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Why is my senior cat pooping on the rug instead of her litter box?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Female | spayed

Just a query our 12 year old female cat has decided that pooping on the rug is better than her clean litter box , health wise she is ok but obviously not going to have her doing this in case it progresses to pooping elsewhere

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 22nd, 2017

Oh no, that's not good! Ellli is an older girl, and arthritis is common in older cats. If her litter box is covered, it could be painful for her to crouch to poop, so she's doing it outside the box because it's less painful for her. It could also be that she is constipated. When cats are constipated, it becomes painful for them to pass feces due to straining, and that leads to an aversion of the box. I would start feeding her some canned food, and adding some low sodium beef or chicken broth to her dry food to get more moisture into her diet. I also recommend having her seen by a vet for a health check.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Paula Simons

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Pooping outside of the litter box is typically a sign of an underlying medical condition. Quite often, cats who are constipated will start defecating outside of the box. This is because they are straining to poop which causes pain and an aversion to using the litter. I would make sure that Elli is drinking a good amount of water each day and consider adding more moisture and fiber to her diet. You can switch her to a wet food or even a high fiber diet. If this behavior continues, I would recommend having her seen by a vet because she may have a more serious underlying medical problem.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on March 4th, 2018

    Hi there! If Lucy hasn't had a vet visit recently, this is the first thing I would recommend - especially if her stool is softer or harder than normal, or if you are seeing blood, mucus, or any other abnormalities in it. Medical issues are a very common cause of accidents outside the litter box, so it's always best to rule this out first. If she has a clean bill of health from your vet, then it's possible that the problem is behavioral. In that case, defecating right outside the box is usually a sign that there is something she doesn't like about the box itself. It may be too small, too covered up, not clean enough, or she may not like the litter. It's hard to troubleshoot all of these factors in this type of forum, so feel free to request a one-on-one consultation for a more in-depth discussion if you prefer :) In general, I can tell you that most cats prefer large, open litter boxes - storage totes made for under-the-bed storage are perfect. The box should be scooped at least 1-2 times daily, and dumped and cleaned out completely every 4-6 weeks. The ideal litter for most cats is clay-based, unscented, clumping litter. Depth should be at least 3 inches, so that they can comfortably dig in the litter without scraping their paws on the sides or bottom of the box. Hopefully that's enough information to get you started thinking about what you could change to make the box more attractive for her! If you need extra help, just ask. You can also consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can work with you in person, if you wish. You can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org

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    Answered By Dr. Davis

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 19th, 2018

    He’s a geriatric cat and may have some arthritis causing him to want to move less and not want to go through the cat door. You’ve done a good job giving him a place to go inside. I would try a larger, lower box but continue to place newspaper around in case he goes outside the box. At his age I would be glad he’s healthy and make some adjustments so he can live comfortably. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Dodi.

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 14th, 2017

    This happens sometimes in older cats, although she is not that old so i would suspect there might be more to it, possibly a medical condition that is affecting her gastrointestinal system. i would recommend taking her to the vet first in order to rule out a possible medical issue, if she is found completely healthy you can try a few things such as a larger litter box or several litter boxes in different places in the house.

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