Inappropriate soiling outside the box is indicitive of only two things:  Medical or Behavioral.  Once you rule out the medical by having your cat seen by a vet, then you can concentrate on the behavioral issues. 

Make notes as to where this behavior is happening, when it started (addition of another pet, family member, baby, recent move, changed brand or texture of litter, changed litterbox location, construction in neighborhood, barking dog in neighborhood).  After you figure out approximately when it started, then you can pretty much narrow down the cause.  If you are still stumped, here are some things I have learned over the years.  

Pooing outside the box is often a sign that the cat is sick, and will often happen when the cat has had painful bowel movements. The cat associates the pain with the litter box and becomes afraid to use the litter box to poo in. If you notice that the feces is hard and dry, try adding a little canned raw pumpkin to her diet or give a little hairball medicine on a daily basis until the stool becomes a little softer.

There are many cats who refuse to pee and poo in the same box. Simply adding a second box often solves this problem. (scoop both boxes daily).

Many cats will poo outside the box if they think the box is not clean enough. Just imagine yourself sitting and concentrating on a toilet full of poo....not a pleasant thought!  So, make sure you keep the litter box very clean (scoop daily).

For cats who poo just outside the box, this is often due to the box being too small for the cat so the cat stands in the box, but her bottom hangs over the edge.  Switching to an extra large box (such as a rubbermaid underbed storage container) will solve this problem.

She may be telling you that she just isn't comfortable with where you have the boxes right now. It is possible that if you put a second box in a completely different room, she may start using it instead of pooing where she is pooing. If the boxes are in a place where she feels vulnerable (laundry rooom, or garage) while she is having to sit and concentrate she won't use the box there. A quick pee in a scary spot isn't as uncomfortable as pooing in a scary spot, which takes longer and makes the cat feel more vulnerable. For some cats, they prefer their boxes to be out in the open so they can see the comings and goings of others...this way they can easily escape if they feel it is necessary. Other cats prefer hidden boxes where no one can see them while they are doing their thing. If the litter boxes are in a closet...this may be her way of telling you that at least one of them needs to be in a more open place. If this is the case, you can put it in a corner of a room and then surround the box with pretty house plants so that it isn't noticeable. Or vice versa; if the boxes are in an open spot, you might need to move one to a more hidden area.  In the wild, a cat is easily ambushed when it is doing its business.


Try putting a box where she is defecating, and if she starts using it regularly then you can work on moving it to your desired location. Move it 1-2 inches per day so she doesn't notice that it's moving. Little by little you'll get it to the place you like.

If a cat is pooing on a familiar object it is probably stress related. You then have to find out where the stress is coming from and eliminate it.

If they poo in the shower or bathtub, statistics have shown this is health related.  A vet visit is warranted and quickly.

What are you feeding your cat?  If it is cheap and not very nutritious the fumes could be noxic to your cat and therefore will make him go poo in an open area.

So what about Litter box liners - throw them out, they annoy most cats as they make noise and get caught in their claws.

Make sure that the litter box be far enough away from the cat's food and water.

A good rule of thumb:  have 1 more box than the total number of cats in the house.  Have a multi-level home? Use one box on each floor.

If using clumping litter, check between the pads of the feet for small balls of litter. If a cat steps in pee, then covers it, the litter can sometimes accumulate between the toes and can cause problems for the cat. Just like humans, walking on litter all day in our bare feet is very irritating. 

Is your cat happy with the litter? One way to tell; watch as he digs in it, the more he digs and the more the litter flies, the happier the cat is.