Why is my 1-year-old cat peeing and pooping in laundry baskets?

Question

my 1 year old cat spray my and my boyfriends laundry baskets. Later on, I found poop in my basket. These baskets are close to my bedroom closet. Factors: this afternoon, my boyfriend and I did a deep clean of the litter boxes. We emptied each hooded box and sprayed and wiped down every side. We didn’t know what happened until after we did this. Other factor: I came home from an oddities convention and brought home a skunk pelt. I put it in my closet so the cats wouldn’t get it. Other cat 6 y. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Male | neutered | 1 year old | 8 lbs

Sara Farmer, DVM · Accepted Answer

One of the most common causes of inappropriate urination for a young adult cat is actually lower urinary tract disease. Cats can develop urinary tract inflammation and crystals or occasionally an infection that can cause discomfort and lead to them avoiding the litter box. If you notice any straining in the litter box or frequent urination, or if your cat urinates outside the box again I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for a physical exam and possibly a urinalysis before you assume that this is behavioral. The inappropriate defecation however is a little more suggestive of a behavioral problem, unless the stool was loose or had blood present. I'm wondering if this happened while the boxes were being cleaned today and were unavailable. You may also want to make sure you haven't changed the brand or type of litter and that you didn't use any strong smelling cleaners both of which could make the litter boxes less appealing to your cat. I doubt the skunk pelt is part of the problem.

Why is my 1-year-old cat peeing and pooping in laundry baskets?

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