# Cat won't stop pooping next to litter box



## milesaway1980

My wife and I are very frustrated. We've had a single cat home for quite a while and for our first anniversary, I got my wife another kitten (the first one was mine, or more so, I was his) so this cat was for her. We first noticed that he was pooping in the shower and the bathroom sink. It was irritating, but fortunately easy to clean up, and with patience and training we got him to stop. Now, however, he has resigned to pooping NEXT to the litter box. He will only use it when it is completely cleaned out and unused. We've been through three litter boxes, one with a door, one without a lid of any kind, and now a self cleaning one yet he just will NOT stop going to the bathroom on the floor next to the litter box. He was four months when we got him and is now seven months and we are near our wits end. I've gotten to where we're trying to clean the litter box two to three times a day for two cats just to keep him happy and it's not working. 
Our other cat has had one accident in his entire life when he was three weeks old so I'm not sure what to do. Any help and training advice would be great.

Some behavioral cues:
He's a Russian Blue, who is very sweet and loving and adores my wife and I and loves our other cat. He only poops on the floor, but never pees. He KNOWS he's not supposed to, I know when he's done it because he will run and hide before I've even seen it. He also knows he's supposed to use the litter box because it's always right next to it, never in corners or other places around the house.

A second litter box is simply not an option, I won't even consider it. We can only bend over backwards so much for a cat, he needs to learn to obey the rules. *sigh* Please help, I don't want to get rid of him.


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## Guest

There is always a reason for cats doing this. Well......if the second box is not an option your cat may never stop doing it. The golden rule is one cat litter tray per cat plus one. Ideally you should have three in different parts/rooms. Have anyone noticed - most cats doing No 1 in one litter tray and No 2 - in another?


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## Jenny Olley

I agree with elena, a second litter tray would probably give you a solution. I'm sorry if this is not the answer you were hoping for, but I can't think of a better one.


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## may

I agree with elena, a second litter tray would probably be the best solution.


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## Esined

I agree with two litter trays. if he is doing his pee in there and not poo maybe it is the cat litter and not the litter trays you should be trying to change. my cats wont use wood pellets i think it hurts there feet


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## kleverkitty

Hey all...You can get around this problem once and for all by training your cat to do the loo on your HUMAN toilet.. I use my downstairs loo and the guide did work.

Check out the link below:

CLICK HERE


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## Vixie

my cats the same he hates the wood based ones I buy the light weight one he seems to prefer it


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## Guest

I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it


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## Vixie

lol I can see your point and its a good one my female uses a different one to my male


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## Guest

ROFL , exactly lol.


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## Guest

Eolabeo said:


> I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
> Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it


Loe - you've got a very cattish mind!


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## Guest

Hehehehe  , ohh i mean meowwwWwWwW.


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## kitylovr

*my cat does the same thing. i am about to throw her outside. we have THREE kitty litters so don't keep telling this guy that the only solution is to put more kitty litters out. we have tryed everything. it is really getting on my nevers so i know how you feel.*


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## kitylovr

my cat does the same thing. i am about to throw her outside. we have THREE kitty litters so don't keep telling this guy that the only solution is to put more kitty litters out. we have tryed everything. it is really getting on my nevers so i know how you feel.


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## staceyscats1

Hi 

I would say you do need more than one litter tray as cats are VERY CLEAN animals and you will find they do prefer to wee in one and poo in another, also you may have to go back to basics as it may be that the cat as a young kitten didnt learn from his mother how to use the litter tray ! So when you see him going to wee or poo outside the litter tray place him init also when you see him eat or drink place him in the litter tray as soon as he has finished eating or drinking and he may get the idea. 
Good luck !


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## BlackCat

Hi

What do you use to clean the area? You need to remove _all_ scent as if he can smell where he's been previously, he'll have more inclination to go there again. He won't really understand that he's done wrong, cats aren't spiteful (usually!), he's understanding more the negative body language you're displaying when you see the accident (I'm sure we've all rolled our eyes and tutted when we've found a nice present on the carpet )

Give that area of the carpet a good thorough clean with a solution of biological washing powder and water-use nothing ammonia based. Then a squirt of surgical spirit to really get into the fibres to remove the last traces (do a test on your carpet first before you use spirit).

As mentioned another tray or even a change in litter may help-cats are very clean, and in multi cat homes its worth having several trays. Basic training like you would with a young kitten can help in trying to get him remembering his litter training too. In the area where he's going the most, you could put a small piece of tin foil there. Cats don't like the noise or feel of this and it can help with inappropriate toiletting. Just be careful to use a fairly small piece only in the chosen area, otherwise you could spook him into not going near the tray at all.

It would also be worth trying a Feliway diffuser in case the problem is more stress related. This mimics the happy pheramone their mum would release when nursing to relax her young and make them feel secure. You can get the diffuser (use like the air freshners that you put into electric sockets) or sprays.

Good Luck


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## sexy erica

my cat use do that but he not do it now as i kept sayin thats dirty&u have clean litter tray there but hes ok now.but i find that they can be bit fussy when want loo cos if its not 100%clean they dont use litter tray&do it on floor or next to u litter tray.do test&see if any beter or worser.

so i would say per cat u need litter trays for?
i only have one cat&he fuzzy&madiey&dosent like me leaving him cos he crys non stop if he not on my lap&he hates goin out cos he crys sraight away as hes goes stright out side.


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## milesaway1980

Ok, so I'm at my wits end. I know it's been a while since I originally brought up the issue, but here's an update.
My wife and I finally figured out a way to rearrange the kitchen and add a second litter box. They're not next to each other and each cat has his own box. My first cat, who has no issues using a little box, still goes in his regularly.

As for my second cat, we got him his own little box and the first day we brought it home, I set him in it and he immediately peed in it to mark it as his own. We, of course, couldn't have been more thrilled.

However....now all he does is poop next to _his_ box instead of the old one. He WILL NOT GO IN IT. What in the world do I do? He pees in his new box without a second thought. The other cat also does not use his box so it is solely his. He still refuses to poop in it.

Anyone know what to do about this? I love my cat and he is a wonderful little guy, but one can only take so much of cleaning cat poop off of their kitchen floor twice a day every day for six months. It's enough frustration to toss him out on his ear and tell him to get lost and believe me, if I didn't like him so much it would have happened a long time ago.

Please, any help would be wonderful.


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## Lisa M

BlackCat said:


> Hi
> 
> What do you use to clean the area? You need to remove _all_ scent as if he can smell where he's been previously, he'll have more inclination to go there again. He won't really understand that he's done wrong, cats aren't spiteful (usually!), he's understanding more the negative body language you're displaying when you see the accident (I'm sure we've all rolled our eyes and tutted when we've found a nice present on the carpet )
> 
> Give that area of the carpet a good thorough clean with a solution of biological washing powder and water-use nothing ammonia based. Then a squirt of surgical spirit to really get into the fibres to remove the last traces (do a test on your carpet first before you use spirit).
> 
> As mentioned another tray or even a change in litter may help-cats are very clean, and in multi cat homes its worth having several trays. Basic training like you would with a young kitten can help in trying to get him remembering his litter training too. In the area where he's going the most, you could put a small piece of tin foil there. Cats don't like the noise or feel of this and it can help with inappropriate toiletting. Just be careful to use a fairly small piece only in the chosen area, otherwise you could spook him into not going near the tray at all.
> 
> It would also be worth trying a Feliway diffuser in case the problem is more stress related. This mimics the happy pheramone their mum would release when nursing to relax her young and make them feel secure. You can get the diffuser (use like the air freshners that you put into electric sockets) or sprays.
> 
> Good Luck


I think Blackcat covered everything here. Tinfoil is an excellent way! I have also used behaviour spray in areas where my cats liked to poo every now and then and it worked a treat.
Rubbing fresh lemon in the area also works.

Good luck


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## SavannahKitten

If you're still up for trying new things, try to put two litter trays next to each other (I know you said it would be difficult enough with just one extra so I'm not expecting you to be able to do it).
If he has a litter tray with no cover, perhaps try one with a cover.
Have you tried separating the cats?

It probably isn't relevant, but is this a moggy or a particular breed? 

Final solution is to rehome to a home with no other cats, but explain his behaviour to a new owner - you don't want to find that they've thrown him out on his ear.


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## Siamese Kelly

I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it 
Great point


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## milesaway1980

The cat is a purebred Russian Blue. And yeah, the floor has been sanitized, cleaned with pet odor cover-ups, etc.. It is also a hard lenolium floor so odors sticking in carpet fibers isn't an issue.

As for tin foil, I've thought of that, but I also know the cat. If there's tin foil in the spot, he'll just go to another spot on the edge of the foil to the point where he'll start going under the kitchen table if it the foil covers enough floor.

I'm curious if anyone knows cat psychology. Why would he have no problem peeing in a box, but not pooping? The box is empty as far as things that would gross him out. The other cat doesn't use it, it's clean, brand new, etc... He'll pee in it all day long, but when it comes to the other, he feels that's more appropriate _next_ to the box, not in it.

Would something like putting him in a large dog carrier with nothing but food, water, and his box work? So he HAS to go in the box? He's never used a box since we got him so maybe he just needs to see that it isn't as bad as he really thinks.

***Frustrated***


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## SavannahKitten

We also breed Russian Blues and there's certainly a difference between their litter habits and a Bengal's. They'll dig for Australia if given a chance. We haven't had a problem with the cat pooing outside the box, but they are terribly fussy.
You might just have to put a puppy pad (or something similar) next to the box. He obviously wants to do it in a separate box from the one that he uses to pee.


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## may

Try putting another litter tray beside the other one


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## Guest

Siamese Kelly said:


> I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
> Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it
> Great point


why ty  lol.


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## milesaway1980

*Sigh* I'm not sure what to do. My wife and I tried putting a third litter box next to the second one. It really sucks having so many litter boxes in such a small area, but he STILL will not use them to poop in. Just right next to them.
I love the cat, but picking cat poop off the floor for six months is a little much, and I especially don't know what I'd do if I had to do it for another 10 - 20 years. 
I'm ready to take drastic measures. I don't want to by any means hurt the cat, but we love him and he loves us, but if his behavior doesn't change, he's got to go. I know that would hurt him as much as us, so what can we do? I'm ready to put a 15 inch leash on him next to his litter box so that he has to learn to poop in it or he is going to sleep on it.  This behavior is just unacceptable.


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## SavannahKitten

Instead of putting litter in his second litter tray, leave it empty. Or put cardboard in it and let him do it on that.


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## Saynamore

Siamese Kelly said:


> I'm no cat expert but maybe he don't like sharing the litter box with the other cat?
> Must admit, if i was a cat and i see a richard the third laying in the tray i had to use done by someone else ild rather go beside it
> Great point


Richard the Third, pmsl SK, nearly choked on my vino laughing at that phrase


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## Saynamore

milesaway1980 said:


> The cat is a purebred Russian Blue. And yeah, the floor has been sanitized, cleaned with pet odor cover-ups, etc.. It is also a hard lenolium floor so odors sticking in carpet fibers isn't an issue.
> 
> As for tin foil, I've thought of that, but I also know the cat. If there's tin foil in the spot, he'll just go to another spot on the edge of the foil to the point where he'll start going under the kitchen table if it the foil covers enough floor.
> 
> I'm curious if anyone knows cat psychology. Why would he have no problem peeing in a box, but not pooping? The box is empty as far as things that would gross him out. The other cat doesn't use it, it's clean, brand new, etc... He'll pee in it all day long, but when it comes to the other, he feels that's more appropriate _next_ to the box, not in it.
> 
> Would something like putting him in a large dog carrier with nothing but food, water, and his box work? So he HAS to go in the box? He's never used a box since we got him so maybe he just needs to see that it isn't as bad as he really thinks.
> 
> ***Frustrated***


Some of my lot always miss the box, I'm sure _they_ think they are getting it in but sometimes the bum hangs just over the edge. Think it's cos they havent got eyes round that deparment, lol


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## Saynamore

milesaway1980 said:


> *Sigh* I'm not sure what to do. My wife and I tried putting a third litter box next to the second one. It really sucks having so many litter boxes in such a small area, but he STILL will not use them to poop in. Just right next to them.
> I love the cat, but picking cat poop off the floor for six months is a little much, and I especially don't know what I'd do if I had to do it for another 10 - 20 years.
> I'm ready to take drastic measures. I don't want to by any means hurt the cat, but we love him and he loves us, but if his behavior doesn't change, he's got to go. I know that would hurt him as much as us, so what can we do? I'm ready to put a 15 inch leash on him next to his litter box so that he has to learn to poop in it or he is going to sleep on it.  This behavior is just unacceptable.


I think this is a bit harsh it only takes 10 seconds and a bit of kitchen roll to wipe it up. You said its not carpet down there, so just a quick bit of wipe and shine couldnt hurt??????????


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## SavannahKitten

It is harsh, but it would drive me up the wall if we didn't do it fulltime - you don't want a cat crapping in your house if you're not a crazy cat lady (or guy) like us. (Not to say we WANT a cat crapping our house, but you know what I mean - we expect it).

If the worst comes to the worst, please contact us and we'll take him in and try to rehabilitate him for someone else. Or we'll put you in touch with a local rescue centre.


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## Saynamore

Sod off Nicola, it only takes two ticks to pick up a bit of poo. I want them to keep their beloved puddy. You're just after their flippin Blue Russian! I'll get you at playtime, pmsl


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## Saynamore

SavannahKitten said:


> It is harsh, but it would drive me up the wall if we didn't do it fulltime - you don't want a cat crapping in your house if you're not a crazy cat lady (or guy) like us. (Not to say we WANT a cat crapping our house, but you know what I mean - we expect it).
> 
> If the worst comes to the worst, please contact us and we'll take him in and try to rehabilitate him for someone else. Or we'll put you in touch with a local rescue centre.


Any pet owner has to clean up full time as accidents do happen missus!  Even doggy walkers have to take bags out with them.....nahnah nah nah nah


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## Saynamore

SavannahKitten said:


> It is harsh, but it would drive me up the wall if we didn't do it fulltime - you don't want a cat crapping in your house if you're not a crazy cat lady (or guy) like us. (Not to say we WANT a cat crapping our house, but you know what I mean - we expect it).
> 
> If the worst comes to the worst, please contact us and we'll take him in and try to rehabilitate him for someone else. Or we'll put you in touch with a local rescue centre.


Any pet owner has to clean up full time as accidents do happen missus!  Even doggy walkers have to take bags out with them.....nahnah nah nah nah


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## millmoll

as i am not a cat person and you are do you know the kindest way i can stop a neighbours cat from around the corner keep messing on a beautiful base of a bay tree i planted last year in memory of my late husband,it upsets me very much many thanks


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## Amy_1984

RE: pooping out of the litter box....I had this problem last week with Ollie.. Soon fixed it, Silly me was putting too much litter in his tray  He peed no problem, but if he poo'd he had too much litter to make a space and kick over. So i reduced the litter straight away and now hes back to pooping and peeing in the litter tray.

RE: messing on bay tree... Only thing i can think of is chicken mesh around the base sorry im no more help. Unfortunatly, cats go as and where they like.


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## millmoll

thanks amy i will try that, i thought there may be some repellent i could buy!!!!!!!!


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## Amy_1984

unfortunatly with a repellant you would have to cover every entire bit of your house except the litter tray lol  Better stick to things that may encourage him to the litter tray instead of wearing yourself out trying to cover 99.9% of your house. I hope it works, Let me know how you get on


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## Guest

Saynamore said:


> Some of my lot always miss the box, I'm sure _they_ think they are getting it in but sometimes the bum hangs just over the edge. Think it's cos they havent got eyes round that deparment, lol


Have you seen him pooing next to tray?mine sometimes hang bum to far over and miss also,could he be doing this??Also the training the cat to use your toilet thing,i considered this but pictured a huge queue outside the loo.also dread to imagine state of loo at end of day when i came home from work!!


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## bee112

milesaway1980 said:


> My wife and I are very frustrated. We've had a single cat home for quite a while and for our first anniversary, I got my wife another kitten (the first one was mine, or more so, I was his) so this cat was for her. We first noticed that he was pooping in the shower and the bathroom sink. It was irritating, but fortunately easy to clean up, and with patience and training we got him to stop. Now, however, he has resigned to pooping NEXT to the litter box. He will only use it when it is completely cleaned out and unused. We've been through three litter boxes, one with a door, one without a lid of any kind, and now a self cleaning one yet he just will NOT stop going to the bathroom on the floor next to the litter box. He was four months when we got him and is now seven months and we are near our wits end. I've gotten to where we're trying to clean the litter box two to three times a day for two cats just to keep him happy and it's not working.
> Our other cat has had one accident in his entire life when he was three weeks old so I'm not sure what to do. Any help and training advice would be great.
> 
> Some behavioral cues:
> He's a Russian Blue, who is very sweet and loving and adores my wife and I and loves our other cat. He only poops on the floor, but never pees. He KNOWS he's not supposed to, I know when he's done it because he will run and hide before I've even seen it. He also knows he's supposed to use the litter box because it's always right next to it, never in corners or other places around the house.
> 
> A second litter box is simply not an option, I won't even consider it. We can only bend over backwards so much for a cat, he needs to learn to obey the rules. *sigh* Please help, I don't want to get rid of him.


Don't know if cats "obey rules" - why don't you just try another litterbox, if it solves the problem then there's no stress.

If I got another cat I'd get another litterbox too, cats are just wierd like that


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## Amy_1984

bee112 said:


> *Don't know if cats "obey rules" -* why don't you just try another litterbox, if it solves the problem then there's no stress.
> 
> If I got another cat I'd get another litterbox too, cats are just wierd like that


I always thought it was the other way around too, the cats make the rules and we have to obey them


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## SavannahKitten

Shame the neighbour doesn't keep the cat in. Safer for the cat, and nicer for you.


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## firestormkitty

my cats use to do that, once they have a wee or poo there they always do it in same place. i'd bleach that area and put something like pepper or lemon juice on floor so that they dont do it again


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## Amy_1984

Any updates millmol?


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## Guest

firestormkitty said:


> my cats use to do that, once they have a wee or poo there they always do it in same place. i'd bleach that area and put something like pepper or lemon juice on floor so that they dont do it again


If you put bleach down on a pet accident it will attract them to reoffendyou need to use "simple solution"available from petshops or vets stock similar products.


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## Rraa

Might sound wierd but, have you tried putting the feaces deposited outside the litter tray into the litter tray so that next time the fur-child visits, he will see where it is *meant* to go? Clean it afterwards as you normally do but make a point if letting him see/smell his own 'doings' inside the litter tray - may have to do this more than once but your cat should get the message pretty soon. Its how I train my siamese kittens and they pick it up straight away but with a cat who has always poo'ed outside the tray, it may take a few goes (pardon the pun).

All the best.


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## Selk67U2

*I do that too Rraa, it's amazing how quick the kittens pick up on it

As for not wanting to buy a second litter tray, well, i'm sorry you might always have the problem. Cats are territorial and some like a litter box to themselves. Someone mentined 1 box per cat, then an extra, that is true, we were told by the vets to do this, but I already did anyway, lol. Cats are funny creatures at the best of times and who knows what goes through their minds. I think you need to bend over backwards a little bit more, you never know it might just be worth it.*


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## Rraa

mmm Yes - glad I'm not the only one using this odd method. LOL Of course, no need to "rub the kitten's/puppy's nose in it" - they will notice when they next visit and it does help them associate the thing with the correct place. Job done - pardon the pun again - LOL 


By the way - I have five cats but not six litter trays. Mine seem to cope well enough with four trays - two downstairs and two upstairs. 

PS: I do add more when kittens are born though... just depends on how much space you have.


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## gpole

I had this same problem with my cat for six long months. She pooped on the linoleum next to the litter box, but would pee in the box. I tried everything - fresh litter, new litter brands, Cat Attract litter additive, laying down newspaper on the floor where she was pooping, moving the box to her poop spot... Nothing worked, although I did try some litter she hated, at which point she also peed on the floor for awhile. 

I started trying to catch her in the act. When I did, I would put her in the box. She would then run away and poop on the carpet. I tried containing her to the cat box room - no luck.

I have finally solved the problem. I did a full-fledged cleaning. I took the boxes outside, threw out all of the litter, and washed the boxes in the yard with bleach and a dish scrubber. I then added fresh litter, cleaned the floor in the cat box room, and then put some rubber-backed doormat-type rugs on the entire floor surface in the room to try to discourage her from pooping on the floor (since she apparently preferred the linoleum). She has pooped in the box for the past couple days. I think the bleach is what really did it. I thought replacing the litter was enough, but I think the cat box must itself not have been clean enough for her.


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## ben432112311

this book has lots of information on cat behavior i suggest you check it out Solutions To Cat Behavior Problems - Solutions To Cat Behavior Problems the book is available in the link


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