4 reasons why a cat started shitting anywhere: what to do and how to wean it off

Many people encounter this problem: the cat begins to shit on the bed. Do not try to spray the bed with products or cover it with diapers, this will not help you get rid of the habit. Poking a cat's face into its piles and puddles is useless!!! You can punish only if the animal is caught at the time of committing a crime . Under no circumstances should you punish with your HANDS!!! The owner’s hands cannot be an instrument of punishment, because for the cat they should be associated only with affection and care. You can punish a cat if you managed to catch it, by slapping it with a newspaper or a rustling plastic bag, or by spraying it with water from a spray bottle (if you have one at hand).

If the cat has already managed to misbehave during your absence, then all punishments will only further ruin your relationship with the cat. We need to look for the reason, the motivation, why she behaved this way. When cats do their business in the most visible place, it means that they are shaking their rights and proving their power and greatness to the whole world. A cat that does not consider itself the “ruler of the world” will do all its business in a specially designated place and then try to carefully “bury” the piles and puddles. Left at home alone, the cat either felt like the MISTRESS of the apartment and announced this - by checking in on the bed. Or she was upset that they forgot to put her food, in retaliation, putting an “offensive pile” under the hostess’s nose. Based on WHAT was the cause of her dissatisfaction, it is necessary to look for a solution to the problem.

Why does a cat shit in the wrong place?

Because she is overwhelmed by human feelings such as jealousy, lack of attention, high self-esteem, sadness. This is not a disease, it’s just such a difficult period, like adolescence in a person. But it can also be a signal that the cat is really sick. And in this way she wants to draw your attention to her problem. You need to think and analyze all possible options. You may need to take the cat and see a veterinarian and undergo the necessary tests. Perhaps the cat has urolithiasis, or problems with the kidneys and bladder. If these are behavioral motives, then you need to let the cat understand who is in charge in the house, you also need to understand the cat itself, or if none of the above helps, limit access to the place where it shits (as an option).

Why does the cat pee anywhere?

If we are talking about a kitten, then most likely he is not yet accustomed to the tray. If an adult cat gets into the habit of shitting on the bed or carpet, you need to look for the reasons for such changes in behavior not only in the lack of education.

Reasons for going to the toilet in the wrong place may include:

age-related changes;
health problems;
stressful situations;
sexual instincts;
complaints about the tray;
dissatisfaction with the filler;
lack of cleanliness in the tray;
lack of attention from the owners;
rejection of the place where the pot is installed;
conflicts with other pets living in the house;
radical change of environment (renovation, moving or purchasing new furniture).

On a note. If a cat starts peeing anywhere, there is no need to try to explain its behavior from the point of view of human logic. Sometimes this is the only way a pet can express his protest and show that something is bothering him.

How to fight?

Don't yell at the cat. It is worth talking to the cat in a calm tone. If the cause is JEALOUSY (very often such problems arise among owners who have small children under the age of 3, as well as those who keep several cats, or other animals besides a cat), then you should prove to the cat that you love only her . Spend more time with her, play more.

Memory of Infancy . Very often, small kittens, like children, are put in waterproof diapers in the nest basket - they are comfortable and hygienic, they are easy to change when they get dirty, the kittens grow, they begin to walk “for minor needs”, not yet knowing the tray, right on such a diaper. And with age, this topic remains in my head - the opportunity to go to the diaper. Just like cats have a desire to step over their paws, knead, and purr, their owner for the rest of their lives (this is what he does when he suckles his mother). Instead of a diaper, a soft cotton cloth can be used in the nest, which can also evoke some childhood memories and the desire to go to the toilet on a cloth. Usually by the age of 2 months such desires disappear (cats are clean animals). And if you have a small child and you use such diapers, then the advice is - you took a kitten that is still quite small, be patient and wait until the kitten grows up, or do not let the kitten near the crib.

But if the reason is LACK OF ATTENTION , it’s worth tinkering with the cat. Give it at least one hour a day, or ask the children to cuddle the cat more and play with it. There is a wonderful tool - a laser pointer beam. This toy allows the cat to run around and play to its heart's content, and the owner can play without getting up from his chair.

Resentment (one of the options for lack of attention). Watch your behavior and your cat's on the day she poops on the bed. Something in common may emerge - for example, she came to talk to you in the morning, and you brushed her off - so resentment and revenge in the form of a pile or puddle on the bed. Or the food was not put out right away and a whole bunch of other “little things” for you, but not for the cat.

HIGH SELF- ESTEEM is indeed a problem. If a cat jumps on the sofa, sit next to him, thereby showing that you also deserve this place (and do this in many ways. Not always - otherwise the cat will be offended. Just often). But if the cat gets really impudent, you should wag your finger. It should be like this all the time.

SADness is also a small problem. Add some excitement to your cat, play with it or make it an interesting toy.

No access to tray. And sometimes the most trivial problem happens - the cat was accidentally left in a room with a bed and was locked. The cat has nowhere to go, she can “go” to the bed (remembering that as a kitten she went to the cloth).

I don't like the tray or filler . This is a separate topic about the cat litter box. But it is precisely for this reason that sometimes cats refuse to go to the tray offered by the owners.

We exclude medicine

If the tray is always clean and smells quite pleasant, then why does the animal still not change its habit of ignoring it, defecating past it, as if out of spite? In this case, it is worth observing the animal, perhaps the development of various diseases is to blame.

The most common cause of strange cat behavior is the presence of frequent constipation in the pet. The cat begins to associate his toilet with unpleasant, uncomfortable sensations, which is why he prefers not to go to it.

Another reason for this behavior is related to the age of the cat - quite often older cats develop a disease such as arthritis. Due to joint pain and stiffness, they are simply unable to perch on a tray with high sides.

In addition, there are also psychological factors, for example, when the owner uses a closed house as a cat litter box. Of course, it looks interesting and aesthetically pleasing, it traps odors, but in most cases cats feel uncomfortable and uncomfortable in such houses, so they prefer to ignore it.

How to stop a cat from shitting: tips and tricks

Many cat owners who are faced with the problem of their pet defecating in the wrong places probably doubt that these animals are clean by nature. All your doubts are in vain. Cats were and remain, to this day, one of the cleanest living creatures. What happened that your sweet, beloved creature turned into a nasty, vengeful monster? Of course, problems with cat litter can infuriate even the most cold-blooded owner and literally destroy your sweet family life. However, in this situation, no matter how gloomy it may seem to you, there is a completely simple and effective way out: to determine the nature of the problem and eliminate the negative factor, and not at all get rid of the poor creature. It is quite possible to stop a cat from crapping. And the first thing you have to do is find out, understand what prompted your cute creature to shit where it shouldn’t. A cat urinating and defecating outside of its own litter box is a cry for help that should never be ignored. If you find that your animal does not use the container intended for these purposes and is in excellent shape, then with such extreme behavior it attracts you to its problems that require a delicate solution. The cat does not behave this way out of harm, and the problem requires your close attention before such extreme behavior turns into a persistent bad habit. By observing the location of urine or feces and your pet's use of the litter box or complete refusal to use it, you can easily determine the nature and cause of the problem. Why does a cat shit? Finding the actual cause of your cat's deviant behavior will require you to do some investigation. And although in each individual case the reasons may be different, there are still a number of the most common and common ones. Unfortunately, most owners know little or nothing about the first weeks of their pet's life. This is significant because a kitten's lack of human interaction during the sensitive period of two to seven weeks can lead to agitated behavior in the presence of humans and poor ability to adapt to changes in the environment in the future. In general, individuals who are less sociable and have a more vulnerable nervous system are much more likely to exhibit reactive bowel movements. So, in order to stop a cat from crapping, you first need to identify the reason:

Illness or tray as a predictor of painful experience. The cause of pain must be considered before other causes. Health problems that cause pain during defecation or urination often cause animals to poop outside the litter box. In this case, it will either completely abandon the tray, or will only perform actions there that do not cause pain. Constipation, worms, and various diseases of the genitourinary system can force your cat to shit. Contacting a veterinarian is the only correct solution in this situation.
Problems with the tray. - the cat doesn’t like the litter box The cat may not like the size of the litter box, which should be at least one and a half times longer than the cat so that she can turn around freely there. The strong smell of cleaning products or the chemical smell of cheap plastic can also make animals averse to their own litter box. Let's remember that cats' sense of smell is 14 times better than ours. Successful attempts to completely remove cat odor from the litter box may also remove the animal's association with the litter box. The solution to the problem in this case is to wash the cat's litter box with water and a drop of liquid soap, rather than strong cleaning agents. A cat may shit near the litter box if the litter is too dirty and the smell of urine is too concentrated, or if other animals use the litter box. For ultra-clean and scrupulous cats, it is recommended to place two containers and constantly monitor their condition. - the cat does not like the location of the tray If the tray is located close to the cat's food bowls, then its innate instinct to avoid contaminating food areas may cause it to shit around the apartment. She will also avoid the litter box if it is located in an unprotected, vulnerable place from her point of view. This happens when a cat is disturbed by children while performing hygiene procedures, or if a roll of toilet paper suddenly falls on its head, or simply the cat litter box is located in a family activity room that is too noisy for the animal. All you need to do to stop your cat from crapping in this case is to ensure that the litter box is located in a safe and secluded place. The ideal option would be a tray house. If the location of the cat litter box must be changed due to some circumstances, then it should be moved to the new territory gradually. - the cat does not like the litter Sometimes a particular litter does not meet the requirements of a specific cat. For example, not all cats like wood pellets because the cylindrical pellets roll around under their paws. Some litters emit a strong odor when they become wet because they contain chemical ingredients, and a cat's sensitive nose cannot tolerate the strong smell. Moreover, some chemicals can irritate the sensitive skin of a cat's paws. Such performers should be avoided. In a situation where you need to transfer your pet to a new, say, more economical filler, the transfer should be done gradually, adding a new filler to the old one and changing the ratio in favor of the new one.
Marking behavior. It's no secret that cats' communication is largely based on smell. They leave marks both to attract sexual partners and to secure rights to their territory. Defecating in the wrong place is often nothing more than just a more extreme territorial marker. Let's remember how street cats leave their feces on the ground in full view of other felines, without trying to bury them, unlike their domestic counterparts. This is why toilet training often becomes difficult with cats found on the street. In indoor cats, defecation as a marker of its own territory occurs in cases where it feels extremely insecure. At the same time, the cat shits without completely refusing to use the litter box. And if you pay attention to the areas where the cat shits, they will not be random, but will have a certain behavioral meaning, they will indicate new objects or the cat’s “old routes.” Very often, a cat begins to shit when a child, another cat or dog appears in the house. If there are too many animals gathered in a small apartment, some of them will try to defend their rights using such a radical method. Changing a place of residence, rearranging, renovating, buying new furniture causes severe anxiety in cats associated with the disappearance of familiar marks and forces them to resort to extreme methods of protecting their territory. Active marking of their possessions begins, “until other individuals claim their rights to this territory.” How to stop a cat from crapping in stressful situations? Many owners experience a real shock when a cat that has lived with them for many years suddenly begins to show such an “ugly” side of itself. In desperation, they try to quickly stop this behavior without delving into the essence of what is happening, and thereby only making the problem worse. There's really only one way to stop cat poop from ruining your life and your home: quickly but calmly take control of the situation. Remember that under no circumstances should you shout at your cat, frighten it with water from a spray bottle, or scold it. All that you can achieve with such methods is only to increase her anxiety and the number of “atrocities”. If an animal develops an association between punishment and your presence, then a real discord will arise in your relationship with it, and it will continue to crap in secret from you. Some “advisers” also advise catching the cat in the act, scolding it and dragging it immediately to the litter box, leaving numerous puddles on the floor. This behavior will eventually lead the cat to associate bowel movements with increased attention from the owner. As a result, she will begin to “sin” at moments when you turn off or switch your attention (sleeping or doing something important). Such a long prelude was written so that you are completely convinced of the futility of all methods associated with punishing a pet. The question arises, how then to wean a cat from shitting? All you have to do is make your beloved creature feel safe again. Cat psychologists recommend giving your pet a period of confinement to gradually make him feel secure in his new environment and, in some cases, re-introduce him to the litter box. Keep your cat in a small room, at least a bathroom, for about a week with her toys, water and litter box, but leave her food bowls alone, and take her out to eat two or three times a day. After a week, gradually start letting her out into other rooms until she fully adapts to the changes. Agreement with the new situation will necessarily be a consequence of the removal of excitement. This may seem like an extreme measure to some, but since we cannot explain what is happening to our cat in words, we must show her the new situation gently and gradually so that she gradually frees herself from her fear. To improve the animal’s well-being, you can also use the method of marking the territory with pheromones from the cat’s facial glands, which will be discussed at the end of the article.
Associated urination. - urination on a “tray substitute” It may happen that some surfaces in your home will be too reminiscent of the cat’s own litter tray. For example, a carpet with long pile, which can also be easily touched with paws. In this case, the animal has a conditioned reflex to shit in this place, while often not giving up the tray completely. In this situation, in order to wean a cat from shitting, you will need to remove the carpet or other soiled object for a while in order to strengthen its connection between the tray and the latrine. In some cases, it is necessary to significantly increase the area of the toilet by connecting several trays together, like a carpet. When the animal is completely accustomed to relieving itself in only one place, the number of trays can be gradually reduced. - urinating on owner's things A cat may have decreased bladder control due to age, poor health, or nervous exhaustion. Then she might start shitting in random places. These can be places where the owner's scent is strong, for example, his clothes or bedding, because there the cat can calm down, relax and lose control of itself for a while. She may also crap on her owner's things to increase her sense of security through association, such as by causing disturbance while the owner is away. Longing for the owner can be cured only with increased care and attention. When cats shit on objects saturated with the smell of a specific person, we can definitely say that the cat’s relationship with this person is far from ideal, and it needs to be adjusted.

The cat shits on the bed: what to do?

Has a stain with a characteristic odor appeared on your bed? At first you don’t believe your eyes... But you have to believe your own nose: cat “gifts” cannot be confused with anything. I just want to properly reprimand the scoundrel, or even punch him in the impudent red (or black, it doesn’t matter) face. Stop! You won't achieve anything this way. Experienced cat owners will immediately say: punishing a cat is a pointless exercise.

You can sharply express your dissatisfaction, and even punish the animal. But only if you caught him directly at the moment of committing the “crime”. Moreover, in no case should you use your own hand for punishment. The pet should associate the owner's hand only with pleasant things: affection, food. For educational purposes, it is permissible to lightly spank with a folded newspaper, a rustling (and therefore scary) bag, or even better, spray with water from a spray bottle - unpleasant and absolutely painless.

Most often, the owner has to deal not with the “criminal” himself, but with the result of his “crime”. Moreover, the culprit himself usually hides, knowing full well that the owner’s anger is inevitable. Often it is enough just to look at the cat to understand that he has done something wrong somewhere. And this is where you will have to analyze your behavior, family relationships, innovations in order to understand the reason for such a disruptive violation of order. After all, it is clear that the pet himself perfectly understands the inadmissibility of such behavior and does it on purpose, wanting to demonstrate something... What is it?

One of the reasons is puberty. An older cat is actively looking for a friend, expressing his desire with his voice and marks on the door frames. If the owner does not react in any way, then the pet may become “offended”: in the end, it is the beloved owner who usually solves any problems. And the cat will express its resentment in such an unpleasant way.

How to proceed? If your plans do not include creating a home cattery, if your cat is not a valuable breeding animal, the best option is castration. It is in vain that some (especially men) think that in this way they are depriving their pet of the “joys of life.” In fact, the cat will become much calmer and happier when it does not periodically literally “climb the wall” from sexual heat. And his behavior is likely to change for the better.

It’s more difficult for the owners of a purebred cat. Even if a “queue” of brides periodically lines up to see the cat, there will definitely be periods of calm. In addition, most clubs set limits on the number of matings per year. And what to do if you come across a very “temperamental man”? A simple and harmless way to slightly reduce the intensity of symptoms in a cat is the homeopathic medicine “Cat Bayun”, which contains sedatives. It is given according to instructions 3 times a day.

Another reason why a cat shits in its owner’s bed is illness. The pet wants to “reach out” to its dull owners, explain to them that it is experiencing pain and discomfort. This usually occurs due to urolithiasis, kidney disease, constipation and anal fissures, which makes the process itself painful for the animal. If the owners do not notice the pet’s suffering, then in this way he simply wants to inform them: “I feel bad!” The most appropriate behavior would not be to punish the unfortunate animal, but to visit a veterinary clinic.

ATTENTION! If there is any deviation in the cat’s behavior from the usual, the most correct reaction of the owners is to first make sure that the pet is healthy.

General recommendations: how to make the tray the most attractive place for the toilet?

Thoroughly clean the entire house of cat dirt using special odor-eliminating products. After all, it is its own excellent smell that makes the cat come back and shit in the same places. In places that are extremely undesirable for “cat dirty tricks”, it is necessary to place bowls with cat food. You can also take pieces of cardboard and glue literally a few granules of dry cat food onto them and place them throughout the house, except in places in close proximity to the litter box. Your cat is unlikely to poop in these areas due to the aforementioned innate instinct. Don't forget to add paper stained with cat urine to the litter tray to reinforce the association with a latrine.

How to prevent problems with the tray?

Good socialization of a cat from an early age significantly increases its ability to cope with stressful situations and reduces its need to mark and litter. At the same time, the stable and familiar smell of household items has a beneficial effect on cats. Try to experiment less with fragrances for clothes and deodorants and keep your special smell at home. If changes in your family life and environment are imminent, or, conversely, the cat must go to a new place, you must help the cat feel safe.

A cat feels more relaxed in places where there is plenty of food, so a few food bowls placed in different places will also help in this situation.
Allowing your cat to sleep on your bed or chair when you are not home will add to her sense of well-being and comfort. Place your pet's beds in warm places that the cat previously preferred. Cardboard boxes can be a cheap and effective solution.
In addition, provide the ability to climb onto a cabinet or other furniture, which will increase the feeling of protection from external attacks.
Wipe the cat with a soft cloth, paying particular attention to the tonsil area, and then wipe the cloth on vertical surfaces in the house at the cat's height. Smelling the pheromones from its facial glands will make your cat feel calm and significantly reduce its desire to poop. Cats never mark where there is scent from their facial glands. In pet stores you can also purchase the drug “Feliway”, an analogue of these pheromones, which helps restore good health and normalize the animal’s behavior in a stressful situation.

Safety

When a cat relieves itself, at this moment it is as unprotected as possible, therefore, if it is uncomfortable on the tray, there is no feeling of security, it will prefer to ignore trips to its toilet. To save space, owners often place cat litter boxes in too secluded, dark places, such as niches. Or the tray is squeezed into the tight space between the bathroom washing machine and the wall.

If your pet feels uncomfortable on the tray, don’t be surprised that he will simply start to ignore it.

The cat litter box should be located so that the cat has several approaches to it, and from different sides. In addition, there should be enough space around it.