Cat suddenly pooping outside the box without reason

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Lashton - 09 Apr 2004 04:51 GMT

I just received the following e-mail from a friend of mine:

"My 10yo male cat (only one) has suddenly decided in the last 24 hours
that he wants to crap on my couch and my bed. I have caught him
"getting ready" twice. Thankfully I got him in time before he was able
to actually do it.

Nothing has changed. His litter is fresh as always, his food is the
same, everything. He is peeing in his box but has not pooped. For
whatever reason, wants to crap on my couch and bed.

Any ideas?"

Considering that my friend hasn't made any changes to this cat's
environment, my only guess is that the cat's age is catching up on him
and he's getting a tad senile. Does anyone have any suggestions as to
a suitable therapy for this kitty?

TIA,

Hairball

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Judy - 09 Apr 2004 04:57 GMT

> I just received the following e-mail from a friend of mine:
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> and he's getting a tad senile. Does anyone have any suggestions as to
> a suitable therapy for this kitty?

If there have been no changes to the cats environment, I suggest your friend
schedule a vet visit as his cat may have a medical issue that needs to be
addressed.

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m. L. Briggs - 09 Apr 2004 19:07 GMT

>> I just received the following e-mail from a friend of mine:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>schedule a vet visit as his cat may have a medical issue that needs to be
>addressed.

The cat may have some medical problems. A visit to TED is in order
now!

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PawsForThought - 09 Apr 2004 13:11 GMT

>From: hairball@texaspawprints.org (Lashton)

>Considering that my friend hasn't made any changes to this cat's
>environment, my only guess is that the cat's age is catching up on him
>and he's getting a tad senile. Does anyone have any suggestions as to
>a suitable therapy for this kitty?

A 10 year old cat shouldn't be experiencing senility. I would recommend that
your friend take the cat to the vet to rule out a physical cause first.
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kaeli - 09 Apr 2004 14:55 GMT

> I just received the following e-mail from a friend of mine:
>
> "My 10yo male cat (only one) has suddenly decided in the last 24 hours
> that he wants to crap on my couch and my bed. I have caught him
> "getting ready" twice. Thankfully I got him in time before he was able
> to actually do it.

Always take kitty to the vet to rule out physical problems before
thinking it is behavioral.
He may have something that hurts and is expressing his displeasure. Most
cats are not "big babies" with pain, so they can get behavior issues to
express it.

Have the vet check for osteoarthritis in his paws, among other things.

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KellyH - 09 Apr 2004 17:36 GMT

I'll second the take him to a vet suggestions. It could be impacted anal
glands, or a number of other things. Sometimes, if a cat is having distress
relieving himself, he will associate the discomfort with the litterbox, and
try going other places.
Also, ask your friend to really think, have there been NO changes?
Sometimes stuff we don't even think about is a big deal to a cat, like
changing litter brands, using litterbox liners, putting an air freshner near
the litterbox, changing food. Cats are very particular and don't like a lot
of change.

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Lashton - 10 Apr 2004 01:36 GMT

> > I just received the following e-mail from a friend of mine:

(snip)

> I'll second the take him to a vet suggestions. It could be impacted anal
> glands, or a number of other things. Sometimes, if a cat is having distress
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> the litterbox, changing food. Cats are very particular and don't like a lot
> of change.

Got back to my friend today - the pooping problem seems to have
vanished as quickly as it began. I asked him if he'd changed litter
or litterbox maintenance and he said no.

However, he will be taking the cat in next week for a checkup just to
make sure there aren't any impacted glands or similar problems going
on.

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Laura R. - 10 Apr 2004 18:36 GMT

circa 9 Apr 2004 17:36:41 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Lashton (hairball@texaspawprints.org) said,

> Got back to my friend today - the pooping problem seems to have
> vanished as quickly as it began. I asked him if he'd changed litter
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> make sure there aren't any impacted glands or similar problems going
> on.

Have him ask the vet about constipation, as well. The symptoms he/you
described are really pretty classic indications of constipation in a
cat.

Laura

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Laura R. - 10 Apr 2004 18:35 GMT

circa 8 Apr 2004 20:51:15 -0700, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Lashton (hairball@texaspawprints.org) said,

The first thing I'd do is get the cat to a vet and check for
constipation. My CRF cat had a bout with constipation before I
started adding fiber to his diet, and the symptoms were the same.
He'd suddenly "cramp up" and drop poop somewhere inappropriate, and
right in front of me. It was because he'd try to go in the litterbox
and couldn't, but then suddenly things would, er, get moving.

Laura

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