One of the things we love so much about cats is their cleanliness. You probably didn't have to teach your cat where to defecate for long, but she instinctively started doing it in her litter box.
But suddenly you started to notice something that surprised you. It seems your kitty has suddenly stopped pooping in her litter box.
Why the cat keeps pooping on floor?
This situation is unpleasant for cat owners to say the least. You don't want to keep cleaning your cat's poop from the floors, and at the same time, you're confused as to why she's suddenly showing this unwanted behavior.
You should know that there are some common causes of this change. Also, there are some solutions that can help you.
Let’s check them out!
1. A Dirty Litter Box
Maybe you've been quite busy lately, and even forgot to clean the litter box or change your cat's litter.
This can cause your kitty to avoid it and defecate on the floor.
If you have a new cat in the home, maybe your older cat will refuse to poop in the same litter box, because the new cat has soiled it too much.
So, if your cat doesn't like something about her litter box, she will choose the floor to poop on.
How To Solve?
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests that it would be ideal to spot-clean a cat’s litter box every day, and to replace the litter once a week.
This way, you will avoid your cat showing destructive behaviors such as protesting against the dirty litter box by pooping out of it.
Also, if you have more than one cat in your household, you shouldn’t let them share a litter box.
Every cat should have her own place to defecate, and the opportunity to do this in privacy.
2. Stress
Your cat’s litter box is perfectly clean, and she doesn’t share it with other felines. But, she still seems to prefer the floor over her litter box. What could this be about?
Your cat might be under stress, and this is causing an aversion to the litter box in her.
Defecating outside of the litter box is one of the most common signs a cat is stressed out, together with hiding, hissing, and running away from their owners.
Spruce Pets explains how there are many causes of stress in cats, such as the following:
• New people and pets inside their homes
• Hearing or seeing animals outside, which is especially common in indoor cats
• Transportation, to the veterinarian clinic, for example
• Any kind of environmental change, such as changing the location of their litter box, their scratching post
Cats love routine and are pretty delicate, meaning that even the smallest change in their surroundings can cause stress in them.
How To Solve?
It’s essential for you to react as soon as you notice any signs of stress in your kitten, since, according to Sarah Caney and her associates [1], stress can even increase the risk of certain health problems in cats, such as infectious diseases and feline lower urinary tract disease.
First, you’ll need to figure out what exactly is causing this negative emotion in your pet.
Do your best to make her feel safe and protected in your home. But, you shouldn’t force her to do anything.
If you feel like you won’t be able to solve this problem on your own, you should contact your veterinarian.
If the cat’s stress becomes a real problem, the vet might even prescribe some medications to calm her.
3. Territorial Behavior
Defecating outside the litter box can also be a form of territorial behavior among cats. So, this will most likely be seen in households where there are multiple cats.
If your cat has been the only pet for the majority of her life, she might not be thrilled to share her living space with another kitten.
This can even cause her to show destructive behaviors, such as pooping on the floor. This is her way of showing the other cat the entire house is hers, and that she shouldn't invade her personal space.
Of course, no cat owner wants to see their cats behaving like this. You also don’t want to make your older cat feel bad about having another pet in your home.
But, this shouldn’t be a reason to give up on having another cat. There are some ways for them to live together, without any cat defecating on your floors!
How To Solve?
The most important thing to do here is for your cat to get used to the presence of another pet. To do this properly, the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests the following steps:
• Don’t just present the new kitten all of a sudden, because this can be scary for both cats. Instead, introduce them slowly, and keep the new kitten in a separate area for the first couple of days.
• Don’t force the new kitten to come out: Let her alone in the room, and allow her to come out on her own.
• Give your resident cat a towel with the scent of the new kitten, and vice versa. Once they get used to each other's smell, they will be ready for visual contact.
• For starters, you should keep them separate by using a baby gate or screen door.
• You should also use cat treats while introducing them to each other, to distract them if necessary.
• If the introduction is done properly, neither cat should show behaviors such as growling or hissing.
If two cats are introduced in the right way, there is less chance that your resident cat will show territorial aggression.
Of course, there should be at least two litter boxes in the household for both cats to be perfectly comfortable while defecating.
4. Health Issues
Unfortunately, if your cat keeps pooping on the floor, this might also indicate some health issues in her.
For example, she might be struggling with digestive problems that are causing her to poop more than usual.
Perhaps your cat just didn’t have enough time to get to the litter box, so she defecated on the floor.
There might be other issues included here, such as food allergies or food sensitivities. Additionally, maybe your cat has been struggling with constipation lately, and now she suddenly felt the urge to poop, and she didn’t have any other choice than to defecate on the floor.
How To Solve?
If you have any doubts that your cat might be pooping on the floor due to a health condition, you should consult your veterinarian right away.
You need to explain to him how long your cat has been pooping on the floor, and also to mention any additional symptoms – if you have noticed any, of course.
The sooner you react, the better it will be for your cat’s health.
Summary
If your cat keeps pooping on floor, this is definitely not a pleasant situation for you. It might even be hard for you to understand why your perfectly litter-box-trained cat suddenly has the urge to defecate on the floor.
I understand your frustration, but the most important thing here is to find the reason behind this unwanted behavior.
Maybe your cat’s litter box isn’t clean, or, perhaps, your cat is showing territorial behavior, or she’s even under stress. In some cases, a health problem might be the cause of this.
In the end, we can conclude that no cat will suddenly start pooping outside its litter box for no reason.
I hope that you were able to identify the real cause of this behavior in your cat, and that you will use our tips to help your pet!
References:
[1] Caney SM, Robinson NJ, Gunn-Moore DA, Dean RS. Happy cats: stress in cats and their carers associated with outpatient visits to the clinic. J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Dec;24(12):e551-e557. DOI, Retrieved July 21, 2023.
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