15 week old kitten shitting outside the litter box -why???

[CookieLady]

I'm at a loss as to why my Russian Blue boy has shat behind the sofa this morning. He doesn't seem to be unwell. He's been absolutely perfect at using his litter tray from eight weeks old. Is this normal for a kitten? Any advice will be gratefully received!

[cozietoesie]

Not really normal, No, but much depends on his litter station. How many trays does he have, what kind of litter/tray is it and how often do you clean it?

Sorry for all the questions but some of them can be real fussy about the type of tray/litter, how often it's cleaned and how many trays they have etc. They often don't like pooing in a place where they've recently peed and as the two bodily functions often follow on each other very quickly, you can't always clean a tray in time. Pooing in a clean, albeit unauthorized, place may be the only option he felt he had at the time. (My own old boy has two trays and uses both as the mood takes him.)

Is he an only cat by the way?

[cozietoesie]

PS - at just a shade under 4 months he may just also be starting to get a trickle of hormones coming through. Is he booked in for neutering?

[CookieLady]

Thanks, cosie. He's an only cat but we have rabbit as well.

The litter tray is a hooded one and we've only got the one at the moment. I'll nip out later to pick up another. The litter we use is Breeder Celect, we scoop out the poos once a day and do a proper clean every two to three days.

We're planning on having him neutered but not booked him in yet.

This weekend he's been a bit odd. He's gone from being playful and affectionate to swiping my sin's nose and scratching dh and me. Not sure if it's to do with the hormones or not.

[CookieLady]

My son's not sin's nose!

[cozietoesie]

It's possible that they're starting to come in. Just possible, even though you expect some behavioural changes anyway as they get older and you have to exert more willpower as they become more demanding.

Maybe just get an unhooded tray for the time being - they're only cheap (I think Poundland type stores usually have them) so perhaps don't go the whole hog with a hooded tray? Your call.

I meant to say earlier that if he was having trouble pooing - constipation for example - he might just poo outside his tray out of exasperation. It's not something I would really anticipate in a young cat, though, and you'd be able to tell if eg the poo you found was hard dry little bullets rather than a normal consistency.

Best of luck and let us know how he gets on.

[CookieLady]

Thanks cosie. His poos are rather soft today and smell worse than usual. I'm not sure if he needs to see a vet as he hasn't touched his food today.

[cozietoesie]

Ah. Is he normally a good eater/drinker? Has anything changed about his diet in the last few days? (Is he still peeing in his tray?)

[CookieLady]

He's a very good eater usually. We haven't changed his food (the same combo of dry and wet food). I think he's still peeing. Should I hold back from giving him wet food today? (I've still got plenty of dry food out for him?)

Really appreciate your advice.

[cozietoesie]

I'd just offer him his normal diet. Maybe he's got a wee infection which meant that he was a bit sore inside/caught short or something and if so, he might eat his way through it. Keep a fairly close eye on him tonight, though, including any intake and outgoings.

[CookieLady]

Thank you!

[cozietoesie]

Has he eaten and drunk this morning? (Or during the night if you can tell.)

[CookieLady]

Didn't eat very much at all last night but drank all the water that was left for him. No poos overnight or wees.

This morning instead of wolfing down his wet food he ate quite slowly which is not like him at all. He's passed a couple of loose stools this afternoon. To be honest I'm not quite sure what to do with him? Should I keep an eye on him for another 24hours and if he gets worse then take him to the vet? Is he refusing to eat the dry food out of protest?

[cozietoesie]

How has he done this afternoon?

[CookieLady]

This evening he's nibbled at his kibbles, drunk a little bit of water and passed two loose-ish stools which smell absolutely dreadful. He seems a bit better in himself as his back to running around and pouncing, but the stench of the poos is a lot stronger than usual. Any ideas what it could be?

[Fluffycloudland77]

I know I always go on about cereals in cat food being bad for them BUT does his food contain cereal? Ie maize or maize gluten or wheat?.

[CookieLady]

He was weaned on Go Cat Kitten (which does contain cereal but it doesn't say which type) and Felix As Good As It Looks Kitten Favourite Selection by his previous owner as so we've just stuck with that.

I'm completely new to owning a cat and so would appreciate being pointed in the right direction with regard to what's best Cookiekitten.

[cozietoesie]

I'm inclined to think, with Fluffy, that his current food doesn't altogether agree with him. He may have been weaned on it but intolerance can develop over weeks so it's not impossible.

I've been lucky in that my boys have been pretty OK with their food but I know that many posters have cats who don't get on well with cereal foods. (They might make a few recommendations as to brand.) It would do no harm to have him on a cereal free food - even if he has had a wee infection, a better food wouldn't compromise anything.

[CookieLady]

Any recommendations for which are the better brands to buy, please?

[Fluffycloudland77]

You could Try butchers choice, I know it's not kitten food but its probably as much protein as his current food plus it's all meat protein not cereal proteins, it's more likely to be his go-cat though.

Biscuits are harder to source but applaws is cereal free, some say they are grain free but they've sneaked gluten in there. You'd need to crush them a bit for him because they are big.

Never buy the big bags though, they go off a biscuit the minute you come home with a big bag.

[RubbishMantra]

Go Cat is full of cereals and other nasties, a bit like junk food.

I think pedigrees can sometimes have more sensitive tummies, what made me think this is because I've always had mogs until I recently got a Devon Rex kitten. At first I was feeding him Royal Canin Kitten, resulting in smelly, squishy poo. I vetted him, nothing wrong apparently.

I now give him Applaws Kitten dry food, which is cereal free. His wet food is Smila kitten food, also cereal free. Animonda Carny seemed a bit rich for his tummy. His poo situation has improved greatly.

[CookieLady]

Thank you, thank you, thank you both! I feel so bloody stupid for listening to breeder and petshop assistant.

[RubbishMantra]

Glad to help.

I get mine from -->here, as do many on this board, they stock a lot of foreign brands like Animonda, Almo Nature and Smila. Cheaper than buying from pet shops etc.