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Posted by PHMadameAlto on January 17, 2003 at 23:55:05:

In Reply to: 4 year old cat eliminated outside of litterbox posted by meghann on January 13, 2003 at 11:25:28:

:I have 2 cats who are littermates. Oreo and Socks, and they are 4 years old. I have had them since they were 4 months old and they are my babies. In the last 3 months or so Oreo has started defacating on the carpet outside of the litterbox. The box is in the guest bathroom and no one goes in there except once in a great while. I clean the box everyday and use a scoopable litter. I have been gone more since I've been at work, but I don't know what to try to do. I don't think punishing him will do any good, and he acts like he has done nothing wrong too.

:The other cat, Socks, has never had any problems and always uses the box. They have shared the box since they were 4 months old. Something else a little strange, is that Oreo doesn't do it on a consistent basis. he will go for a few days to a week, and then boom..he has an accident and will do it for a couple of days before stopping again.

:What can/should I do? t






Your cat should visit the vet to see if their is a medical problem causing the defecation outside the box.

If all is clear on the health front, then the problem is behavioral. You will need to take steps to retrain the cat to the box. Basically this involves putting the cat in a small room with only the litterbox, food and bedding until the cat consistantly uses the box. Then you can expand the area the cat is allowed in.

Defecation is a way of showing dominance, so this may be an issue here. Can you have two or even three boxes available?

You need to thouroughly deodorize wherever the cat has been pooping. Nature's Miracle is highly recommended. It is the smell of the "accidents" that causes a cat to reuse the place. Placing foil over the area on the carpet can help too.

Check into using Feliway, a spray that mimics the happy scent cats leave when they rub their check against something. You can get it from your vet or from Cat Faeries at http://www.catfaeries.com
If you visit the website, you will see a phone number that you can call and for a fee discuss your cat's problems with someone. The person who does this is very knowlegeable and it may be worth the $$ for you.

Finally, if all else fails, ask you vet about using an antianxiety medication such as Buspar or Prozac. These very often work, however the decision to prescribe them will rest solely with your veterinarian who will be able to monitor the dosage and side effects.

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