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Why is my cat pooping outside the litter box after years of good behavior?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | neutered | 15 lbs

My cat has pooped near a rug in the bathroom 2 times now in the past week. The litter box has been cleaned 3 times and switched out, not sure why he is doing that. He is a Maine Coon, had him several years and never had this issue even with multiple moves and additional pets

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on September 3rd, 2020

There can be a couple of reasons why Kobe will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for him, he won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, he may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for him to turn around in, or if it has a cover, he may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, he may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, he won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind him not using the litter box, such as diarrhea or a stomach illness. If none of the above scenarios apply to Kobe, I would take him into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind him refusing to use the litter box. I hope this helps!

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