Amelia Taylor – Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Discovering poop on the floor rather than in the litter box can be the most infuriating moment for a cat owner. You may be bewildered, frustrated, or even wonder if your cat is doing it on purpose — but cats don’t behave with malice. When a cat defecates outside of the litter box, it’s their way of communicating with you that something is amiss. Knowing why your cat defecated on the floor is the beginning of correcting the issue and maintaining your home clean and stress-free.
Medical Issues Can Be the Cause
When a cat abruptly ceases to use the litter box, the initial thing to check for is a medical cause. Constipation, diarrhea, urinary tract infection, or inflammatory bowel disease can make it uncomfortable to visit the litter box. To avoid pain, your cat might correlate the box with pain and begin using the floor as an alternative.
What to do: Book an appointment at the vet. After your cat’s medical problem is addressed, they’ll usually go back to regular litter behavior.
Litter Box Issues
Cats are finicky about their litter boxes. If it’s unclean, stinky, or in a noisy spot, your cat might avoid it. Even a change in litter brand or texture can be a deterrent.
What to do:
• Scoop every day.
• Deeply clean the box once a week.
•Get scent-free, clumping litter.
•Place the box in a quiet, convenient spot.
•With more than one cat, ensure one box for each cat plus an additional box.
Stress or Anxiety
Cats are highly sensitive to changes in their surroundings. A new animal, guest, baby, or even rearranged furniture can trigger stress-induced litter avoidance. Pooping on the floor may be an outlet for anxiety or to mark the territory.
What to do: Attempt to see what shifted lately. Provide your cat with safe, peaceful hiding places, spend extra time reassuring them, and maintain their routine the same.
Territory Marking
While marking is typically done using urine, a few cats mark using feces, particularly in homes with multiple cats. This occurs typically in particular spots or around doors and windows.
What to do: Use an enzymatic cleaner to clean the area of scent residue, decrease competition between cats, and provide sufficient litter boxes and space per cat.
Aging or Mobility Issues
Aging cats can experience joint discomfort or arthritis that makes it difficult to climb into the litter box. If your cat is older, squatting in the box may be painful, causing them to prefer easier locations on the floor.
What to do: Use a low-sided litter box that is easier to get into. Try putting a box on each level of your house so your cat won’t have to travel far.
Litter Box Location
Where the litter box is placed is important. Cats want privacy but still have to be able to access it easily. If the litter box is put in a high-traffic or noisy location — close to a washing machine, say — your cat will stay away.
What to do: Transfer the box to a quiet corner of the house that is far from water and food bowls.
Residual Odors or Accidents
After your cat has had an accident, the odor can remain present even if you cannot sense it. Cats possess a stronger sense of smell than humans, so they can go back to the same place.
Do: Use an enzymatic pet cleaner to remove all scent residues. Do not use ammonia-based cleaners because they have a similar smell to urine and can mislead your cat.
