cat problem advice needed

[liontamer]

Over the past week my cat has started to do potty outside her litter box.

She always does it in the same place: outside the door of the spare bedroom.

I've tried putting foil down, but she goes in front of the foil now. I can't foil my whole hallway.

Is this a neurotic issue, or a sign of health problems?

Suggestions?

here's a pic so you see her in a better light:

[demnan]

1. It could be either a mental or physical problem

do you have other pets? Could she be smelling something there from a previous owner or cat? Anything happen in the past few weeks? You could just put a litter box at the spot. I think I would try that. Buy a brand new one and fill it with fresh litter and set it there.

[liontamer]

4. There's been a lot of packing in the past couple of weeks

I don't know why that would stress her out excessively. but who knows.

[kaitykaity]

7. Cats. Hate. Change.

http://www.petalk.org/cats.html

"Cats hate change! Remember this the next time your cat inappropriately eliminates. Look at your calendar and see if anything different has happened in your cat's life that may have precipitated the naughty behavior."

[Eurobabe]

2. I would take her to the vet.

Cats don't pee outside the box unless there is a reason. Have them run a urinalysis to make sure nothing is wrong.

Change anything recently? New food, new litter?

[liontamer]

3. I'm taking her to vet

she's pooping not peeing. Her litter is slightly different(we use crystal litter, and we bought a different brand) but i think i'll take her to the vet just in case.

[RadicalMom]

8. Cats often do this just because of a change in the brand of litter

or litter box. Go back to the other litter before you spend more money.

[Lorien]

5. Try Feliway

if it's a stress issue, that may help.

[Princess Turandot]

6. Cats don't always like foil..do you have something plastic you..

could put down instead? You could pick up a cheap shower curtain and put that under the box.

It very well could be the packing. I think change in box habits regarding pooping tend to be emotional responses primarily. (As opposed to urinating inappropriately, which can be caused by a number of things, including physical troubles.) Awhile back, I re-arranged my bedroom furniture very differently from how it had been placed, which really disoriented my cats. Some of their hidey-holes were changed or gone, it was noisy, things were a bit chaotic mid-arrangement etc. The day after I was done, I was standing at my bathroom sink when Tsar Yuri padded in and jumped into the tub. He proceeded to poop while looking at me the entire time, then picked up his tail and jumped out of the tub.

It just as well that you are bringing her to the vet. Are you getting ready to move? If that's the case, if the packing has upset her, moving might be worse. Maybe you could talk to the vet abt getting some type of people medication that tranquilizes cats a bit, like elavil. I used that fairly successfully with one of my cats who suddenly became frightened by the other ones and started to hide all of the time.

[Eurobabe]

9. Bach's Rescue Remedy

Try it and see if it calms her down, I did not know that you were moving or packing. I thought she was piddling. Always good idea to take her to the vet, check for worms or something.

Cats are extremely fastidious animals, they don't poo or pee outside their box unless they are ill, or picking up on some kind of stress. Best of luck getting it figured out, and do try the Bach's I used it on my cats when we traveled and when we were getting settled. My little cat went ballistic on his brother when he entered the house the day after we got here. I think he forgot who he was?! After some Rescue Remedy they kissed and made up.