My cat poops outside the litter box on clothes. How do I stop it?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 10 lbs
Cat keeps pooping outside the litter box and on clothes. Have tried moving litter box locations and keeping the box extremely clean. Nothing helps. How do I stop this behavior?
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on September 23rd, 2018
Is this a new behavior? Is the stool firm and hard? If it is firm and hard then it may be from her being constipated. If it is soft and she has diarrhea, she can have intestinal parasites or she could have eaten something that upset her stomach. I would recommend having a stool sample performed to make sure there are no parasites and to see the consistency of the stool. If the veterinarian says everything is fine then I would use at least 2 litter boxes with clumping litter. Make sure you have a box on each level. I would also consider medication to help with the behavior. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on October 14th, 2017
How frustrating for you! Is Zuzy having soft stool or diarrhea? If so- I would take a sample of it and Zuzy to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will do a test to check for intestinal parasites and an exam. They will treat as needed. If the stool is normal, I would place her and the litter box in a small area such as a bathroom. Place some of the stool into the litter box to remind her that poop goes in the box. Be sure to clean the places where she made the accident with a good enzymatic cleaner. Be sure to clean the box daily. Some kitties will not go in a box if it is dirty. Some cats like a top on the box and some refuse it if it has a top. Make sure that you did not change litters. Some cats are very picky about which brand of litter that they use. Once she is using the box again, you can give her roam of the house again.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on October 3rd, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding your kitten. Diarrhea is typically accompanied by a sense of urgency. Therefore, it is common for a cat not to use the litterbox when this occurs. She will need to see her veterinarian. Fecal testing will likely be necessary to determine the cause of diarrhea and medication can then be prescribed to stop it. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on February 6th, 2019
Ellie might be sick and this may be causing all these symptoms. Loose stool indicates illness and often inflammation within the bowel. This can cause urgency and sometimes pain. These signs may cause her to not use the litter box. There are many causes of illness including viral infections, bacterial infections, parasites and dietary intolerance. I recommend to have her seen by her veterinarian. The doctor may check her for parasites and will likely give her medications that will hopefully help cure the illness. I recommend to have all the kittens examined in case it’s something contagious. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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