What is startling my cat while she's trying to go to the toilet?

[CoalCraft]

13 month old spayed female, indoors only, had her since eight weeks and prior to this we've had no issues with toileting whatsoever. There's been no changes in the house or on her routine and there's no sign of illness nor other changes in behaviour.

So our cat normally has two litter trays, both used though one moreso than the other, I think just because it's in a part of the house she spends more time in. They're cleaned every morning and also whenever anything unpleasant is visible.

Over the last few days I noticed her repeatedly sprint out of the room with her main litter tray in, but didn't think much of it as she does still run around a lot playfully. I also noticed that she hadn't been burying her waste very thoroughly but again, she can just be a bit lazy with that sometimes. Then this morning I got a bit suspicious as there wasn't as much as usual in the litter tray as usual when I cleaned. Finally, this afternoon, I found where she'd been going; it was in the same room as the litter tray, just a few feet away partially on an old duvet that's destined for the tip later this week. Both kinds of waste.

I cleaned up all the mess and wiped down the whole area to try and remove the smells, shifted the duvet to the garage (where the cat can't go) and plopped down a spare litter tray near the spot. I then watched her like a hawk. Twice since then she's gone to her usual old litter try, started digging, then stopped suddenly, staring at the wall, and leaped out the tray with her tail lashing, clearly frightened by something and still staring directly at the wall next to the tray where, as far as I could tell, there was nothing at all. She then sauntered to the new litter tray just six feet or so away and used it quite happily.

I've since moved the original litter tray a few feet over, away from the offensive bit of wall, but has anyone got any idea of what could be bothering her?? It's the same wall, the same litter, same tray, nothing has changed, but something is startling her? DH wondered if it could have been her own shadow (wouldn't put it passed her), but that shouldn't have changed either so why is she only getting scared now??

Obviously want to nip this in the bud and am hoping the backup litter tray will do the job but would love to know what's upsetting her.

Sorry that ended up so long! Just wanted to give as much info as possible I guess!

No advice. But how bizarre!

Who knows with cats. One of mine recently decided that she wanted to go elsewhere, having gone in another spot for 6 years🤷‍♀️. I've put a tray in her desired new location, but have kept the other one where it's always been, just in case. Mind you, she got a fright today when I picked her up to check her corns, and peed down my right-hand-side😕

My cats have a tendency to suddenly leap in the air and dash off if there are any fleas about and they catch sight of one jumping at them.

Any chance it could be that?

My cat finds terror in an quiet empty room. Cats are just weird

Look up ‘feline hyperestesia’ on YouTube. Do her episodes look like that?
Bigcat has it, and your cats symptoms sound very similar. My cat would be washing her back and suddenly spring up and run as if she was being chased, she was also pooing outside the tray and seemed to be attracted to dd’s duvet. The explanation from the vet was that anything that stimulated the nerves in her back would cause her pain and she would feel the need to run away - ie. crouching down to poo hurt her so she ran and probably got to the point where she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
It took several vet visits to get a diagnosis because it’s not very well known. Once we saw a vet that recognised it she was put on gabapentin and she’s been perfect ever since. There aren’t any diagnostic tests for it but the videos on YouTube could be my cat - the attacks are very distinctive.

Not sure, but when our cat had a kidney stone he suddenly started doing the startled jump and run thing, and was peeing in odd places. The vet said if it starts to hurt when they try to pee they think the place they usually go might be causing the pain, hence going in off places. Perhaps it’s worth checking there not a urine infection or similar causing the issue.

*odd, not off!

Thanks all for your responses. The good news is that we've had no more "accidents", but she's still regularly going to the old litter box, starting to dig, then freaking out and running off, only to saunter back into the room and use the new tray. She also still stares at the wall... I'm genuinely wondering if we somehow have mice in the wall and the sound is scaring her!

Tempted to take the old litter tray away do she just has the new one... Thoughts?

@FlyingFlamingo @2022sucksalready Thanks both, interesting suggestions that I'll look into further. I will say that the times she's been startled have mostly been before she's started going, mostly while she's digging her little hole, so not really while she's in a particular crouching position. She's also been going perfectly happily in the new litter tray. Haven't seen her freak out at any other times either, only while in that one litter tray!

But nevertheless it could be a pain thing and she's come to think it's that spot causing pain. She does always look at the wall and do the angry tail thrash so I'm sure she thinks something's there, but maybe she's just getting a sensation like something's poked her.

It's really so strange. I can't get my head around it!

I suspect something spooked her while she was in that litter tray once and now she's just constantly on edge.

Have you checked the actual tray for any sharp edges or anything that could be hurting her or making her uncomfortable?

You should take her to the vet.

Could be a uti. Take her to the vets.