Why is my cat pooping the house
Many of our readers have reached out for advice on how to deal with a cat pooping in the house all of a sudden. As a cat owner, this type of behavior can be a huge burden to deal with especially if your kitten’s poop smells like death. Therefore, it is important to identify this type of behavior early and use this advice in this article to promptly fix the problem.
Cat pooping in house all of a sudden
A cat usually begins pooping in the house for one of the following reasons: litter box avoidance, stress, illness/pain, insecurities, and old age.
Why is my cat pooping in the house all of a sudden
Most of the time, a cat begins pooping in the house because there is an issue with the litter box. The most popular litter box issues are
Cleanliness: If you do not clean the litter box regularly, it creates an aroma that is unbearable for you and your cat. Therefore it is imperative that your cat’s litter box is clean so that it feels comfortable pooping there. If you don’t think your cat likes their current litter, you should check out my tofu cat litter review.
Type of Litter: Some cats can be very particular about the texture and material of the litter. You should try switching your litter to a new material, such as paper, clay, sand, crystal, or tofu. We have heard good things about Cat Attract.
Location: Sometimes, the location of the litter box is not ideal. Perhaps the litter box is near a doorway that a lot of people pass by. This traffic may make your cat nervous and want to go poop elsewhere. You should try moving the litter box to another location. You should also consider adding another litter box to the house, especially if you are a multi-cat household.
This could also be the reason your cat is urinating in the house suddenly.
Size: A litter box should be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat. If it is smaller, it may cause your cat to be uncomfortable.
Old Age: There is a chance your cat is pooping outside of the litter box because of old age. To learn more, check out my article on Signs a Cat is Dying of Old Age.
Why is my cat pooping on the floor all of a sudden
A lot of times, cats will start pooping on the floor all of a sudden. The main reason cats poop on the floor is because it is usually a high traffic area where a lot of humans and other pets pass by. Cats sometimes use their poop to mark their territory. Cats might also poop on a rug that is on the floor because the rug gives good traction for your cat’s feet so it is easier to squat and poop.
Cat suddenly pooping in house
If your cat is suddenly pooping in your house, it is important that you clean the spot immediately. Not only will this prevent the smell from lingering, but it can also help deter your cat from pooping in the house in the future. If you wait to long to clean it up, your cat might get used to the smell and think it is normal to poop in the house. We recommend using an enzyme based cleaner to help completely remove the cat poop smell.
Solution for Cat Pooping Outside of Litter Box
The best and cheapest way to stop your cat from popping outside of the litter box is to buy Cat Attractant. You can purchase Dr. Elsey Litter Attractant for under $12, and it works with any sort of litter. The attractant has natural herbs that draws your cat to the litter box when it has to go pee or poop.
Stress
Another popular reason that cats start pooping inside the house is because of stress. There are many reasons why your cat could be stressed, here are some possible causes of your cat’s stress
Change in weather, addition of a new pet in the house, a wild animal outside such as a possum or raccoon, change in environment such as moving around furniture. We recommend calming your cat with snuggles or with the plug in feliway cat relaxer. You can click the picture below for more information.
Illness/pain
Your cat could be pooping outside the litter box if it has in illness such as a uti, diarrhea, or constipation. If you suspect your cat may have one of these illnesses, you should visit the vet immediately. If your cat’s poop is becoming more stinky than usual, it may be a sign that your cat has an illness.
Cats that are in pain, especially those which are older and suffer more from joint pain and arthritis, tend to change their behavior. Sometimes, a cat that has hip pain may find it painful to climb into the litter box or squat to go poop. This is why they may decide to just poop somewhere random in the house.
Insecurities
Your cat may be pooping in the house if it is insecure and wants to get your attention. If this is the case, you want to make sure that you spend enough time playing with your cat and showing him/her affection.
Old Age
Unfortunately, many of a cat’s behaviors will start to change once they get older. This is usually because as their body gets older, their muscles become weaker and they lose mobility. A cat that loses mobility might decide to just poop in the house instead of walking all the way to the litter box or outside. One of the main conditions that causes death in cats is heart failure. Check out this article to see when to put cat down with heart failure.
How to stop a cat from pooping in the house
One of the most effective ways to stop a cat from pooping in the house is to thoroughly clean up the poop as quick as possible. If the cat smells an area where it previously pooped, it may encourage him/her to poop there again. After cleaning the area, you should try to block it off with some furniture so that your cat can’t access it.
Check out this article to see why cat going to litter box every few minutes.
