Why are my cats doing this?

Question

Okay, I have two cats, a male and female, the male is over a year old and the female is about 4months old. The male has been fixed, but the female is going to get fixed next month. Well, in the last week or so, one of them has pooped and peed on something other than their litter. I don't know which one it is, but they've both always been really good about using their little box. What could be causing them to do this all of a sudden. Their little box is clean so I couldn't imagine what this could be. It's giving our good cats a bad reputation at the house we're staying at. Any advice, opinions?

Answer 1

Each cat needs their own box. Try getting 2 boxes. Also, check out this site for more tips: http://www.perfectpaws.com/litter.html

Answer 2

There could be several possible reasons for this.  It could be that one of them is not feeling well.  Also have you moved the litter box recently, they may not like where it is located.  Make sure that the litter box is not to close to the food, cats don't like that.  Good luck, hopefully its just something that will work out on its own.

Answer 3

There is a very good chance this is a medical condition. This is what most cats do when they have a problem. Since they can’t talk, it's the only way they have to tell you something is wrong. Now it's your turn to act on the information she is providing you and resolve the problem, whatever that may be.

Factors Contributing to Inappropriate Elimination

•  Medical Conditions: Cats avoiding the litter pan should be examined by a veterinarian to rule out a medical condition. Laboratory tests will need to be performed in most cases, however, if a condition does exist, immediate treatment will help resolve the behavioral problem. Possible medical conditions include: colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver disease, or feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). Medical conditions such as arthritis, FLUTD, anal sac disease, and some forms of colitis, which cause pain urinating or defecating may also result in inappropriate elimination

•  Stress: Cats of all ages experience stress at some point in their lives (just like us). Stress can be a major cause of inappropriate elimination, and known stressors such as moving, changes in routine, or changes within the family structure (new members added or family members leaving home) can result in inappropriate elimination. Reducing these stressors or decreasing their impact on the household will benefit your cat and you, too.

•  Box Location & Contents: Some cats may not like where their box is located; too close to their food or water, in a high traffic area, or on a different level of the house than where they spend most of their time. Some cats are very particular and will not defecate in the same box in which they urinate or go into a box which has been used by another cat. Most cats do not like a dirty litter box. Clean out waste from their litter boxes at least once daily, and wash the litter boxes weekly so that they don't decide to eliminate elsewhere in your home.

Answer 4

did you just move in to a new house? that could be the problem.