Why is my cat pooping soft stool outside the litter box? Is she sick?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 lbs
Our cat keeps pooping outside her litter box and we've tried all the tricks already to have her stop. They are also always a soft/patty like consistency. We don't know if she's sick or what. We adopted her at age 1.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 17th, 2017
Poor Meechi! Normal cat stools are firm and dark in color, so it sounds like she probably has a medical problem of some kind causing her soft stools. It's very common for cats to poop outside the litter box when they have soft stools or diarrhea, so the underlying cause for this will need to be diagnosed and treated in order to get her to use her litter box appropriately. I would recommend taking Meechi to the vet for an exam as soon as you are able to. He/she can do some diagnostic testing, which might include a fecal exam for parasites as well as blood work to screen for a systemic illness of some kind, to help determine the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 6th, 2019
Thank you for your questions about Missy. Many things can make pet's have an upset stomach: bacterial over growth, parasites, new foods/treats, viral infections, eating something they shouldn't have, toxins, organ disease, dietary intolerance or even intestinal blockage. Given the factor that the stool is soft, she may be having some bowel pain which may cause her not to use the litter box for her bowel movements. If she will eat it (some cats will be finicky), you can switch her to a bland diet of 25% boiled white meat chicken and 75% plain boiled white rice. Do not feed her anything else. After 24 hours, if she is still sick, I recommend to take her into the veterinarian to check for other causes of illness. If she is doing better, continue the diet for another 24 hours. Then gradually introduce her regular diet. You can also purchase kitten food that is formulated to be bland. Royal Canin makes one called Gastrointestinal high energy. Hills makes one called i/d. Make sure to keep her box clean so it is appealing to her. The most common reasons for a young cat to have soft stool is bacterial over growth, parasites or eating something that is upset their tummy although all those above listed reasons are possible. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any additional questions!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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