Normal behavior for felines is to go to the toilet in the same place, carefully burying the “results”. This is exactly how instinct tells them to act. Left to its own devices, the cat will choose one or two secluded places as a toilet. This is why most domestic cats are easy to litter train. And even in the event of some misunderstandings, the cat is more likely to “get things done” either next to the tray, or hide it out of sight, or, conversely, demonstratively place it by the door, in the owner’s slippers or on the bed. But it will still be some kind of stable place. And if a cat shits anywhere, what should you do?
This behavior indicates serious deviations. The problem may lie in the animal's illness or psychological problems.
Reason #10: demonstrative behavior
Perhaps walking outside the litter box is a sign the cat is sending you. Sometimes this happens when he wants to draw attention to a problem, for example, with health or improper placement of the tray. And it happens that the cat is aggressive and thus challenges the owners. In this case, you may need to consult a zoopsychologist and consider the problem comprehensively in the context of your interpersonal relationship with the cat.
Sometimes provocative behavior is dictated by the fact that the pet wants to receive additional attention from you. At first he didn’t receive enough attention, but then he noticed that you scolded him for his misdeeds, that is, you paid attention to him. After that, the cat began to do everything out of spite, just to get another portion of attention from you. You say it's stupid because it's negative attention? No, it's not stupid. This is how not only cat psychology works, but also human psychology: negative attention is much better than complete indifference. Watch the following video about people and you will understand a lot about cats. If a cat is inclined to extort attention in this way, he will probably do other dirty tricks in the house.
Restricting access to desired resources
Lack of physical (water, food, scratching post, shelter on the floor and high viewing platform) and social (communication and affection) resources can cause frustration and a desire to attract the owner's attention with tags.
Typically, a stressed cat will have other symptoms that remain less significant in the eyes of the owner: excessive vocal activity, excessive or insufficient licking, decreased general activity, decreased appetite. Typically, a stressed cat will also have other symptoms that remain less significant in the owner's eyes: excessive vocal activity, excessive or insufficient licking, decreased general activity, decreased appetite.
Reason No. 12: the cat stopped going to the litter box after the dacha
Separately, it is worth considering the complaint that the cat, after walking outside or going to the country, stopped pooping and peeing in the litter box. This is due to the fact that many cats, having tasted the joy of going to the toilet outside, then do not recognize its substitute, that is, the litter box. Therefore, animal psychologists do not recommend allowing cats to pee and poop outside if you can control it.
But what to do if the problem has already appeared? Firstly, going to the toilet in the country should be avoided. Secondly, if possible, we don’t let the cat pee anywhere and spray it with a spray bottle if he settles down in another place, praise him for going to the litter box, and force him to go to those places where he has already gone. Plus, the advice about the lawn from the next section might be helpful.
Special means or how to train to the tray
There are many ways to teach your pet to defecate in a designated area. If a kitten appears in the family, you should not let it immediately explore the premises. Having brought it in your arms, you need to immediately put it in the tray. Having mastered the smell and gotten used to the toilet, he will subsequently not be afraid of it. Often the desire to relieve oneself arises in animals after eating or sleeping, so at first the owners should control and, if necessary, show where the toilet is. If, after all, the kitten shits in the wrong place, you need to show maximum patience and, after blotting the napkin, take it and the baby to the litter box. You can nudge him a little, explaining what exactly he did wrong.
If nothing helps and the pet cannot be trained to use the tray, screaming or hitting the animal is unacceptable, this can only aggravate the situation. You can train a kitten using a spray. The substances included in its composition have a natural smell of feces. Reflexively, the animal will go when needed, exactly to the place where the corresponding aroma is felt. Veterinary pharmacies sell a wide range of products. Once the root cause of toilet troubles is eliminated, the pet and its owner will be able to fully enjoy communication with each other.
Reason #13: lack of culture
If you adopted a cat from the street, then in some cases litter box training is difficult. Judge for yourself. All your life you have been writing wherever you want, and then suddenly they took you into an apartment and began to force you to do it only in the tray. Many cats in such a situation quickly adapt, but there are also those who do not want to learn the subtleties of etiquette.
A way out of the situation may be to let the cat out for walks every day, so that the pet learns to do its business there and returns home lighter. But this is only suitable for those who have their own plot near their house.
Another option is to try pouring earth or sand into the tray. The cat may not immediately “understand” the filler, but the earth or sand will immediately hint at what needs to be done. Further, when the cat gets used to going into the ground in a tray, it can be replaced with litter. This should be done gradually, replacing more and more of the soil with filler.
Disease
The main and most dangerous reason why an adult cat began to shit anywhere is the animal’s illness. This factor must be excluded first. So the first thing responsible owners must do is take their pet to a veterinarian.
If a cat shits anywhere, the reason may be that the animal is trying to attract your attention in this way and asks for help. During the process of emptying the intestines or bladder, the animal may experience discomfort or even pain. In this case, the usual place for “secret affairs” no longer seems safe to her.
The most common reasons why cats start pooping everywhere are constipation, worms or other parasites. Some illnesses may also be to blame.
Urolithiasis disease
This disease is accompanied by the formation of uroliths (stones) in the ureters, bladder or directly in the kidneys. When the excretory tract is blocked, pain and colic appear in the pussy. Urine comes out drop by drop, containing sand or droplets of blood. The main symptoms look like this:
- frequent urge to go to the toilet;
- presence of blood or sand in the urine;
- anxiety;
- depression, depressed state;
- tight, painful stomach;
- refusal to drink fluids;
- decreased appetite;
- pain when urinating.
If you do not show your pet to a doctor in time, it can quickly die due to intoxication of the body.
Cystitis
This is the name for inflammation of the bladder mucosa. The disease can occur due to damage to the mucous membrane by uroliths, sand, or infection in the urinary tract. As in humans, hypothermia is often the cause of cystitis in cats. The symptoms of this disease look like this:
- depressed state;
- signs of anxiety;
- urinary incontinence;
- frequent urge to go to the toilet;
- painful urination;
- heat;
- the presence of mucus and blood in the urine.
You shouldn’t try to treat this disease yourself either. The cause of the disease and the type of infection can only be correctly determined by a specialist.
Pyometra
A very dangerous disease, one of the varieties of purulent metritis. Most often it affects older animals. The main reason is hormonal imbalance. The disease can also be caused by accidental matings, improper management of childbirth, matings with sick sires. In this case, inflammation develops in the animal’s uterine cavity. In addition to the usual loss of appetite and increased thirst in such cases, the animal may experience the following symptoms:
- frequent urination;
- tight and painful stomach;
- elevated temperature;
- purulent discharge from the uterine cavity.
We suggest you read: How to stop a puppy from crapping at home: tips and tricks
It is very important not to put off visiting your doctor. It happens that the disease develops so rapidly that the treatment does not even have time to work.
Reason #14: the smell clogs
Sometimes cats pee on the bed or other places to cover up the bad smell. For example, a child pees in the bed, a cat smells it and wants to kill it with its smell. Moreover, it is not even so important whether the child peed recently or a long time ago: cats have a sensitive sense of smell. Sometimes the issue can be resolved only by changing the bed linen or mattress.
This situation is typical not only for beds. A noteworthy story is that of one man whose cat persistently peed on the parquet floor in his room, and then during the renovation it was discovered that dirty men’s trousers were walled up under the parquet. The cat smelled them and tried to cover it with her own.
Reasons and what to do about the problem?
Pet excrement found in the wrong places can cause feelings of anger and misunderstanding. The reasons are so varied that a lot of time passes before the owner finds out and eliminates the root of the problem. By contacting a veterinary clinic, the doctor will help you figure it out. If the cause is a disease, then appropriate treatment will be prescribed. There is one more factor that influences the condition of the animal - whether the cat is neutered or not.
Why doesn't the tray fit?
A cat needs a toilet that is one and a half times larger than itself. If the litter box is too small, it will be too tight for your pet. The animal grows, especially if the breed is large, and misses. The cat will look for another place or simply wander past the potty. You need to pay attention to the filler; your pet’s sensitive sense of smell will detect the difference and, if a new species is acquired, then this may be the problem. The cleanliness of cats also applies to the toilet area. If it is dirty or washed with chemicals with a strong smell, then the cat shits next to the tray.
Location plays a big role in a pet’s life; not all animals can safely poop or urinate in front of everyone or, conversely, are afraid of closed spaces. In such cases, you need to observe the cat, why it does not want to defecate, and rearrange the tray. If the cat begins to prefer privacy, you can purchase an enclosed toilet-house.
Stress in cats
Refusal to go to the litter box may indicate poor emotional well-being of the pet.
Due to their psychological characteristics, domestic cats, especially neutered ones, are susceptible to disorders. Any, even seemingly insignificant, at first glance, situations or changes in the family can disorient the pet and, with his behavior, he wants to convey this to the owner. The causes of stress can be:
- change in diet;
- renovation or relocation;
- new tenant or guests;
- late sterilization or castration;
- jealousy, most often when a child appears;
- loneliness and lack of attention.
The owners' lack of interest in their pet forces the animal to at least somehow attract attention. And when a cat pees past the tray, this is a kind of signal. If the cat does not go outside, the owners are at work during the day, and ignore the pet in the evenings, then depression is not far away. After all, there is so little for the owner and so much for the pet, which means attention, conversations, treats or games.
Diseases
Strange behavior and plaintive meowing of a cat when going to the toilet should alert the owner. Diseases that cause pain during bowel movements are common in adult cats. You need to observe how your pet goes to the toilet and, if the situation with puddles is repeated more than once, contact a veterinary clinic. Cystitis, urolithiasis and inflammation lead to bad consequences. The risk of the disease is increased in neutered cats. Severe pain forces the animal to look for another place to defecate, since psychologically it associates the unpleasant pain with the tray. If blood discharge is noticed in the feces or urine, this requires immediate contact with a veterinarian. After undergoing appropriate treatment and with patience, the owner will be able to stop the cat from crapping.
Animal tags
Males instinctively mark their territory to scare away rivals.
Natural instincts to procreate and protect their territory force cats to mark it. A specific and fetid odor is emitted by uncastrated cats during the heat period. The swollen genitals of your pet cause him pain when going to relieve himself. Clean linen, a sofa or bed that is soft, warm and clean, or a flower are ideal places to defecate. Sometimes an animal, especially an adult, due to its condition, may not make it to the tray in time due to swelling and incontinence. You should not scold your pet, much less beat him.
The period of sexual activity in cats lasts about 5-8 days, and if fertilization does not occur, then this can be repeated every month. The mating of a male cat with a female dulls his activity for a while, and he may stop marking at home, but only castration can help him get rid of his problems. If the owner does not plan to breed, it is worth considering surgical intervention, which will help the pet not to suffer.
Another reason
Some cat breeds are characterized by increased aggressiveness and malice; often the love of the owners helps the pet overcome this tendency. But if the animal is hit, it may defecate demonstrably near the potty. The reason for defecation not in the tray may be a simple provocation. If a cat poops on the floor and does other dirty tricks, it means it requires more attention.
In the spring, indoor cats are eager to go outside, feeling the warmth and smell of fresh grass. After the walk, the pet abandoned the tray and peed in another place. In this case, you need to either let him go outside when he asks, or not let him relieve himself while walking on a leash, and at home accustom the cat to a new litter box. Rooms should be temporarily closed with a door so that the pet does not have other toilet options.
Elderly cats suffer from incontinence, the owner needs to place trays in each room, buy diapers for animals or be patient.
Strong or heavy odors are twice as unpleasant for a cat. Having sensed a disgusting aroma, the pet tries to kill it naturally. After observing the animal, we can conclude that it is unpleasant for him. Such cases are observed in families with small children, since the cat does not like the smell of urine, or when a new tenant appears, the pet may also not like its aroma.
Reason #15: old age
In old age, not only people can suffer from incontinence, but also cats. Plus their mental abilities deteriorate. Then the cats start peeing and pooping anywhere.
Don’t scold the respectable animal, it’s already difficult for him and he doesn’t do it on purpose. Instead, buy a litter box with low sides if you find that your pet has difficulty getting into the toilet. And you can place several trays around the apartment so that the cat has time to reach them.
Well, if your cat is already incontinent, buy special cat diapers.
What to do?
There seems to be nothing to scold or punish the animal for - it does everything in the right place. In addition, if you make a cat nervous when visiting the toilet, it may well begin to look for a calmer and quieter place for its needs. Read more about this in the article 'How to train a kitten to use a litter box'
In the end I tried this method. At the construction market I bought a plastic trough for mixing plaster. The dimensions of the trough are approximately 50 by 80 cm, the height of the sides is 30 cm. I removed all the old cat litter boxes and installed a new acquisition in their place, pouring a thick layer of filler.
Please note that when cutting out the front wall, I moved a couple of centimeters away from the edges on the sides. This is necessary in order to preserve the strength of the trough as much as possible.
When sawing, the two lower corners need to be made smooth. It is best to cut out on both sides (top and side), not reaching the corner 1 cm, then break off the panel, and then round the corner with a file. Another option is to first drill holes in the corners with a 20 mm drill, and then cut to these holes. Right angles on plastic cause cracks to appear.
After all, you need to sand the edges of the cut to remove burrs.
Everyone liked the cat litter in this updated form. No more puddles form around the tray. The cat always sits with its muzzle towards the cutout, and its tail, respectively, towards the high sides. She simply has no chance of missing, since the sides prevent her from hanging her butt outside the tray.
