My cat poops in my pot plants / outside the litter box!

(inappropriate toileting in cats)

Cats are actually kind of good for this – if toileting habits change, it is a sure sign there is something going on with kitty or in their territory they are not happy with.

And no, it’s not revenge. It just feels like it is. Don’t take it personally.

First step is to get to a vet. Toileting outside the litter box, especially weeing, can mean kitty has a medical problem such as a urinary tract or kidney infection. The pain associated with these conditions can be associated with the box itself, and thus kitty avoids it.

If a medical problem has been ruled out, ask yourself, has anything changed? And I mean anything. Moving the water dish closer to the litter could be an issue if it’s a shared water bowl, for example.

Are you making necessary change in stages? And/or allowing enough time for adjustment? Don’t assume if it hasn’t worked in one day that it won’t, changing it again too quickly may only set you back further.

Litter box placement and litter type play a huge role that could be a relatively simple fix. Could you move the litter box to the spot the cat is going? Is the litter box too open? Too enclosed? Is it large enough? Are you putting enough litter in? What type of litter are you using?

Call me, I can help.

Also check out these 10 litter box tips from cat behaviourist Jackson Galaxy:

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2014/09/27/10-litter-box-tips-part-1/

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2014/09/28/10-litter-box-tips-part-2/