why is my cat shitting on the carpet and what can I do to stop her?

[trashpony]

All of a sudden she's started although we've lived here 5 years and they've had the litter tray they've got for about 18 months. I think it's a protest against the baby

Anything I can to dissuade her short of giving her away (I really can't cope with the baby eating cat poo)?

She's quite old (about 13).

 

[Vintage Paw]

It may well be her age. Our old cat Smokey started weeing and pooing in unfortunate places when she got to about 14-15+. She lived to 18, so we just put up with it.

Crafty thing knew how to flip up the lid on my mum's cd player in the kitchen and piss inside it. She also used to wee on the beanbag in the living room. And once of twice she shat on the draining board in the kitchen.

We think her eye sight was going a bit, and maybe cats get senile dementia like we do ... maybe she just got confused. That might be all that is happening with your little one.

Might be worth a trip to the vet to rule out any health problems, but it sounds like old age to me.

 

[Detroit City]

I think it's a protest against the baby

most likely that's it, felines are quite territorial

 

[felixthecat]

Might be worth a trip to the vet to rule out any health problems, but it sounds like old age to me.

Yep - cat version of Altzheimers

 

[trashpony]

Yep - cat version of Altzheimers

Oh fucking hell I don't know what to do. I really can't have a cat pooing everywhere with a baby crawling about. I don't care what he puts in his mouth on the whole but I draw the line at cat shit.

Why is my week so very shit?

 

[moomoo]

Is there nothing you can spray to dissuade the cat from pooing? Sorry, I don't know much about cats. Mine both left home when my daughter was born.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

IME house trained cats suddenly start pooing in inappropriate places when they're feeling poorly and thus confused. Maybe kitty has something a bit the matter with him which hopefully might be cleared up by a trip to the vets. I remember with one of my mum's cats it signaled the end of his life but I think we've had another cat who recovered after a medical condition was discovered and treated. Are there any other signs of ill health or discomfort?

 

[oryx]

Have you had some other change in your household (other than the baby, of course!)? E.g. an aggressive new cat in the area, having people to stay, changing the furniture around? E.g. my partner's cat would shit on the bed if he went away.

IMHE cats hate even subtle change, awkward little buggers that they are. Not saying you should never change the furniture around etc. etc., just that it may be a temporary situation.

As Vintage Paw & felix (ETA - and Agent Sparrow) have said the vets' is a good idea to make sure it's not a physical problem. If it's a psychological one, they may have tips as to how to stop it.

 

[Geri]

Does she normally go outside or does she have a litter tray? Have you changed the type of litter, or moved the tray to somewhere she feels less safe in?

 

[trashpony]

Does she normally go outside or does she have a litter tray? Have you changed the type of litter, or moved the tray to somewhere she feels less safe in?

Nope - same tray, same place, same litter. Oryx's point is interesting though - she has an old skanky garden chair cushion she sleeps on and it had a hole in it and the foam was coming out so my mum sewed it up and now she refuses to sleep on it any more. Could it really be about that? How can I get her to love her cushion again? Bloody hell, cat psychology is complicated isn't it?

 

[Geri]

Does the litter box have high sides? Maybe if she is getting older she finds it more difficult to use.

I think a medical problem is more likely to be the answer though.

 

[geminisnake]

my mum sewed it up and now she refuses to sleep on it any more. Could it really be about that? How can I get her to love her cushion again? Bloody hell, cat psychology is complicated isn't it?

It could well be that(specially if the cushion now smells of your mum, not to you but she'll be able to smell the difference), and combined with foal's extra movement and ability to possibly 'get' the cat she may well be showing her miffedness.

You could try putting the hole back in the cushion

 

[moomoo]

Nope - same tray, same place, same litter. Oryx's point is interesting though - she has an old skanky garden chair cushion she sleeps on and it had a hole in it and the foam was coming out so my mum sewed it up and now she refuses to sleep on it any more. Could it really be about that? How can I get her to love her cushion again? Bloody hell, cat psychology is complicated isn't it?

This is completely irrelevant but your story reminded me of a story about when I was little.

I had a special dummy and when I was about 2 or 3, my parents decided that I was too old for it. It was a right tatty, torn old thing so they threw it away but had a spare 'just in case'. Of course, I screamed for my old dummy and refused to have anything to do with the new one so my dad ended up going to the bin in the early hours of the morning, digging out my old dummy and having to sew it up before he could give it back to me.

Sorry - back to incontinent cats.....................

 

[oryx]

she has an old skanky garden chair cushion she sleeps on and it had a hole in it and the foam was coming out so my mum sewed it up and now she refuses to sleep on it any more. Could it really be about that?

Probable punishable by death in cat terms.

But as she's old, it is definitely a good idea to check it out at the vets.

 

[Pip]

Good luck with the vets/cat psychiatrist, I hope it's something that can be easily sorted.

 

[trashpony]

Update: I have been paying her a lot more attention so it's got better - she's pooing on the bathroom floor now. And what's worse is that she walks past the litter tray to get to her 'spot'

She's weeing in the tray so it's not like she can't get into it - she's just being a sod. Anyone want a cat?

 

[Vintage Paw]

Update: I have been paying her a lot more attention so it's got better - she's pooing on the bathroom floor now. And what's worse is that she walks past the litter tray to get to her 'spot'

She's weeing in the tray so it's not like she can't get into it - she's just being a sod. Anyone want a cat?

Aw poor trashycat

Can you put the tray where she likes to poo? If she's got a 'spot' that might do the trick.

You've reminded me, another place our elderly cat used to wee was the bath mat.

 

[innit]

My mum's cat starting pooing everywhere in a dirty protest when I was a baby, she gave the cat away in the end

(when I was younger I thought that was unbelievably cruel and heartless, I couldn't imagine loving anything more than a cat!)

 

[no-no]

Two Ideas :

First-

Second - Lion Shit, I once heard that if you spread lion shit in your garden it'll keep the cats away.Maybe it'll work in your house!

Where do I get lion shit? From the zoo innit.

 

[sojourner]

You have my sympathies

One of mine has suddenly decided that clean litter trays are passe, and instead prefers to shit in the corner of the room by the telly. Nothing will dissuade her, so I have been forced to put a litter tray there. She shits in that litter tray. I think she just likes shitting with the room in that perspective

My cunning plan is to move the litter tray back to its original place by the back door so I don't have to smell shit while I'm eating my tea.

 

[*Miss Daisy*]

i've had my 8 mth old kitty since january, very nervous, i have finally sused that he doesnt like pooing in a dirty litter tray ie. once he has had 3-4 wees in the litter tray he will not go for a poo yet he doesnt mind hiding in the litter tray (tis a covered one) when my son is on a heavy footed loud mouthed sorta day

 

[Ms T]

Dylan was weeing and shitting on the rug in the basement. Before that he was pissing in the gas fire or in hendo's trainers.

I put a box on the fire for a while which meant he couldn't piss on it and he seems to have forgotten about it now. I've had the rug cleaned and swapped it with the one upstairs and that seems to have cured that one. It seems to be that you have to break the pattern of behaviour somehow.

Good luck.

 

[gaijingirl]

Dylan was weeing and shitting on the rug in the basement. Before that he was pissing in the gas fire or in hendo's trainers.

I put a box on the fire for a while which meant he couldn't piss on it and he seems to have forgotten about it now. I've had the rug cleaned and swapped it with the one upstairs and that seems to have cured that one. It seems to be that you have to break the pattern of behaviour somehow.

Good luck.

The box on the fire and the rug swapping seem like great ideas...

I notice you didn't do anything about poor Hendo's trainers though..

 

[mrs quoad]

My cunning plan is to move the litter tray back to its original place by the back door so I don't have to smell shit while I'm eating my tea.

Move it slowly. Inch by inch, foot by foot...

 

[Ms T]

The box on the fire and the rug swapping seem like great ideas...

I notice you didn't do anything about poor Hendo's trainers though..

They've been through the washing machine twice, and soaked in a solution of detergent and white vinegar. They still pong a bit though - probably because they get regularly heated up by his feet ifyswim. They may have to be binned, tbh.

 

[sojourner]

Move it slowly. Inch by inch, foot by foot...

...gradually tipping the lot all over her contrary fucking head

 

[TopCat]

Litter trays are awful, make the cat shit outside.

 

[sojourner]

Litter trays are awful, make the cat shit outside.

Says the bloke with an uncontrollable pussy

 

[TopCat]

He may bite, scratch, claw and spit but he does not shit in the house or in the garden, he shits in someone elses garden.

 

[sojourner]

He may bite, scratch, claw and spit but he does not shit in the house or in the garden, he shits in someone elses garden.

I think I know which one I prefer. My problem's fixed by moving a litter tray. You have to actually evict your fucker!