eek, cat poo in the wrong place!

tea_lover

My cat is a nearly 9yr old male, generally well behaved. I came downstairs a few mins ago and there's what looks like a wet patch near the front door. Could be cat wee but I'm not 100% sure. A couple of minutes after that I heard him miaowing insistently - he's pretty quiet usually so I went to investigate. He's pooed on the back door mat, and managed to spread it through three rooms.

His litter tray is clean and the same litter as usual. He'd just been outside for a wander around the garden but came back in by himself.

What's going on??? Should I be worried? Is he ill? I've cleaned up and told him he's not in any trouble, but he looks a bit sheepish (I know that sounds silly, but you know what I mean).

He doesn't seem to be in any pain, and has eaten his tea as usual.

Naughtiness I can cope with (would rather not, but such is life!) But am worried that he's not well.

Am pretty new to cat ownership...does he need the vet??

ETA. He'd also pooed in the tray as well! Same consistency as usual.

Tiglath

Have you had any strangers in the house recently or has he had any fights in the garden? Could be a territorial thing, although it's more likely that he did the usual, and then had a bit of an upset that took him by surprise.

tea_lover

Everything at home is exactly the same as usual, have been trying to think of anything different over the last few days but nothing....we're very much creatures of habit.

No fights that I know of but guess he could have done. He's got no visible injuries and doesn't go out for long anyway. He usually just sits on the grass in the sun. It's not a very nice evening here so he only stuck his head out of the door then wandered back in.

Am nervous about what I'm going to find next!

Tiglath

Just keep an eye on him then; hopefully it was just a blip. If it happens again, get the vet to test his thyroid - an overactive thyroid can give anyone a runny bum (trust me, I speak from experience!). If you give him milk usually, give him water instead. What food does he normally have?

tea_lover

He has two wet food pouches a day, usually gourmet perle or Sheba, and a few biscuits more as a snack. He always has fresh water available but doesn't drink much of it. He will occasionally get in the bath after I've had a shower and lick that water.

Really hoping it was a one-off, for everyone's sake! Am more worried about him being ill or upset than him making a mess...poor little thing. I don't think it's an emergency but might arrange a general check up for him tomorrow. Can't be too careful with my precious baby!

dandelionclock30

If he had already been for a poo in his tray then he may have poo'ed on the mat because some cats wont go in a tray more than once.
I have to have 2 clean trays down on a night for my cat and he still goes on the back door mat as well. He also goes on the morning newspaper if your not quick.
I would advise two trays all the time and keep an eye on him. I think cats often confuse a mat with a tray as well.

Lorian

Has he been wormed recently?

If not you should consider it as a precaution.

tea_lover

Another tray could be a good idea thanks. We never leave his tray, but maybe he just needed to go again straight away.

The could-be wee by the front door is next to some shoes. I wondered whether maybe he could smell another cat on them.

tea_lover

He hasn't been wormed recently so will look into that. I've read so many conflicting things about how often to do it. He didn't go out all winter so I suppose I put it off as I got really confused about what to do for the best.

I really hope I haven't made him ill

Lorian

I'm not a vet but see enough cat poo in my time to know you can tell a few things from it - are we talking normal looking poo, or in particular wet and runny or long stringy looking poo? and you sure this isn't the result of another catty intruder?

tea_lover

Looked exactly the same as usual, normal consistency, normal amount....just wrong location! The door mat he pooped on is by a fully glazed door, maybe he saw another cat in his garden and it freaked him out.