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Why is my cat suddenly peeing and pooping outside the litter box?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Persian | Male | 2 years and 1 month old

My cat has been pooping by my front door and still pooping in the litter box. I always keep it clean. He also peed on my bed today .

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on August 27th, 2016

If this is a recent behavior change for Cuddles, the first step would be to have him examined by a vet as soon as you are able to - there are a number of medical problems that can cause accidents outside the litter box, so your vet may recommend basic blood work and other testing to check for any evidence of a problem. If everything comes back normal, then it is likely that the issue is behavioral. Having accidents like this is often a stress or anxiety-related behavior in cats - if there have been any recent changes in the household, such as a new pet or a new baby, a move to a new house, or a guest staying with you, these could all be reasons for him to be pottying in inappropriate places. There may also be something about the litter box that he finds objectionable - he may not like the type of litter provided, or the location of the box. It can sometimes take some detective work to pinpoint the problem in cases like this, so if you're still stumped, I would consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist - he/she can meet your cat in person and do an in-depth evaluation to help diagnose the problem and develop a plan to treat it. In the meantime, you can try a Feliway diffuser in the house or a natural calming supplement such as Composure to see if this helps.

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9Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Other Answers

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    Answered By Debi Matlack

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on December 27th, 2014

    A sudden change in elimination habits is a cause for concern. Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his defecating outside the box. Once medical issues are ruled out, it's time to take a look at other explanations. Did you have houseguests for the holidays or was there a lot of activity that wasn't normal? Were your away and your cat was left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox located in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Have you changed the brand of litter or kind? Or is there something about the spot he has chosen to use that is attracting him in some way? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction. The general rule of thumb is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped at least daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly washed with soap and water only. You can also offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don't recommend the crystal kind, since it makes a hissing sound when wet that can startle some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren't giving them a hard time around or in the litterbox. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat's preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation.

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    15Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on July 27th, 2018

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Inappropriate urination is often a medical issue and possibilities include feline lower urinary tract disease, a urinary tract infection, urinary tract stones, among other possible medical reasons. Another possibility is that this is behavioral in nature. I recommend that you have Gizmo evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Good luck and best wishes!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Debi Matlack

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on March 2nd, 2020

    Inappropriate elimination in cats is often a behavioral problem rather than a medical problem, so the first step is to have him seen by your vet to eliminate any kind of illness or condition as a cause for his eliminating outside the box. If medical issues are ruled out, take a look at other reasons. Has there been a lot of unusual activity? Has you cat been left at home or boarded? Is the litterbox in a busy area? Has anything happened recently in this area to make him reluctant to use it again? Is there another cat, pet or person that is preventing him from getting to the box? Have you changed it from a hooded to an open box, or vice versa? Is it big enough? Have you changed the type or brand of litter? Is there something attractive about the spot he uses? Cats dislike disturbances to their routine and may act out to express their dissatisfaction. The general rule is one litter box per cat in the household, plus one. That way each cat can have a place of their own to go in case the box is occupied or another cat has claimed it as territory. They should be scooped daily, if not more often and changed completely weekly, washed with soap and water only. You can offer one kind of litter in one box and another kind in another to see if there is a preference. I don't recommend the crystals, it makes a hissing sound when wet that startles some cats and make them reluctant to use it again. The litter boxes should be located in a quiet, low-traffic area so that the cat can use them in peace. Make sure any other pets or people aren't giving them a hard time around or in the litter box. It may take some investigation and experimentation to find your cat's preference and accommodate him so that everyone is satisfied with the situation. And, when cleaning up pet accidents, don’t use any cleaner containing ammonia. This leaves behind a scent similar to urine.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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