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Expert: - 9/6/2009


Question
I have a cat who is 1 1/2 and I've had him since he was a kitten. We have another cat that hes grown up with, and they both have shared a littler box. We moved from an apartment to a house and he was fine in the house using the litter box, then randomly one day he started pooping on the floor in the same room as the litter box. I'll check the box and it'll be empty. Or I'll clean it that night before and wake up to poop on the floor. i tried changing the litter and the box we have is fairly big. he also only does this at night when im asleep never during the day. So I'm just trying to figure out if you have any ideas why hes doing this.

Answer
Gina,

There are usually two possible causes of litter box problems, medical or behavioral.  I would have him checked out by your vet, it could be something like worms or impacted anal glands or the like.

If it is behavioral, my guess is that something about moving to the new house has bothered him.  It is possible that in the new house the pecking order has changed, especially to do with litter pans.  You can try another litter pan in another part of the house.

When you moved to the new house, did anything else change?  Sometimes a new addition to the household (4 legged or 2 legged) can cause litter pan problems.

Here is a link to a series of articles on feline litter pan problems that may have further suggestions:

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


Also, you should clean up any places where he pooped with an enzyme based cleaner specifically for pet stains and pet odors (available at most pet supermarkets and farm stores).

You might also put newspaper where he likes to poop outside the litter box, so he does not poop directly on the floor.

Please let me know how it goes.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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