Not using litter try

[Christinajan]

My cat Charlie is suddenly not using his litter tray at times, pooing in the middle of the floor overnight. I moved from a house to a flat last August and after being an outdoor cat he hasn't gone out at all but has just recently started to now the weather is warmer but he doesn't have a cat flap so can only be out when I'm in. Any body have any ideas why he may be doing this? He also peed on the floor where his litter tray was when I was changing his litter!

[Janey]

Hi and welcome. I think you've probably answered your own query i.e. it's the change in circumstances and not being able to go out as he did - that's if there's no other health issue of course or other cats bothering him. Is it a communal area or would you be able to cat proof at all so he can go out as before?

[Marla]

Have you changed the type of litter you use?

Also, check the bottoms of his feet. One of our cats started weeing outside of the tray and we found a bad cut on one of his pads. It must have really hurt to step on litter.

[Christinajan]

Thanks for your reply Janey. As far as I know he is healthy. He not long went to the vets for his booster and a check up and all was fine. It is a communal area though and I did catch him meowing at another cat through a glass door the other night....would this be why he's doing what he's doing and if so what could I do about it as I can't "cat" proof the area, I live in a flat.
Thanks for your advice also Maria....I'll have to check his paws but I haven't changed his litter recently so don't think it's that. Would it be an age thing...he about 10/11?

[Marla]

Apologies if I've misunderstood, but if his tray is in a communal area that could very well be putting him off using it. And if he can see another cat, he would probably feel extremely vulnerable. You didn't say what type of tray it is, but if it's a covered tray that may make things worse in that situation. Could you move the tray into your flat?

10-11 isn't very old, so I doubt that's a factor.

[Christinajan]

Hi Maria , no his tray is in the flat. When I was talking about the communal area I was referring to outside. So the location of his tray isn't the issue ....any other ideas? Thanks.