14 yr old cat quit using litterbox

Question
I have one cat and she had always used her litterbox.  About a year ago, she started leaving stool on the carpet-outside of the litterbox.  I have changed the box more frequently and also got a new box.  I put a piece of disposable carpet under it and she is now peeing and leaving stool on it.  She just looks at the litterbox.  What else can I do?  Is it her age?

Answer
Hello Lisa,
It could be her age, or just a bad habit she picked up. Since you only have one cat, it's probably not any problem using the litterbox itself as is often the case in multiple cat households. Two cats I have owned, once they reached the age of 13 or 14, began leaving their defecate on the carpet about a foot away from the litterbox, but usually they urinated in the box. I can't explain exactly why they did that, but they weren't related as I had one cat when I was only about 7 and the last one is still with me.

My recommendation is to look for special sprays that contain pheromones which tell the pets not to do their business wherever sprayed. You could spray it around the carpeting in your house or wherever needed, and your cat will hopefully return to using her box.

However, if it isn't just a bad habit and is directly related to her age, there may be a few ways to check. If her stool looks irregular (overly dry, small, etc.), it is likely due to her age. She may attempt to do her business in the box, and find that it doesn't happen until she leaves the box. I believe this is what my current cat experienced, although he had some health concerns along with his age, and is now on medication. Since we started his medication the defecating outside of his box has markedly decreased in occurrence.

If it's a big problem and you think it is probably just a habit she picked up, you could try the carpet sprays, or simply keep an eye on her and put her in the litter box when she attempts to go on the carpet. You can also make sure the cat sees the mess they made, then let them know it's wrong. Cats often understand what you are saying (more by tone than anything else), but by showing them their mess on the floor, it may be in context.

If it is due to age, there isn't too much you can do. Some litter boxes have ramps that help cats with joint problems, so getting into the litter box itself is not a difficult ordeal. Anyways, I hope one of these suggestions works, and I wish you and your cat the best.