kitty pissing/shitting on bathroom rug

alafairnadia · July 2008

I change the litter pretty often (at least once a week) and clean it regularly. one of my kitties, the girl, will still mark my bath mat and then, if she thinks there's too much poo in the box on any given day, she shits on the mat. it's driving me nuts. what is going on? I mean, yeah, now I'm home all day, most of the day, but she's still following the same pattern. I'm going to scrub down the bathroom tomorrow and, I guess, pick up the bathmat after a shower and put it on the side of the tub instead of leaving it on the floor, but I just know she'll do ... something else.

I pet her a lot, but she's not like my boy cat (who is like a dog and would sit in my lap 24 hours a day if he could) - she likes to hide from other people, rarely sits on the sofa or sleeps on the bed with me and always looks terrified if I "notice" her in these spaces (of course, inside, I'm like "yay, progress!").

in any case, I have like 17 bath mats and they're all dirty now. and I put the new one down ... this evening at about 7:45 p.m. she's already pissed on it. I also changed the litter box out today but left a slight bit of old litter to make it ... smell right but clean, since she objects to baking soda.

I can't figure out wtf to do. helps!

pammys · July 2008

We no longer keep a bathmat down on the floor because we had the same problem. From our girl. She really did not go anywhere else in the house. But also, use natures miracle when you clean. I also sprinkle food around the house (dry) from time to time. Because they say they won't go where they ate. It is not fool proof, but it is a start.

alafairnadia · July 2008

oh wow. good tips. thanks!

apollonia666 · July 2008

Yeah, one of my cats does the same thing - I just keep the mat on the site of the tub and only put it on the floor when I'm taking a shower. She's generally too interested in monitoring my shower to do it then.

jf22561 · July 2008

We also never put mats down as inevitably someone will pee or poop on it. It's possible she doesn't like the litter anymore. Maybe try another type of litter. Also, you might want to try putting a second pan down. Sometimes they get very uppity as they get older.

whatchuwant · July 2008

Hey babe- I just got this new litter yesterday (forgot the name, Dr. somebody or other...) that is specifically for attracting cats with "bathroom issues." Anyway, there's a whole booklet of tips on what you can do. He mentions something interesting though, which I had never thought of: says that if the litter box is really old they may get turned off. I told the lady at the store that I cleaned id (you know, clorox and everything) and she said, didn't matter, still old is old.

I give you the booklet. I have an extra.

mantic · July 2008

Sounds like you have a Diva.
Her soiling your stuff is her way of letting you know she doesn't like the conditions she is being forced to live. Ask yourself this, would you like to go into a box full of yesterdays poops? Just like people, some cats will some cats won't.

I have three litter boxes in my house for 2 cats. If anyone of them is left unattended for more than a couple of days, I will be reminded with a pile of poop where I will notice or step in it. This is by one cat, the other one doesn't give a siht.

The scented stuff, it will stop them from doing it there, they will find elsewhere to get your attention. Putting food around the house, she'll know it's a plot. They aren't stupid.

Get a pooper scooper and get busy on a daily basis and your troubles should evaporate.

Someone mentioned an old box, that never crossed my mind, but a diva will as a diva does....

daver · July 2008

mantic wrote: Her soiling your stuff is her way of letting you know she doesn't like the conditions she is being forced to live. Ask yourself this, would you like to go into a box full of yesterdays poops? Just like people, some cats will do cats don't.

I have three litter boxes in my house for 2 cats. If anyone of them is left unattended for more than a couple of days, I will be reminded with a pile of poop where I will notice or step in it. This is by one cat, the other one doesn't give a siht.

That is how my older kitty is. He isn't TOO bad about it, but if it doesn't get scooped for say 3-4 days or so, he will start leaving "presents" around the apartment. He will continue to pee in it though. Go figure.

stacey · July 2008

I have to agree with Mantic -

I have two boy cats, one couldn't give a shit (no pun intended) and the other is OCD about cleanliness. They have always shared a large littler box. My OCD cat will not even step in the box if there is not a clean enough spot for him to do his business and scoop it when he is done so he will poop on the floor next to the box. He then proudly comes to me to meow to clean it up.

I have tried two boxes but I notice that it really doesn't help much because my bad ass thinks that he gets to poop in one and pee in the other and I am right back to where i started. I did have one of those automatic cleaning boxes that seemed to work but it broke and I haven't replaced it yet.

Slightly on topic - has anyone tried one of those self cleaning litter boxes that you attach to the bathroom plumbing in your home? I am seriously considering it

tajmb · July 2008

It may be a territorial thing between the 2 cats. You say the other is super attached to you and that she also avoids the bed, couch, you, etc. My cat was like your boy cat - called him my stalker because even well into adulthood, he would follow me everywhere. In fact it got more extreme in adulthood. My husbands cat who I tried to shower with attention would duck from my pets and avoid me. It wasn't until my cat died that she became super affectionate with me. It seems that I was actually part of my cat's territory.

You wouldn't see an actual battle between them so you wouldn't know. If your boy cat is the dominant, the other cat may just be stressed by her submissive state and may not feel she has the right to use his box. Even if they've been together for years things change over time. Sounds like you are now around more than you used to be and this may have changed their relationship. Try getting her her own box and watch to see if he takes over both.

mantic · July 2008

tajmb wrote: It may be a territorial thing between the 2 cats.

I doubt it is territorial. If they eat from the same place, they wouldn't have a problem going in the same place.

It may be territorial in the fact there is no clean territory in the box.

Try teaching them to use the bowl. Get a bowl or pan that will fit into the toilet and keep it filled with litter when ever you aren't using it. If they take to it, after while remove the litter bowl. If they drink water from the bowl, don't try, they wont do it. Some cats will get it others won't its a 50/50 thing.

Talk to your cats as well. Let them know when they dissappoint you. Praise them when they do good. Not in that baby talk voice, either, they won't take you seriously.

You must remember that most cats think that YOU are the pet, not them.

alafairnadia · July 2008

heh. I keep the litter pretty clean - rarely let it go more than a day without scooping. I know she won't go in the box when he's in there and then will just shit on the floor in front of the box. that's vaguely understandable. I think part of the issue is that she likes to hang out in the bathroom and mostly only wants to be petted when I'm in there. I always give her a good rub down and lots of attention but it seems like that's her protected territory. I'll try just lifting the mat, first. then ... we'll see.

the male is very dominant, but so was my former cat, alafair. the girl cat was very attached to alafair and cried incessantly after I had to put alafair to sleep. it was kinda tragic. I adopted this male cat quickly, figuring that even if they didn't get along at first, they'd work it out. they play pretty rough, though, and he is so big he takes up way more space than alafair did on the sofa and bed. granted, the bed is queen size and there is plenty of room for her. when I do wake up and realize she's on the bed I try to pretend she isn't there but kinda talk happy talk to her and try not to move around too much because that wigs her out, too.

anyway, point being that I thank you all for your tips/tricks and will give them a shot. oh, and I have zero space for a second litter box, though the toilet top one sounds like it might work. I'll look into that.

kitty pissing/shitting on bathroom rug

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