Why is my cat pooping outside the litter box but peeing inside?

Question

I have 2 cats, A large male who can sometimes be a bully and a smaller, female cat. The female cat is very skiddish. When we first got the female cat she had difficulties using the litter box. I got an additional litter box and both cats were sharing both litter boxes just fine. Recently, the female cat has begun to only urinate in the litter boxes. She will now defecate right beside the litter box. I'm not sure if this a behavioral thing or a health problem (i.e. Anal sacs etc). Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female

Lauren Kennedy, DVM · Accepted Answer

Inappropriate elimination can be due to either medical or behavioral problems. I always recommend having the cat examined by a vet to rule out any medical problems first, like GI disease, intestinal parasites or a urinary tract infection. If everything is normal on exam then you can consider this a behavioral issue. Cats will sometimes go outside the box if it is not cleaned frequently enough, if the litter or location of the box has been changed, or if there is something new to the environment causing the cat stress (like a new housemate, a recent vacation, a change in food, etc). In an older cat you need to consider pain/discomfort when defecating, either due to posturing or getting in/out of the box. The discomfort could be from hip/hind leg arthritis. You may want to consider adding an extra litter box or two to your home, making the box very easily accessible (i.e. no stairs to travel up and down etc) and getting a box with lower sides to make it easier for your cat to get in and out of. Good luck!

Why is my cat pooping outside the litter box but peeing inside?

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