cat pooping in strange place

[eatyouwithaspoon]

Hi I was wondering if anyone had any idess my cat poops on top of the fish tank he can be out all day and will come in and do it, its pretty grim. We have reintroduced a cat litter tray but found him in it eating the litter (weird and probably not good for him) I have sat with him digging jn it so he got the idea but he hasht usec it and the toiletof vhoice is still the tank! I also covered thd tank top with tin foil having read cats dont like it but he clearly doednt mind it. Any ideas to stop it he is a heathly cat, no recent changes.

[cozietoesie]

Hmm. What type of litter are you using? (They can be dashed fussy about it.)

[eatyouwithaspoon]

Apologies for typos on tablet with a mind of its own. Its bob martins ultimate, I would imagine he needed a drinkrafter scoffing some! Its weird he has access to outside and only started going indoors in the last year but woukd rather poop indoors than out, he wees outdoors.

[ShatnersBassoon]

Try wood pellet litter. Obviously you don't want something that he thinks is edible or he'll never poo in it, so ditch what you have.

[cozietoesie]

I;m guessing the fish tank isn't easily moveable? (I know that some of them are nearly the size of elephants - with connections and all.)

Is there any chance that you could put some soil on the top of his litter? (I think some posters have experience of doing that with a cat who was having issues with doing their duty properly inside the house.) Then gradually reduce the soil to zero if/when he starts using the tray properly.

(I'm a bit edgy with wood pellet - bad experience with Oneago and wood pellet litter.)

[eatyouwithaspoon]

Thats a great idea about the soil I will try that, sadly we cannot move the tank, its his favorite place but he has done it in the dc or my bedroom if he doesnt have access to the tank but only for no.2 which is weird? I really dont understand why he started doing it as he was litter trained but then for the next 10years went outside.! He is a lovely friendly healthy cat but he is driving me loopy with it

[cozietoesie]

Ah - how old is he? 11 ish? It's certainly odd going on top of the tank but has he been checked over for arthritis recently? Pooing in strange places is often one of the first signs.

[cozietoesie]

Here's some guidance on it. I know you said that he was healthy but arthritis is something that often goes undiagnosed. Do any of the other possible symptoms ring any bells?

[eatyouwithaspoon]

He actually has to jump higher to get on the tank and no of the symptoms sound like him really. He goes out to wee so I dont think its the weather putting him off (plus he does poop in the house in summer) I guess its just a weird horrid habbit he has got into

[cozietoesie]

Who can tell what strange associations they get in their minds - but certainly if you actually watch him pooing, you'll realize what a strain it is on the body, particularly the lower back and back legs. (That high squat.) I think it's still worth mentioning to the vet in case he had a particularly bad/painful poo one day and has that fixed in his thoughts somewhere.

(My own old boy started to poo in the odd strange place and his vet - who was very active for older animals - did some judicious poking and then decided to try him on arthritis meds and stool softeners given his age. (He takes them daily now.) He's had the very odd accident - once every two or three months, say - but basically no more problems with pooing. He never had a problem with peeing - just the poos - but I guess that that's physically much easier on him.)

Anyway - I'd get him a senior health check at the vet, I think. He's of an age for it.

When was he next due there?

[RoastedCatNuts]

If you only have one litter tray he might need a second one, some cats won't use the same one to poo in that they use to pee in.