Cat litter tray problems

[Beccraar]

Hi everyone.
I am in desperate need for help. I’m at my wits end. I have two 7 month old ragdoll kitten boys, both neutered at 6 months old. I got them when they were 14 weeks old and they are from the same litter.
Both came home fully litter trained and were very clean, using their trays. Then suddenly at around 5 months, one of them will wee in the trays no problem, but he will not poo in the tray. He poos around one of the trays, like within a foot of it. On a hard wood floor. I have bought jumbo size trays. I have changed the cat litter. I have 3-4 trays in the room for them. I clean the trays out as soon as I see something in them. But day after day the one cat poos outside of the tray, twice a day. His stools are quite soft, but have improved since I changed his food.
I honestly don’t know what to try next. I read about maybe condoning him to a small room until he starts to use a tray. But I didn’t want to separate them and stress them out.
I’ve cleaned the floor, I use enzyme cleaners. I fully clean the trays out. I just don’t know how to get him to use the tray. I am getting really down having to clean up so often.
He’s been to the vets and is no problems found.
Thanks for any help

[fjm]

It sounds as if something has happened to convince him that pooing in the tray is dangerous or painful. You have tried most of the usual suggestions, but I have had some success with puppy/incontinence pads and a few sheets of kitchen roll or loo paper in the chosen area - it doesn't solve the problem, but it does make clearing up much easier. If he uses that, you could try adding a handful of cat litter, and then a very shallow, hardly there tray - a large plant pot saucer or similar - gradually weaning him back to a full size tray. Mine prefer to go outside, so Pip's floor soiling was only when he was very creaky or the weather was particularly foul (touch wood - it has been months since the last bout).

You also mention that the trays are all in the same room - it may be worth trying spreading them around a bit more, if possible. Cats can very subtly guard trays and other important resources, and make it difficult for other cats to use them comfortably. Having trays in different rooms cuts down on guarding.

[Mollycat]

Agreed for spreading trays around and "subtle guarding" is such a good description fjm. Cats in multi-cat homes do often have territories and a very watchful eye for detail can actually map them out including some neutral zones, often 3-dimensional. It's not that they fight, but if you really watch you'll probably find some areas where one or the other feels uncomfortable. It may be that your other cat 'owns' the litter tray room and all the trays in it. 5 months would certainly be a plausible age for them to start developing their own territories.

It's a brave step putting a tray somewhere less than ideal (especially if one is going next to it), as I have because we are pushed for space, but worth it, and a washable or disposable mat can help. My ideal spot is the bathroom one but it would only take once of being dramatically disturbed mid-poop to turn a cat off using it, so there is one in a corner of the bedroom and I'd hate to have to clear up off the carpet, but the cats come first *sigh* and if there is the odd drip or accident then so be it. When I had two cats, they would sometimes share trays randomly, other times one was for pee and the other for poop, and still other times it was each to their own tray. Ideally you should have 3 for 2 cats in different places.

[lilynmitz]

Good advice from rum and Mollycat. I had a similar problem with our blind boy Mitz, who suddenly started pooping outside their trays, and never quite stopped. I suspect he inadvertently stood in a wet patch and didn’t want to repeat the experience, although he did always use the tray to pee (well, mostly!). But as the trays were on a tiled floor it was really easy to wipe up.

My puss Elsie has always been very happy using the litter trays, then little Toby joined us and decided BOTH litter trays were HIS, despite Elsie being “topcat”, and she has now resigned herself to using the garden, whatever the weather (and she’s a real princess, so this must have hurt her pride). We use covered trays and Toby would sit on top when Elsie was using it and whack her as she came out, little sod. But at least this arrangement suits them both, and she does occasionally sneak one into the tray when he’s not looking.

Putting another tray away from the existing two may give your lad somewhere that’s “his”, and I would suggest getting an off cut of floor vinyl to put it on, as it’s so easy to wipe up if there are accidents. He may also prefer the privacy of a covered tray, and make sure it’s somewhere quiet, if he’s nervous about using the tray.

[Beccraar]

Thanks for all of your replies and advice. I have since resorted to confining the culprit cat to a smaller room at his usual toilet times and he has been in his tray every time. No floor incidents.
He has been out roaming the house as usual too, and yesterday I caught him behind the sofa in their room where the trays are (his usual place to poo was behind the sofa just next to the litter trays) and he was pawing at the ground. So unfortunately for some reason he is still favouring that’s spot given any chance to use it. I placed him in his tray when I saw him do this but he didn’t get it and just jumped out and decided not to go. But then 5 mins later I’d put him in his smaller room and he’d used his tray in there no problem.
So it’s either that he prefers the hard wood floor behind the sofa (I have tried putting trays behind the sofa but he still favours the floor) or it’s the fact that the other cat isn’t using the tray in the smaller room.
Thanks again for the advice, I’ll give it a little while longer then try reintroducing him to his usual room and trays. And good advice I will definitely put another tray elsewhere in the house and see if that helps.