He only does it when I clean the litter

[hinakiba777]

So the past three times I have cleaned my cat Felix's litter, he has pooped on the floor. This doesn't happen while I am cleaning it, but after. I scoop out all the clumps and stuff, add fresh litter, and put it back in place. Then he goes and checks it out and paws through the litter a bit. I go off for a few minutes, and when I come back there is a fresh poop either directly NEXT to the litter pan, or in front of the mat he uses to wipe his paws. And it's quite obvious that this is not just a little poo that fell off his coat when he was grooming, we are talking full blown cat poops.

So what am I doing wrong? Am I not cleaning often enough? (Once every three to six days) Am I cleaning too thoroughly?(I scoop out all the clumps and poop, and then add fresh litter. Then I shake the pan so old and new distribute evenly. I rarely just dump it all out.) What can I do to stop this? I never SEE it happen I always discover it after the fact.

When I was home for Christmas, instead of using his clean litter box at home he insisted on using my brother's ferrets' litter pans. Which only get cleaned rarely. Could it be my cat prefers a messy litter pan? I've had him for 9 months and he only started displaying this behavior in January. I'm really not sure. Though I have been cleaning the pan right after guests leave since January, is that the cause?

Also, he only does it once, right after the pan is clean. Otherwise he always uses the pan, even if I haven't cleaned it in a few days he always uses the litter pan.

He's normally the best behaved most wonderful cat ever. Very affectionate, friendly with strangers, and neat.

Help please.

Oh and this is Felix. My big fluffy 12lb ball of love.

[Pixilated]

You know ... I've got a cat that's just started doing something similar.

However, in terms of Felix, is it possible that he might have some kind of physical issue that's causing this? When was the last time he saw a vet? I think that's usually the case when a cat starts peeing outside the litterbox but it might also be a factor here.

Just out of curiosity, what type of litter do you use, the clumping (that's what it sounded like from your post) or clay? If it's clay, it may be accumulating a lot of odours that your cat doesn't like. Have you changed the type of litter you use recently -- the brand, or even gone from (say) unscented to scented?

It's interesting that you say you clean it after guests leave (since January) and that's when this started. It might have something to do with it -- who can fathom the mind of a cat?? Do you have somewhere else where you can put the litterbox? Maybe just changing the location will put him back on track.

I clean my cats' litterbox every second day at most (and even that doesn't seem to be acceptable to my one cat!), so I'm wondering if every three to six days is leaving it too long ... especially the six days.

Is your litterbox hooded? If not, and if you can get one (maybe try to borrow one ... ?) you might want to try a hooded box. Sometimes cats feel more comfortable if they are closed in while they pee and poop.

As a last resort, perhaps you can empty it and scrub it thoroughly, or replace it. Most litterboxes are made of plastic and I can't help wondering if, after a while, the plastic doesn't absorb a lot of odours, especially if the kitty in question has a really sensitive nose. Although you do say you've had him for less than a year, so ...

Anyway, these are all I can think of at the moment. Hope they help ... or that somebody else comes up with something that does.

[BookstoreEscapee]

When my cats were declawed (no fratching, please, it wasn't up to me) my mom had to change the litter to the paper-pellet type until their paws healed. The girl didn't like that and kept pooping in the hallway around the corner (where she was unlikely to be seen doing it), though she still peed in the box. Once the litter was changed back to normal she stopped doing it. So probably there is something that he doesn't like at those transition points when the box is cleaned. What that is, I couldn't tell you.

[Seshat]

Consider leaving just one poop in the litter when you clean it. As you say, it might be 'too' clean.

If that works - well, it works. Yay.

[sms001]

Maybe it's a lot of dust particles in the air close to the pan just after it's been cleaned and shaken?
Cats love breakin' in the fresh box, he wanders over, intent on doing that, and then has to go elsewhere (but close) because something's buggin' him right at the box.

-- who can fathom the mind of a cat??

Indeed. Alternate scenario, Felix: "Sigh. I'm bored. Think i'll mess with hinakiba's head for a bit and poop outside a perfectly clean box - but ONLY after it's freshly cleaned."

[PepperElf]

However, in terms of Felix, is it possible that he might have some kind of physical issue that's causing this? When was the last time he saw a vet? I think that's usually the case when a cat starts peeing outside the litterbox but it might also be a factor here.

I was thinking "physical issue" but ... of another kind, rather than a medical issue.

it sounds like he's using the box but doesn't realize his butt's hanging out over the side. my old cat would do that sometimes

Perhaps a higher-walled litter box will help fix this? so... if his butt gets too close to the edge it's got nowhere to go, so the poop stays in the box?

[Kittish]

Beautiful boy you have there.

I'm thinking it may have something to do with the smell of the fresh litter? A lot of them are pretty heavily scented, and he may not like it when it's brand new in the litter box. Maybe try to find a clumping litter that isn't scented, or one that's not as strongly scented? That, or time cleaning the litter box so that you can keep him away from it for an hour or so after you clean it, so the scent has some time to dissipate and the dust time to settle, and see if that makes any difference. Other than that I'd second leaving one poop in the box.

[wolfie]

Have you tried a self-cleaning litter box (uses clumping litter, and has a sensor that when it detects the cat has left, scoops the clumps into a "dump" bin)? From what you've described, the "poop outside the box" behaviour happens immediately after a transition in the state of the litter box (dirty to clean). A self-cleaning box will stay in pretty much the same state all the time, so if the transition is what gets him, there's no transition.

[Seshat]

The other thing that occurs to me is freshly handled litter might smell like your territory, and he doesn't want to 'mark' your territory.

After your scent has dissipated a bit, it's become shared - or his - territory.


Again, theorising. And if so, my solution would still be 'leave his scent there'. One poo, that you can pick up next time 'round.

[42_42_42]

I'm thinking it being cleaned is freaking him out because you don't do it every day. When we had just the one cat, we cleaned the box out once a day. Now that we have 2, we clean it twice a day.

[Maria]

Several good thoughts here, but I don't know that I see mine already here, so I'll add it. Is there a chance the cat doesn't like the scent? Even if you get the same thing every time, maybe the smell of this batch is a little "off", and it just gets better after the dust settles. Or maybe he decided he prefers the type of litter the ferrets were using? If it were me, my first thought would be to take the box outside, or to another room to clean it, and just see if that fixes the problem, if maybe he's decided to be opposed to the dust or scent that lingers after the litter's been stirred up.

[fireheart]

Several good thoughts here, but I don't know that I see mine already here, so I'll add it. Is there a chance the cat doesn't like the scent? Even if you get the same thing every time, maybe the smell of this batch is a little "off", and it just gets better after the dust settles. Or maybe he decided he prefers the type of litter the ferrets were using? If it were me, my first thought would be to take the box outside, or to another room to clean it, and just see if that fixes the problem, if maybe he's decided to be opposed to the dust or scent that lingers after the litter's been stirred up.

If you're mixing the old with the new, it could be that too.