second box in a different location. Sometimes the cats have territorial issues that humans don't notice. One might be nervous about using the box if the other cat is nearby so he's using the rug instead.

I've also heard of cats who only make puddles in one box and logs in another box.

The general rule is one box per cat.

The larger the box you have the better. Outside cats use long strokes when digging and burying. We were having issues with one of our cats not using the box, so we bought a bigger box and we haven't had any problems with missing the box, or going elsewhere

Message edited by its author, Nov 3, 2009, 2:50pm.

Hadn't thought of that BookLizard - thanks. They certainly have 'issues' with one another but have always shared the box, apparently happily. It's another thing that's worth trying though.

If this is a new problem and it continues, I would take the cat to the vet. Sometimes these problems are due to physical problems that the cat thinks will be solved by not using the litterbox.

Good luck,

k4k

I would actually take the cat to the vet first, that way, if its medical it can be hopefully healed before the cat starts linking the box to the illness. If it hurts to use the box, many cats will think the box is causing the pain.

I would also add a couple more litter boxes, in at least two separate places. Sometimes, cats can become territorial over a box, or they don't like to defecate and urinate in the same place, which makes sense if one of your cats is confining himself to the house and now needs a place to do his business.

I'll echo the larger and/or addtional box recommendation. One of ours will stand with her feet in the box, but the essential area hanging over the edge, so the poops go on the floor- We have one high walled box- not a problem there... It sounds as though a dirty box is not likely to be an issue, but one cat might be guarding the box and keeping the other one away.

When my cat and I came to visit my mom and her two cats we set a litter box up and away from the other cats box. It worked out just fine while the cat got use to each other. The boxes are now all in the same area.

Thank you everyone. Both cats have seen the vet and are in perfect health but we did put down an extra litter tray last night and are so far accident-free. Too soon to tell yet as it doesn't happen every day but so far so good. Thanks for all your suggestions.

One more thing is maybe the cat doesn't like the litter you are using. Some cats like a sandy litter, some like a coarse. Some don't like the kind with deodorizing granules in it.