Expert: Ali - 9/27/2008

Question
QUESTION: My 13 yr old male orange tabby cat, named Morris, has now done his bowel movement twice in our spare bedroom located downstairs.  He has two littler boxes, one upstairs the other downstairs back in a quiet area.  The bedroom is located just at the bottom of the stairs, so is not private. After the first time, which was about a month ago, I washed the comforter, replaced it on the bed, then bought a plastic drop sheet to cover it, somehow he managed to pull the plastic out of the way and left another surprize for me this morning.  I love him dearly but he is frustrating me.  This has happened twice now within a span of two months!  Up to this point, never anywhere but his litter box.  I talk to him but guess thats not doing the trick..lol  He obviously is telling me he is ticked off, but I can't figure it out.  I truly hope we are not on a downward trend for both out sakes, life would not be quite as happy without him, he is a gem.  He is not cuddly, very standoffish, he tells me what to do..lol...when he wants a rub or hug he lets me know! Just to let you know, about 8 years ago he had his anal glands removed because of an injury he suffered...and he recoved from this and we saw no side efffects all these years later.
Thanking you in advance, and hope you have a solution/advice to this problem.
Eleanor

ANSWER: Eleanor,

Some of the more common reasons for inappropriate elimination in cats are discomfort entering/exiting the litter box, adding or subtracting a family member (it doesn't matter whether they have four legs or two), improper care and maintenance of the litter box, a recent move, a change in work or day to day schedules, seeing neighborhood cats or wildlife in their "territory" (which could include seeing them through the window in the yard), medical issues causing difficulty or pain upon elimination, renovations or construction on the house with tradespeople coming in and out or making a lot of noise, food and water dishes being located too close to the litter box, the litter box being located in a high traffic area of the house or the use of air fresheners or scented kitty litter in the litter box. If the Morris' litter boxes are uncomfortable to get into, use or get out of that may help to explain why he is leaving messages in places that he is sure they will be found. A litter box must be big enough for the cat to get into easily, turn around, dig a hole, and stand fairly close to upright to have a bowel movement or urinate. If Morris is using a covered litter box it's possible that simply removing the hood will help to encourage him to eliminate in the appropriate place. If you are using a kitten box or Morris is a fairly large cat you may want to consider looking in your local pet supply stores to see what other sizes and types of litter boxes are available in your area. You could also consider trying out different types and designs of litter boxes to see whether that makes a difference. If you have recently had a baby, married, divorced or acquired a roommate that could be part of the issue, cats are very territorial and are often upset by sudden changes in their environment. A litter box must be cleaned a minimum of once a day and it is best to avoid using scented litter or air fresheners to control odor. A cat's sense of smell is many times more sensitive than ours so heavily scented products or those containing dyes can actually irritate their noses and cause headaches quite easily. I usually suggest that a clumping, unscented kitty litter is used to fill litter boxes, they are made from various materials these days and some even have ingredients to make the litter more attractive to a cat who is having litter box issues. Cats are creatures of habit, they like to be able to predict what's going to happen next in their day to day routines. If you have recently changed jobs or shifts it's quite possible that Morris is upset by the change in his routine. Cats can be quite territorial and they instinctively want to protect their territory because it is very important to them. Some cats are much more sensitive than others and they will react to seeing neighborhood cats, wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, etc or even dogs in the area that they consider to be theirs. Obviously a cat that isn't spayed or neutered will be much more likely to react to these types of stimulation. A relatively effective solution is to apply a removable privacy film to the windows that Morris usually enjoys sitting in and watching the world go by. Removable privacy films come in a variety of price ranges and designs so it's a good idea to shop around in the hardware/home improvement stores in your area. It's very important that you have Morris completely assessed by your veterinarian as he has had surgery to remove his anal glands. It's possible that Morris has been feeling some discomfort in that area so I would strongly suggest that you have the vet rule out any type of medical issue that may be causing him to defecate outside of the litter box. Sometimes a cat that defecates outside of the box can have issues within their urinary tract such as crystals or stones so blood work and a urinanalysis aren't a bad idea just to make absolutely sure that Morris isn't having difficulties with his overall physical health that are making eliminating painful or difficult for him. If you have recently done household renovations or repairs Morris may be upset by the noise and commotion in his territory, if this is the case it may be helpful to place Morris in a room by himself with the radio or TV on and some food, water, a litter box, a few treats and some toys to keep him busy. It's a good idea to try and place Morris as far away from the noise and action as possible if you think that he may be responding to household renovations or repairs. I have found a DVD series designed specifically for cats that can help to take their focus off of situations that cause anxiety or frustration. The Cat Sitter DVD series has 3 volumes as far as I'm aware, my cats really enjoy all three volumes, but if you happen to know that Morris has a preference for watching specific prey animals be sure that you check the back of the DVD case to be sure that you are getting the video that Morris will enjoy most. The DVDs are designed especially for cats and they can usually be found in pet supply stores for about $15CAN. Cats are very fastidious animals and they don't like to eat in the same area that they eliminate in. If Morris' food and water dishes are located in the same area as his litter box that could potentially be causing him to look for another place to eliminate - after all nobody wants to eat near the toilet. If you move Morris' dishes to another area away from the litter box that should help to prevent house soiling if that is the cause. Cats also like to use the toilet in private, if you have a fairly busy household and the litter box is located near a high traffic area Morris may be hoping for a more private place to do his business, after all, nobody would be comfortable using the toilet in front of an audience. If you have young children in your home it's very important to teach them not to bother the cat while he's in the litter box so that Morris doesn't feel threatened or like his space is being invaded while he needs a few private moments to go to the toilet.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your speedy reply.  I have used scented cat litter since I adopted him as a year old from the SPCA.  I am at a loss, I clean his litter daily. His food is in my kitchen away from litter box.  We had been away for 3 days this week, our son came in to feed him...etc.
Lets hope thats it.
I really appreciated all your suggestions, they just do not twig anything at this end.  
Appreciate your time and effort
Eleanor

Answer
Eleanor,

Cats and people share one important trait, our systems change over time which can mean that a food or product we tolerated well a few years ago causes an allergic reaction or sensitivity now. Some cats develop a sensitivity to scented litter or air freshener over time, it may be worth trying out unscented litter to see if it makes any difference. Hopefully Morris will avoid any further accidents.