Cat getting steadily more useless

Badger_Lady

First he claims he can't do the washing up, now he won't even help with the hoovering!

OK, maybe not... but I've had Tufty for three and a half years, since he was nine, and we've lived in this house for the last two years.

He's a neutered cross-breed with a very loyal, dog-like personality - he pays close attention to everything you do and "chats" with anybody through short, bark-like miaows. He's a lovely chap

Ever since I've had him, he's easily adapted to new situations - a new litter tray or litter, a new catflap, new place to eat. Until recently.

People started complaining that my downstairs hallway was smelly and on further investigation I realised that he'd been leaving nice neat little piles of poo on the floor. Thankfully, it's an easy wipe-clean floor but still, it just keeps happening. Within feet of his litter tray, which he also uses inbetween. He also sometimes goes outside (which I try to encourage) - he uses a patch in our garden which he has 24/7 access to.

Any ideas how to re-housetrain him to stop leaving piles of poo? :rolleyes:

BitterAndTwisted

He misses you being at home now you're away a lot more. Poor little, lonely Tufters

RacyRed

He is trying to tell you something.

Something is stressing him, if you can work out what it is and sort it out, Tufty will probably go back to good toileting habits.

And don't forget to arrange a check-up with the vet, just in case something physical is the problem.

SnowyOwl_2

Try and observe him pass his poo to figure out if he's constipated. If he is there will be lots of straining and not much action, iykwim. It'll be painful for him too. Also if you can figure out if his poo is soft or hard - give it a squeeze with a tissue. Have you seen him scooting his little butt along the floor? Sorry to go on so much about poo! If he's got a constipation issue these are the ways to find out. Anything out of the ordinary should be reported to the vet.

The problem might be behavioural of course. Cats usually like a bit of privacy so perhaps the litter tray is somewhere that people walk by a lot and he is objecting to that.

Regarding the smelly hall the best way to get rid of biological whiffs is to mop the floor with a solution of biological washing powder and warm water. This should also discourage him from using the same spot over and over.

Don't ya just love kitties!!

Badger_Lady

Thanks guys!

His poo is on the soft side of normal and he doesn't seem to have any other problems... his litter tray is more private than it's ever been (we didn't have much choice in the small flat we were in before, but he's pretty much got his own private room now).

I think it may be attention-seeking... other things he does when I'm home are:
- pretending he can't get in/out of the window, miaowing pitifully at the door instead;
- not eating his food unless I'm stood next to him - he'll spend hours miaowing and pawing at me because he's hungry, even though his bowl is full of fresh food.

When I'm not there, he lets himself in and out happily (I've watched him from the top floor), and all his food is always eaten when I check the feeder.

So I guess maybe the poo thing is an extension of that... he loves people and there just isn't anyone here. Of course, since he started messing I've started shutting him into the ground floor (which has all his facilities on it) so he probably hears people upstairs sometimes but can't get to them.

Aside from visiting him more often, then, do I just have to put up with it? He's already visiting at least one other family - I don't know who but someone put his collar back on him after he lost it...

Fire_Fox

Has he had a check up at the vets? It may well be behavioural, but he might have an underlying illness.