posted 01-20-2004 09:28 AM         

You mention in your message that you put the food and water in close proximity to the litter boxes. Cats are finicky creatures and largely prefer their food and water to be completely separate from their litterboxes. I would suggest moving the food and water to a different room in your house immediately.

Though your kitty's problem seems to be more behaviorial, I would suggest you also rule out any physiological causes and take him to the vet immediately. There might be something wrong with him and you want to rule that out first.

Was the pound able to give you a history of the cat? Most of them keep records...especially if an adult cat was rescued from some situation where animal cruelty was involved. Even though it was four years ago, you might want to give them a call to see if they keep back records on animal histories.

posted 01-20-2004 10:00 AM         

Then he stopped going right outside the box, but went in front of my bedroom door. To this day, I still have no idea why he did it. But he goes in the box now. Perhaps he had a virus or something, I don't know. He didn't act sick however.

What type of cat is yours? Is it a big cat? Perhaps the litter box is too small? Have you tried a different type of litter box?

And, if it does come down to having to get rid of the cat, perhaps you could give it to someone you know? Or, perhaps a nursing home? A lot of elderly people love animals and it would give him a good home.

I just hate the idea of having to give it to a pound again :-(

posted 01-20-2004 10:10 AM         

Cats DO NOT like to have their food near where they eliminate. They are meticulously clean creatres. I would suggest you move the food to another room away from the litter right away.

Also, if your cat is very skitterish and scared... have you considered where the litterbox is located? Your cat would probably prefer the box not to be near anything noisy or startling. Could you move it to a place that's quiet and won't startle the cat (if it's not in a place like that already)?

One more thing, sometimes cats like to use covered litterboxes to feel a bit more secure. Have you looked into that?

I also would rule out any physical problems. Cats can't tell you if they're sick. So, they can do it by going to the bathroom outside the litterbox. I would consider taking the cat to the vet to rule out any problems.

posted 01-25-2004 11:20 AM         

The information below is from the site: http://www.happypetmobilevet.com/showpracfaq.cfm?FAQID=46&Private=0

There are several factors that may contribute to cats defecating inappropriately. Environmental or social stress, personal preferences or changes in personal preferences, or medical problems may cause this behavior.

Although most feline elimination disorders are behavioral, to rule out a medical problem, your veterinarian will need to do a complete physical examination, urinalysis, and a fecal exam. If your cat is middle-aged or older, then the doctor may also opt to perform bloodwork including a complete blood count and a chemistry panel. Cats with feline lower urinary tract disease or cystitis may begin to defecate and/or urinate outside the litter box.

It can be difficult to determine whether cats begin defecating outside of the box because they have developed a disliking to a certain litter, or to a location, as opposed to simply preferring to defecate in the new location.

The development of a disliking or aversion to a particular substrate or litter is much more likely than avoidance of a particular location. Cats can develop an aversion to anything from clumpable litter, to an odor, to certain noises, to extraneous smells, and many other things.

If possible, offer the affected cat a wide variety of different types of cat litter in a combination of different depths. You could try changing the litter and leaving the box in the same location. In addition, providing a second litter box in the area that has been chosen as the unwanted place to defecate may be helpful. Some cats require separate litter boxes for urination and defecation. Generally, if there are elimination problems in the house, each cat should have at least one box. And there should be at least one box per floor in multi-floored homes.

Cats typically do not develop aversions to locations, but they may if the litter box is associated with the presence of any undesirable individual such as another cat, a dog, or a child. Perhaps your cat had a bad experience while at the previous litter box. Another pet could have disturbed your cat while it was defecating, causing it to have a negative association with the box. Also, if the litter box is close to a television, alarm clock, or other noisy object, your cat may have developed an aversion to defecating there.

It is a good idea to place another litter box in a new location where your cat has begun defecating. You can use the same litter and the same box, or buy another box. If your pet begins to use the new box, then gradually move the box an inch each day until it is in a more desirable spot. If you move the litter box too quickly, however, the cat may relapse. In addition, if another pet begins tormenting the affected cat while it defecates in this new place, then the problem may begin again.

Something else to consider is the personality of your cat. Shy cats may need a covered litter box. Another idea is to place your cat’s food and water in the bedroom to see if this deters him; most pets will not defecate in the same area that they eat.