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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Cat pooed in the bath! Why???

24 replies

Bluesheep8 · 18/09/2019 17:41

Hi, just wondered if there were any suggestions as to this odd and new behaviour. Dcat is approx 12 (He was a rescue). Bit of background-I've always been out of the house during the day during the week as I work full time. DP has worked approx 70% from home during the day right he whole time Dcat has been with us (about 8 years). Very recently there's been a change in the house in that DP started a new job a week ago, which means that he too is out of the house during the day. When he was working from home, he never really saw Dcat who was asleep most of the time but did have the option to tell DP if he wanted to go out. Dcat has always had a litter tray which he uses during the night and if it's raining. Yesterday I arrived home to find a poo in the bath, same again tonight. Litter tray is unused downstairs. DP said to shut the bathroom door but if there has to be an upstairs poo, I'd rather it was visible!. Dcat has never done this before and I'm feeling really guilty thinking that it's a reaction to his routine changing. How to deal with this? Any experience? I'm thinking I will put his tray in the bathroom tomorrow.....

OP posts:
hormonesorDHbeingadick · 18/09/2019 17:41

My cat does this when he is poorly.

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 18/09/2019 17:43

Ah, hadn't thought of that...he's not showing any signs of being ill, is eating as much as ever and very much his normal self. Thanks for that suggestion

OP posts:
Dontcarewhatimdoing · 18/09/2019 17:48

Ours does that when she is stressed, usually if we are away longer than usual for any reason. I don't know how you stop it though.

Wolfiefan · 18/09/2019 17:49

Apparently older cats can find certain litter too sharp on their paws. Maybe try a different litter?

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 18/09/2019 17:56

Hmm that's interesting about the litter as he really really scratches and digs when he's going to do a poo and actually seems to have stopped buying wees altogether. I use catsan, could be that although I'm convinced he's annoyed with DP for being out too

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 18/09/2019 17:57

Well he has to express his disapproval somehow. Grin

Celticdawn5 · 18/09/2019 17:57

I agree it’s a stress reaction. I would hesitate to suggest a trip to the vet to check him over because of the further stress that will cause especially as he is eating and drinking normally.
He may settle in time and perhaps two litter trays ? One in bathroom and leave the other where he is used to seeing it. A change in cat littler is worth a try.

Celticdawn5 · 18/09/2019 18:02

Speaking from experience it was impossible to stop our elderly cats pooing and weeing once the habit was established.tried everything including laying aluminium foils in their ‘poo corner’. It’s meant to put them off but they just poo’d on it and we could hear the rustling.
We ended up tiling the whole of our downstairs as easier to clean.
Not particularly helpful to you though.

Crockof · 18/09/2019 18:05

Personally I wouldn't rock the boat, if he is happy pooing in the bath then let him get on with it, at least it's easy to clean. When mine got old he'd only poo or wee on beds or the sofa it was vile.

imnotinthemood · 18/09/2019 18:16

Our cat does it if she's stressed . When we had builders in and she hated it would frequently poo in the bath . The other time very rarely if she's desperate to go and not been out because of bad weather . My cat doesn't use litter tray .

Whoopstheregomyinsides · 18/09/2019 18:30

My old girl has started peeing and pooping putsie the tray. I’ve bought puppy pads which she’s wearing on now so I’m just accepting that- at least not much cleaning required and it saves the floor

lunaland · 18/09/2019 18:39

When we first brought our boy home he would go in the bath. I decided to try a bigger, high sided litter tray and that did the trick. Might be worth a try? Or you could try different cat litter or move the tray to somewhere quiet upstairs if possible. Maybe the bathroom if he likes it in there.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 18/09/2019 21:05

Our cat hates using the litter tray - she prefers to go outside, although we keep two trays in different rooms - and will always go in the bath as a preference if she is caught short. (It’s happened twice this year, during terrible weather, not a regular thing.) Much as I would rather she used the tray, it’s easy to clean. On the odd occasion she’s been sick, she’s gone into the bathroom then too. I think she’s pretty smart.

When we go away, MIL comes in to feed and fuss her, and we put one of the trays in the bath - she always uses the tray then.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 18/09/2019 21:10

Oh, we tried having one of the trays in the bathroom, and she wouldn’t use it.

It’s weird, tbh, because when we adopted her she was three and had been an indoor cat, and always used a litter tray. The minute we started letting her out she was like, nope to that. That was almost three years ago.

Cliffdonville · 18/09/2019 21:34

Our cat does this when she is upset, it happens with a change to routine, especially when we leave her with the cat sitter. She stops it as soon as normal service resumes!

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 19/09/2019 05:42

Thank you everyone. I think it must be the change of routine that's causing this behaviour then. Thing is, he never engaged that much when dp was working from home and slept most of the time. The problem is, this new routine is here to stay so hopefully he'll adjust and the difficulty is the DP couldn't just pick and choose a job that meant he could work from home. Another option could be to leave him out all day but I can't possibly do this as if another cat comes anywhere near the house he shrieks and howls and has got into fights on a number of occasions. Think I will get a 2nd litter tray and put it in the bathroom to see if that does the trick. Thanks again

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 19/09/2019 12:13

We had a cat that did this when she was poorly as well.
My parents cat pops in their shower when he's upset. (He's very highly strung!)

viccat · 19/09/2019 13:12

Can you not have a catflap fitted so he could have outdoor access still? I imagine it's a big change for him if he's used to going in and out whenever he wants to when someone is at home.

EarlyBird39 · 19/09/2019 13:17

Get a catflap. My cat started to do this when he was unable to access outdoors because we were not home. We got a catflap installed and once he had free access in and out it never happened again.

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 20/09/2019 05:41

Thank you everyone. I feel really guilty about it being such a bug change for him. Have thought about a cat flap but there is a cat round the corner who is always very keen to come into the garden (cue how long and fighting) and it would stress my boy even more if that cat came in through the cat flap (other cat is very brazen)

OP posts:
yearinyearout · 20/09/2019 06:12

Can't you get cat flaps that only your cat can get through by having something on their collar that unlocks it, or did I just dream that?

icarriedawatermelon81 · 20/09/2019 06:18

An outdoor catio for the daytime? Pretty cheap to buy materials for and make if your or OH are good at DIY and saves your house.

ExpletiveDelighted · 20/09/2019 06:35

You can get catflaps that have a battery operated catch which recognise your cats microchip and only let them in, ours works really well, its a Sureflap.

Original poster
Bluesheep8 · 20/09/2019 11:50

That's brilliant re microchip as he hates to wear a collar, thank you so much

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