Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/9/2008

Question
My cat jack is at least 6 to 7 months old.  I found him at work and dont know his exact age.  I was a vet tech years ago, but cant remember any clear cut answers on why he will go potty outside his box.. Most of the time its urine one it was poop.  He goes inches from his box.  It not everyday or every week that he does this.  Really random.  He has been neutered.  Didnt make any difference.  What can i do.

Answer

Raina,

When a cat defecates inappropriately then he is telling you something is wrong or something is upsetting him. That is the only way he knows how to tell you. He could be missing having a companion kitty to play with, to comfort him, and keep him company. Ideally you should get 2 kittens so they can comfort each other, play kitty games together, learn together, and be companionship for each other, especially in a new environment.

Sometimes you have to be a detective to figure out what the kitten  is bothered by. There is a slight possibility that it could be a show of dominance. In the wild the 'head cat' does not bury his feces, only the secondary cats do. Maybe your kitten has a little 'wild cat' in there somewhere (smile).

Try putting some newspaper down next to the litterbox. Some kittens don't like the feel of litter under their feet. Does he go next to the box because there is something already in the litterbox and he doesn't  want to get his paws 'dirty'? Some cats have weird quirks. Does he do it at the same time of day? Does he do it only when you are gone? He may be upset at being left alone (another reason for a companion kitten) and is letting you know.

Like I mentioned, there are a lot of 'process of eliminations' to do try to find out the reason behind his behavior. And sometimes...there isn't a logical reason or explanation for the behavior and only the cat knows why he does it.

Here are some links to articles about improper elimination that may give you more insight and be helpful:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole links into your address bar)

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm

When a cat quits using the litterbox it sometimes is a medical issue. It is always good to take the cat to the vet for a checkup to rule out that first.  He could have a kidney or urinary tract infection, or urinary crystals. Urinary crystals are very painful and the cats associate that pain with the litterbox and go elsewhere. If urinary crystals are not treated in time they can cause a complete blockage which is always fatal to male cats. It's always good to be on the safe side and check for a medical issue relating the cat's behavior before addressing it as a behavioral problem.

Tabbi