Expert: Jessica - 6/18/2010

Question
My Maine Coon kitty is almost 5 years old. We have had him since he was a kitten. He never did bury his poops(always loose) and they always had an especially awful aroma. However, in the past couple of weeks, he has started to poop outside of the box. We put another litter box next to where he was pooping. A couple of days with no messes and then he started again. My husband has scrubbed his "pooping areas" thoroughly. We don't know what to do. He is a sweet darling cat, but my husband is losing patience.

Suggestions?

Answer
Hi Bhearni.  You should have your kitty checked out by the vet, first.  If he has diarrhea, he is probably experiencing some pain when he defecates, and a kitty can come to associate this pain with the litter box.  This may cause him to avoid using the litter box to defecate.  It will be important to find out why he has diarrhea and to resolve this issue.  Foul-smelling, loose stools can be caused by anything ranging from parasites to dietary intolerances.

But also, animal behaviorists find that almost no commercially produced litter boxes are large enough for a cat to use comfortably, especially for defecation.  Cats prefer plenty of space to dig around, and most boxes are barely large enough for the cat to stand in.  Many breeders use cement mixing tubs or under-bed storages boxes (which are what I use) rather than litter boxes, and these seem to be preferred by the cats.  You may want to try offering one of these to your kitty to see if he'll use them.  Maine Coons are large cats, and he may feel too confined trying to use even a large-sized litter box.

You also could trying putting a box in a different location and trying a different litter.  Be sure that the location is a convenient one but doesn't have excessive traffic.  Most cats prefer unscented clumping litter, at least 3-4 inches deep.  If you can find it in your area, you may want to try a litter called Cat Attract. A vet created it specifically to address litter box problems.  It's formulated with an herbal attractant to encourage problem cats to use the litter box 100% of the time.  See www.preciouscat.com.  If you can't find the litter, there is also an additive you can mix into your own litter, which you can order through many websites and have shipped to your home (much less expensive than having the litter itself shipped).  In my own experience, my cats have also liked Swheat Scoop litter a lot.

I hope all goes well!

Jessica