My cat poops on the floor, but still pees in the litter box. Why?

Question

Why does my cat poop on the floor but pees in the litter box?

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

There could be a few different reasons for this. It's possible that your cat has a medical problem causing him to poop in inappropriate places, especially if his stool is loose or runny. This may also be a behavior issue caused by a litter box that isn't large enough for him, or a type of litter that isn't comfortable for digging and burying feces. In some cats, pooping outside the litter box can also be a stress-related marking behavior, although this is less common than urinating outside the box. If your cat has not been checked by a vet recently for any medical issues that could be causing this problem, this is the first thing I would suggest. Your vet can do a fecal exam and may also recommend blood work to screen for common problems that can cause this behavior. If everything comes back normal, then it's likely that you will need to address this from a behavioral standpoint. In that case, feel free to post again with more details about your litter box, where your cat tends to poop, etc. - we would be happy to try and make some more specific suggestions that may help.

My cat poops on the floor, but still pees in the litter box. Why?

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