How to stop a cat from shitting anywhere: why and what can be done in this case

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05/26/2021 owner reviews

Does your cat leave little poop gifts for you everywhere except the litter box? Are you wondering why your cat is suddenly pooping around the house? This behavior occurs for a number of reasons - health problems, stress, sometimes even problems with the litter box itself. There are ways to solve this problem, so we will tell you what the possible causes are and how to fix them.

Causes
Solutions to Medical Problems
Problems with stress
Current issues

Why does a cat shit in the wrong place: reasons

Before you try to understand what to do if your cat goes to the toilet anywhere, you need to decide on the reasons for this action. We will not be talking about kittens that can simply be potty trained, since in this case the behavior is understandable. Also, you should not affect old animals, since their trips to the toilet simply need to be monitored, since they forget where to relieve themselves.

Any cat can be litter trained from childhood

Sexual hunting

Estrus can become a reason for leaving marks in various inappropriate places. Not only cats do this, but cats too. The problem of a cat shitting anywhere is often solved by sterilizing it. Moreover, this method works with animals of both sexes.

For your information! This procedure not only allows you to wean your pet from mischief, but also solves many health problems.

Diseases

There are few ways for a pet to show health problems. Ignoring the litter box may indicate the presence of serious diseases that cause pain when urinating. Because of this, the cat begins to associate the standard place for defecation with unpleasant sensations, and therefore the animals pee in others.

Reflexes

A pet could shit in the wrong place not only because of a bad character or illness. Sometimes the cause is reflexive behavior. The animal may have done this because the item smells the same as the toilet. This does not become a habit, the pet simply cannot restrain its desires.

Resentment

Cats are capricious and wayward creatures, and therefore they do not hide their resentment towards humans. They know how to take revenge, they do it in a logical way - they start writing and shitting in inappropriate places.

Important! You need to try to understand why this began to happen in order to subsequently appease your pet.

Fear

Often the problem arises when the pet is afraid to go to its own toilet. This may be due to loud sounds: the washing machine started working or the hair dryer turned on in this room at the moment the cat defecated.

Lesions of the central nervous system

Unclean behavior can be a symptom of cognitive disorders - hydrocephalus in kittens, brain tumors and senile dementia (in older animals) or other damage to the cerebral cortex (cyst, ischemic encephalopathy).

In diseases of the central nervous system, there may be convulsions accompanied by involuntary urination. If, after your absence, you can detect urine, saliva and other unknown traces in the cat's resting areas, this may be a sign of seizure activity.

Cat owners may confuse urinary incontinence with unclean behavior (often people do not see, but simply feel that the bed linen smells unpleasant).

Neurological deficits can lead to loss of conscious urinary control (continuous leakage of urine throughout the day or leakage due to an overfilled bladder that the animal cannot empty on its own).

Such diseases begin to be diagnosed only when there are additional symptoms indicating damage to the central nervous system, or when all other possible causes have already been excluded.

Why does he refuse to pee and shit in the litter tray?

A pet's litter box is practically a sacred place. If your cat starts pooping anywhere, the first thing to do is check its litter box. An animal may stop defecating for a number of reasons.

Place

The dog doesn’t poop: what to do if it hasn’t gone to the toilet for a day

Pooping cats do not like attention to themselves during defecation. For such an intimate process, they like to choose a more secluded space, hidden from prying eyes.

Note! Some animals require a closed tray, made in the form of a house.

The tray next to the washing machine is not the best place

Wrong tray

The place for defecation itself may not make the cat want to shit there, as this is connected with the instincts of the animal. Previously, the cat family developed the habit of burying feces in order to hide the smell from enemies or to sneak up on the victim unnoticed. Now there is no need for this, but the habit remains, and therefore you should not deprive your pet of filler in the tray, replacing it with a mesh. The animal may not like this, which is why you will have to watch the cat shitting in the wrong litter box.

The animal does not like the smell coming from the litter box

If your cat doesn't poop in the litter box, it may be due to a bad smell coming from the litter box. Cats love cleanliness, and therefore it is necessary to change the litter on time and clean the room itself, since even garbage lying nearby can confuse the pet.

The animal may not like the selected filler. You should not buy options with a strong smell, as it can scare away your pet. Depending on the cat’s preferences, by trying out different types, over time it will be possible to choose the appropriate filler.

Note! Not only the smell of filling the tray can confuse the cat, but also other strong aromas emanating from it. Avoid cleaning your cat's litter box with strong-smelling detergents. Cheap plastic, which the container itself may be made from, can also emit an unpleasant odor.

We exclude medicine

If the tray is always clean and smells quite pleasant, then why does the animal still not change its habit of ignoring it, defecating past it, as if out of spite? In this case, it is worth observing the animal, perhaps the development of various diseases is to blame.

The most common cause of strange cat behavior is the presence of frequent constipation in the pet. The cat begins to associate his toilet with unpleasant, uncomfortable sensations, which is why he prefers not to go to it.

Another reason for this behavior is related to the age of the cat - quite often older cats develop a disease such as arthritis. Due to joint pain and stiffness, they are simply unable to perch on a tray with high sides.

In addition, there are also psychological factors, for example, when the owner uses a closed house as a cat litter box. Of course, it looks interesting and aesthetically pleasing, it traps odors, but in most cases cats feel uncomfortable and uncomfortable in such houses, so they prefer to ignore it.

Proper arrangement of a cat's litter box

A cat poops blood when it goes to the toilet for the most part

The placement of your pet's litter box should depend on many factors. First of all, you should choose a secluded place that will not be located in the passage between rooms. At the same time, the cat must have constant access to his toilet, otherwise he may crap himself in another place.

Toilet house for cat

It is recommended to place the tray with the filler away from loud household appliances: washing machine, hair dryer and other items, as they can discourage cats from a specially designated place.

The number of trays should be equal to the number of pets in the house. Also, in rare cases, an additional tray may be required to place in an area where marks are frequently left.

Important! The toilet should not be located close to the food bowl. It is recommended to clean it daily, since cats are clean animals.

Causes

Diarrhea . If your cat is suffering from diarrhea, it may simply not be able to get to the litter box in time. The urge to leave can be sudden and uncontrollable, and some cats may simply skip the litter box.
Constipation . If your cat is constipated, she may have had a painful experience and may associate that pain with her litter box. She may be reluctant to use the litter box after experiencing any pain in it.
Problems with urination . This is the same problem as constipation. There are a number of disease conditions that affect your cat's urinary tract: Urinary tract infection, kidney stones, feline interstitial cystitis.
The tray is dirty . As we all know, cats are quite finicky creatures and they have an amazing sense of smell. If the litter box is not maintained frequently enough, she may decide that pooping elsewhere is a more enjoyable experience than using her litter box. It's recommended that you change her litter once or twice a day and wash her litter box with soap and water about once a week, but you might be able to get away with it once a month if you use clumping litter.
Tray location . If the litter box is in a noisy area, especially if there is a lot of activity, or if the cat has difficulty getting to it, she may begin to avoid using it. You want the litter box to be easily accessible (avoid basements and don't put it upstairs unless you place a litter box on every floor) and in a quiet, private location.
New stressful situations . If you have a new pet or family member, or you have recently moved, your cat may become stressed, which may lead to inappropriate elimination. Cats are creatures of habit and prefer a certain amount of stability in their lives, so you can expect unusual behavior when their security is shaken.
Your cat was recently adopted . This is similar to the previous point. When a cat goes through a stressful situation when she is adopted, she will need time to adjust to her new and completely different life. You can expect some growing pains as you and your cat adjust to each other.
Problems with the tray . Then again, we know that cats are quite picky, so it's possible that she doesn't actually like her litter or the litter box itself. Most cats don't like litter boxes with a lid (they don't want to feel trapped while eliminating), and you want to make sure the box is big enough. Another factor is how the litter feels on her feet, so a little trial and error may be helpful so you can figure out what kind of litter she doesn't mind using.
Several cats . If there aren't enough toiletries for all the indoor cats, this could cause conflict. As a general rule, you should have one litter box per cat, plus one extra (if you have two cats, you should have three litter boxes). From time to time, one of the cats may create a stressful situation by preventing the other cat from using its litter box.
Age and Accessibility Issues . Young kittens and older cats may have difficulty even getting into the litter box. If the sides are very high or the box is on top and your cat is older or has physical disabilities, it may be difficult for her every time she needs to defecate or urinate.

Methods of struggle and methods of punishment

Why does a cat walk past the litter box: the main reasons and what to do

It is impossible to leave the situation as it is. The animal will continue to shit in the wrong places, but if the cat shits in the wrong litter box, you shouldn’t yell at it. There are certain ways to easily wean your pet from this.

It is recommended that the moment the animal wants to defecate, pick it up and carry it to the tray. As soon as the pet does what the owner wants from it, it is worth treating the cat with a treat to consolidate the positive result. This should be done every time until the pet gets used to the tray.

You cannot punish an animal or poke its nose into its marks. Because of this, the pet may decide that it is doing the right thing, or it may start defecating in various places in the apartment out of spite. It is recommended to show him who is boss.

The following method may seem funny and ridiculous, but it is better to adopt it, as it will help solve the problem. We need help deciding on the right place to defecate. It is necessary to show the animal who is more important in the house. To do this, you should catch the cat at the moment when he is about to defecate, take him by the scruff of the neck, look into his eyes and hiss. At the same time, you can lightly hit him on the nose with your finger.

Don't yell at your pet if he misbehaves

Note! You cannot stop training until the pet looks down, as this will indicate defeat. At the same time, it is recommended to start using folk remedies that will scare the cat away from his favorite corners.

Wrong filler

Cats are self-sufficient and fastidious animals. Often the reason that a pet categorically refuses to go to the litter tray is that the owner does not like the litter chosen by the owner. At the same time, even in the filler he doesn’t like, he will still write.

This is explained by the fact that the animal spends much less time on the process of urination than on defecation. Therefore, if the cat is uncomfortable with its paws immersed in the litter for some time, it will walk past the tray. It is easy to solve this problem - just change the type of cat litter.

How to stop a cat from shitting in the wrong place: folk remedies

It is quite difficult to wash off the marks. The process becomes more complicated if the pet updates them from time to time. It is not enough to simply wash them with disinfectants; you need to use some tricks. You need to spread your scent in these places, leave your “marks”. For these purposes, you can use perfume or clothes that smell of sweat.

Cats don't like citrus smells, so you can spray essential oils on their favorite corners. The pet will not shit where it eats, so it is worth leaving its food in such places.

Another option is to place extra litter trays where he defecates frequently. Once the cat chooses one of the litter boxes, the rest can be removed.

How do newborn kittens go to the toilet?

Some novice cat breeders are of the opinion that a newborn kitten does not walk at all, not only in a big way, but also in a small way. However, this is an erroneous judgment. The fact is that during this period the mother cat carefully looks after him. It is she who massages the babies' anus and bladder with her rough tongue, while simultaneously licking everything that comes out of the anus. That is why the cat’s nest is clean and free of unpleasant odors. The kitten enjoys such courtship from the cat until about one month, after which everything falls on the attentive owner.

Objects of assassination attempts: carpet, bed and sofa

You should not start getting angry and scolding the animal before finding out the reason for its defecation in the wrong places. But even after this, you should be patient and try to wean your pet from a bad habit.

Important! It's hard to stay calm when your cat poops on your bed, sofa, or favorite rug, but it's necessary because negative reactions can make the situation worse.

Bed and sofa

You should not believe in signs that say that marks in the bed will bring wealth and other benefits. Often this only brings trouble in the form of damaged bedding, since the smell of cat urine is very difficult to remove and many sets have to be simply thrown away.

It’s one thing if your pet can’t get into the litter box, and so he relieves himself next to it. But if he purposefully goes to pee in the master’s bed, you should try hard to wean him from this.

To correct the situation, it is recommended to act quickly - you will have to monitor the animal. If the cat intends to mark the bed, you should spray it with a spray bottle. Despite the fact that the cat is considered a clean animal, it does not like water, and therefore will quickly learn its lesson.

Cat repellent spray

Carpet

Urine odors are also difficult to remove from carpets, so you need to act quickly. It is necessary not only to wash the item with a disinfectant as soon as possible, but also to treat it with a solution of water and citrus essential oil. Strong smells will scare away the cat and he will subsequently refuse to defecate in this place.

Note! You should not use a concentrated solution for these purposes, since the aroma will dissipate for quite a long time, but will have time to cause a lot of headaches for the owners of the premises.

Opinions, advice and special remedies

A rather cruel but effective remedy is to lock the animal in the same room with a tray for several days. In this case, you need to show love and care for the pet, but not release the cat into the wild. At the moments when he goes into the tray, you should reward him with a treat, but at the same time maintain the same position to consolidate the result.

You can train an animal to use human amenities in the form of a toilet. Cases have been recorded of cats flushing themselves after defecation. This is not achieved in one day, so you will have to be patient and gradually accustom the animal to the process:

If the tray is not initially located in the toilet, then it is worth moving it to this room and accustoming the cat to it.
Gradually it is worth starting to increase the height of the tray. To this end, you need to start placing newspapers or magazines under it. It is necessary to stop the process at the moment when the tray is at the level of the toilet.
After the cat is completely accustomed to the new height, the tray should be placed on the closed toilet lid so that the pet gets used to the new location of the tray.
After some time, you will have to install a children's seat on the toilet, place a flat tray on top of it and pour a small amount of filler into it so that the animal understands what they want from it.
The dish can be removed at the moment when the cat understands what is required of him.

Important! The door to the room should always be open so that the pet does not have problems with access. If possible, it is recommended to make a special entrance in the door for the cat.

A cat can be toilet trained, but it takes a lot of time

You shouldn’t scold an animal if it decides to poop in something other than the litter tray. There may be a number of reasons for this, which are worth finding out first. Perhaps the reason for leprosy is the wrong upbringing received from the owner. You should be careful when training your animal to the right place to relieve itself.

Safety

When a cat relieves itself, at this moment it is as unprotected as possible, therefore, if it is uncomfortable on the tray, there is no feeling of security, it will prefer to ignore trips to its toilet. To save space, owners often place cat litter boxes in too secluded, dark places, such as niches. Or the tray is squeezed into the tight space between the bathroom washing machine and the wall.

If your pet feels uncomfortable on the tray, don’t be surprised that he will simply start to ignore it.

The cat litter box should be located so that the cat has several approaches to it, and from different sides. In addition, there should be enough space around it.