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We have 2 male cats. We've had them since they were about 7 weeks old. We adopted them from an animal shelter in 2002. They are both neutered. They never had any litter box issues, and shared a litter box for over 5 years. Last year, we made a big move from San Diego to the Seattle area. I drove with both cats in very nice, large carriers in the back of my minivan.
When we arrived in Seattle, we had a corporate apartment. We lived there for 2 weeks or so, and the cats seemed fine. No problems whatsoever. We then moved into our townhome. It is easily twice the size of our CA apartment, and is spread out on 3 levels (our CA apartment was just a regular flat). We put the litter box on the bottom level near the garage. After about a month, one of our cats started pooping outside of the box. He'd poop near it, but not in (luckily he pees in the box, he just won't poop).
We bought an additional litter box. This didn't help. We moved one of the litter boxes upstairs, he pooped behind it. We took the lid off of one, no help.
Months passed, and he started pooping on the stairs. I had a baby about 5 months after moving up here, and the cat then progressed to pooping in the living or dining room (often twice a day).
We repeatedly took him to the vet. He was given a clean bill of health. We tried him on prozac, it didn't help. We gave him vitamin shots, it didn't help. We changed his diet, it didn't help.
The thing I'm worried about, is the people who rented our townhome before us, had a dog, and the let it pee everywhere (I saw the place before it was cleaned). They tore out all the carpet and put new carpet and paint in, so I didn't think this would be the issue. I can only think this is the issue, but I have no idea how to solve this problem.
My son is about to start crawling any moment, and so we called the humane society. We explained the whole situation to them, and they assured us that with their great cat fostering program, they could evaluate him, and get him a new home.
After a week, they called us and told us they wouldn't even try to put him in the foster home, because he didn't have the right type of personality. Our cat is awesomely loving, and super affectionate, but he takes awhile to warm up. Not to mention that he was probably terrified being at the humane society. Our choice was to go and pick him up, or let them euthanize him. We picked him up, course.
We're at our wits end. Is there anything we can do to help this behavior?? Anything I can do to the house to get the smell of the previous dog out (we don't smell it, but I think he must)?
How close to the baby's arrival did the pooping start? Maybe he was feeling ignored by the preparations, or you being tired, etc. Cats WILL do things to show anger. I had a friend with cats - once he moved in, one of them started peeing on his side of the bed, on his shoes, on his clothes, etc. One of my males didn't like things on the floor, esp. plastic garbage bags/grocery bags. He would pee on anything left on "his" floor. I had to remember to warn guests!
He started about 4 months before the baby got here, and at that time, he was still really get tons of love and affection (on our laps on the couch every night, snuggling with us in bed), so it started well before the baby got here. It's just really disappointing. We're at our wits' end.
Hmm I would think that since all else points a normal healthy kitty, it IS the scent confusion from the former owners' dogs. If the dogs did pee all over, then the carpets more than likely were saturated, and the floors absorbed the scent as well. If they did NOT clean the flooring well before re-carpeting, some of that scent is still there, and could indeed be confusing the big fella.
Perhaps a good strong professional cleaning, and diligence in litterbox cleanings....my guys won't use the box if its not scooped regularly.
I'd hate to advise isolation for him when you are not home, but I darn sure would NOT take him back to the shelter!
Another reason for getting the place seriously cleaned well: baby is about to start crawling. Sounds like an even better reason to make sure the previous issue is indeed gone. If in doubt, I'd spend the bucks on pro cleaning.
How often do you clean the box? I mean all the cat litter out, hose it down with disinfectant- a bleach solution is most likely best. Cats have a strong sense of smell, it could be that the box has worn it's welcome and either needs to be cleaned well or replaced. I use storage containers as litter boxes, basically because it's a lot cheaper than the actual "cat litter boxes". You might try a longer box too so it gives cats more room. I have a larger cat (she's long) and it seems to work better for her. I'm also meticulous about keeping the box clean. I hope that helps.
A further suggestion if the issue is old box is to each time you clean the box to encase the whole thing in a really big trash bag. Then fill with clean litter. When you are ready to totally clean out the box, just turn the bag inside out. Keeps the pan clean and who wants to have to clean out a plastic cat box all the time.
This requires a trash can liner not just a skimpy litter box liner. And if you want to save some steps, put several bags on one at a time and just invert the first one each time you want to throw out all the litter.
A further suggestion if the issue is old box is to each time you clean the box to encase the whole thing in a really big trash bag. Then fill with clean litter. When you are ready to totally clean out the box, just turn the bag inside out. Keeps the pan clean and who wants to have to clean out a plastic cat box all the time.
This requires a trash can liner not just a skimpy litter box liner. And if you want to save some steps, put several bags on one at a time and just invert the first one each time you want to throw out all the litter.
That's a great concept, but my cats always manage to scratch holes in the bag, thus leaving a mess so I gave up on the bag thing.
We have the same problem with our Gumbo. Fortunately she keeps the poop near the litter box and the flooring is vinyl so the clean up is easy. I figure if things don't change, when we move back into the house, she'll have to spend the day out on the screened in porch.
You don't by chance use a litter box with a lid do you?
I adopted a cat who had been dropped off in our neighborhood. He was normally a fastidious cat, until I put a lid on the litter box. He was large and the entry was technically big enough but too tight for his likes. So he would poop on the floor, sometimes right at my feet to let me know.
If the pan was not clean enough, he would pee on the floor right next to my chair.
One thing I can tell you, I have always heard that pets know when their owner is pregnant. Don't assume its not related to changes in the household such as a new baby.
one of my cats doesn't like to poop in the litter box, she uses the tub. it's really annoying.
and she doesn't like stuff on the floor either. i put something down, she peas on it
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