Not Using Litterbox

Question
Hi Tabbi,

I have two 6 month old kittens, which I have had for about two months now, after fostering them from the animal shelter for about a month. When they came to me, they already knew how to use the litterbox, and I have never had a problem with them up until about a week ago, when one of them started pooping on the carpet in the bathroom outside their box. At first I thought it might be because the litterbox was dirty, so I cleaned it, and they continued pooping on the carpet, so I believed perhaps it was because the smell of the poop was still in the carpet, so I threw out the carpet. I was away for the weekend, and there was no carpet in the bathroom, and when I came home, there was no litter except inside the litterbox -- that was yesterday, and I'd bought a new carpet while I was away. I put it down last night, and this morning, there was new poop on it. What can I do about this?

Answer
Rachel.

There is always a reason for a kitten pooping outside the litterbox.

My first guess would be worms or other intestinal parasite. Do not buy over the counter wormer because the worms are getting immune to it. Always get wormer from a vet because they have the latest products and can give you the correct dosage for the kitten's weight, and for the correct type of worm (their are numerous kinds).

You may want to try a bigger litterbox with deeper litter in it. As a kitten gets bigger he needs more room, and some kittens won't use a litterbox they THINK is too small because they don't want to get their paws 'dirty'.

It may have something to do with the texture or smell of carpet itself. Try it without carpet and see if it continues.

It could be an emotional issue stemming his experiences before you got the kittens and something triggered it.

That should give you some directions to go, plus I am including some  links to good articles about improper elimination that you may  find helpful: (copy and paste or type the whole links into your address bar)

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm

http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm

Tabbi