Advice for cat refusing to use litter tray please?

[Bains_]

Hello all,

We've had Marty for just short of a year now and in the last two months he has started pooping outside his litter tray and we can't work out how to stop it.

Marty is a year old and is our only cat. He never did this before the last couple of months, and he does have the opportunity to go outside but never takes it.

In the last couple of months he's started pooping right next to his litter tray. As in inches away from it at the side. Everything else he does in the tray (luckily) but he refuses to do this in the tray itself. We've tried changing his litter, stopped using litter tray bags, removed the cover from the litter tray (in case he was now too big and therefore uncomfortable in there) but nothing seems to be working.

To say it's becoming frustrating is a huge understatement, when every day I come home from work and have to clean up after him and it feels like the smell is starting to get into the walls.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

[Crewella]

Some cats prefer not to use the same litter tray for wee and poop. I'd try a second litter tray and see if that helps.

[Bains_]

Thank you for your response... Since your post I have put down a second litter tray but unfortunately Marty keeps on going to the toilet next to it. It doesn't matter where I put the tray, he always goes to one side.

Is there anything else I could try that you, or anyone else, is aware of?

[Kay]

one option which might work is ditching the cat litter and filling one of the trays with compost, mixed with a little fine garden soil on top, and a bit of his poop to flavour it, so to speak

if he would use this, it would serve also to encourage him to go outside further down the line

[meriad]

As a matter of interest, what are you using to clean the area? Just wondering if whatever it is may have bleach in it, which some cats don't like and will deliberately pee or poo on to mask the smell.
Best to use I gather is biological washing liquid diluted in water as the enzymes in there will help break down the enzymes in the cat wee / poo then a quick final wipe with surgical spirits.

Another thing maybe, is the litter box too small? So whilst his body is actually in the tray himself it's just that his behind is hanging over so whilst he thinks he's doing the right thing he's not actually quite succeeding. So just in case that is the issue, maybe get a small and a large tray, putting the smaller one (with litter) into the larger one that has a very thin layer of litter in the base. That way if he is overhanging the litter box then at least the accident is ending up in the other tray

[Bains_]

Thank you for your responses... I'll definitely give using some soil from outside a go and see what happens!

The litter tray itself is really quite large, it was originally enclosed as well however we took the top off when he started pooping on the floor as we were concerned he maybe didn't have enough room.

I'm cleaning the floor using the same spray as is used to clean the litter tray which is specifically designed for cleaning litter trays (bought from Pets at Home in the UK).

I'm going to give all of your advice a go and will report back, hopefully with some good news!!!

[Lilith]

Another thing maybe, is the litter box too small? So whilst his body is actually in the tray himself it's just that his behind is hanging over so whilst he thinks he's doing the right thing he's not actually quite succeeding. So just in case that is the issue, maybe get a small and a large tray, putting the smaller one (with litter) into the larger one that has a very thin layer of litter in the base. That way if he is overhanging the litter box then at least the accident is ending up in the other tray

Hey yes - when I had 10 cats I had 10 trays in the cellar lol - and my eldest, very elderly girl, used to dig her hole dutifully...then she'd squat...with her front paws in the hole. Her finest hour was when she dug her hole in tray one and scored a bullseye in tray two...

When one of my present cats, Emily, began to visit, I provided a tray just in case, and she found and used it by herself - but at first that too was rather a errm, hit and miss affair too.

Hope you get to the bottom (oops perhaps I ought to rephrase that!) of the mystery - can't call it a 'whodunnit' because you sure know who did it!

Hope the lad starts to behave himself better in future bless him

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Perhaps you've hit the nail on the head there - that it began when you took the cover off? The cover may have helped the little one feel more secure. Usually toileting outside the litter tray indicates some uncertainty about using the tray. From your cat's point of view it may well have been perfectly roomy and actually quite comforting!

[Lilith]

Perhaps you've hit the nail on the head there - that it began when you took the cover off? The cover may have helped the little one feel more secure. Usually toileting outside the litter tray indicates some uncertainty about using the tray. From your cat's point of view it may well have been perfectly roomy and actually quite comforting!

Yes, I like to provide hooded trays nowadays and my lot seem to like them and feel secure. Of course there is occasionally some smart alec who climbs in and forgets about the backside hanging out the entrance...whoops, Niagara! Or worse...

[Bains_]

Hmm, maybe I should try putting the lid back on it as well. It would be nice as it keeps the smell in while I'm at work.

Lots of options to try now then, I'll get cracking this evening with putting the lid back on and see what happens and take it from there!

Thank you all so much for your advice!

[meriad]

Hmm, maybe I should try putting the lid back on it as well. It would be nice as it keeps the smell in while I'm at work.

Maybe take the cat flap off it - most cats I hear of prefer the hooded tray but with the flap removed

Good luck!