Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 7 days old | 3.3 lbs
my cat started doing his business just next to his litter box. The box is always clean as i clean it everytime he goes, i've changed litters two times now, bought a bigger box as well. He does use his box when I'm in the room, but when I leave he does it outside. Do you think it might be a medical issue?
1 Answer
Published on January 1st, 2019
It sounds like you are on the right tract with Neko in that fact that you clean the box daily and that you purchased a larger litter box. Some other things that may help would be to make sure the box is in a quiet, private location where he cannot be started/trapped in the box by another animal. Additionally, as far as litter goes, most cats prefer a clay based, clumping cat litter. If he seems picky, you could set up a few boxes, each with a different type of litter (corn based, pellets...etc) and see which one he prefers. Lastly, going outside the box can indicate a medical issue or behavioral issue. If he is urinating outside the box, have his urine tested for an infection. If he is having a soft stool, then I would recommend to have him seen by his veterinarian and the stool tested. If it is a normal stool, then you may try adding in canned food into his diet which can increase water content and make it more comfortable to pass. You could also try changing his diet to something that is very easy to break down such as Royal Canin kitten food. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!
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