Why Did My Cat Randomly Poop On The Floor? [ Answered ]

Cats are complex creatures, and their behaviors depend much on internal factors as on external situational components.

But did you know that just like you, your cat isn’t fond of the litter box too?

Don’t believe us? Let us help you understand it better with this example.

Imagine you are a cat, and someone forces you to poop in a box that is full of litter. Weird.

It is exactly how your cat feels. The good news is it does find a way around sticking to the litter box.

You need to be patient with it and introduce the litter box gradually over time.

However, there are also instances where your cat may continue to rebel and poop outside despite all your measures.

So if your question, ‘Why does my cat randomly poop on the floor bothers you, this article is for you.

Why Did My Cat Randomly Poop On The Floor?

There may be various reasons behind your cat pooping outside its litter box. While some of it is behavioral, it can also be due to physical ailments.

The best way to find the actual reason is to break down all the responsible factors and effectively treat them.

I would, however, like to mention that cats do not tend to poop elsewhere to create trouble.

What are the reasons for my cat pooping on the floor?

As we said before, cats have a complex nature, and breaking down all their behaviors can be difficult.

Sometimes it can be true that your cat is a troublemaker and pooping on the floor to create a mess for you.

But in most cases, that’s far from the truth. Your cat may suffer from a minor inconvenience or have a serious health concern.

Whatever the case, we list some of the most common reasons for this behavior.

We hope you find it helpful.

1. Your Cat Was An Outdoor Cat

If your cat was at first an outdoor cat and then you bring it home, chances are that you will have to litter train it.

It is because outdoor cats are not used to defecating in a single place.

But the good news is, with a little bit of patience and training, you can fix this problem.

All you need to do is keep the litter box in a safe space, far from the presence of the humans in the household.

2. There Is A Scarcity Of Litter Boxes In The House

We know that they love their privacy and require the same during defecation.

So if your cat is suddenly pooping in the house, chances are it wants to mark its territory.

You put yourself in a mess when you do not allow individual litter boxes for cats.

It can be that your house is a multi-cat household, and there is a scarcity of litter boxes.

The best way to avoid this is by allocating individual boxes to each cat and keeping one extra.

3. Your Cat Has Territorial Issues 

Cats are territorial.

So when you bring another cat home, your old cat tends to defecate outside the litter box.

It shows the new cat that the house belongs to him and he should be submissive to him.

But it is not always restrictive to bring a cat home, but it can also happen due to sudden visits from stray cats.

4. Your Cat Is Scared

When a cat fears something happening in the household, it may lead to defecating everywhere.

Chances are that your cat is sensing a threat and is trying to warn you.

Fear is one of the early stages of stress.

If treated on time, it is temporary and curable.

An interesting fact is that this is not common in older cats.

You can only find kittens littering in odd places.

5. Your Cat Does Not Like The Existing Litter Box

Cats also have litter box preferences as they are quite picky and private.

There are two things to remember while deciding on a litter box and where to place it.

Cats pay as much attention to privacy as they do to details.

Hence, the kind of litter in the box, as well as the location of the box, are equally important.

Proper hygiene and cleanliness are also missing from the litter box.

If that’s not the case, try changing the kind of litter and the box material.

Sometimes, your cat may also suffer from litter box aversion.

But with care and patience, you can bring it back to a routine.

6. You Have A Kitten

Unlike puppies, you do not have to sit and train kittens on where to defecate.

They miss out on litter boxes initially, but with time and habit, they can navigate through them.

You must remember that the litter box should be within the kitten’s reach.

It should be up for each with minimal or no effort.

Please remember that your kitten is small and is still in the learning phase.

You may still have to clean the mess in the household.

How Do I Stop My Cat From Pooping On The Floor?

Nobody likes extra trouble, especially when one can easily regulate it. You need to be strict with your cat and give it proper litter training.

But if this behavior is due to an underlying medical condition, you need to treat it properly.

Here are a few ways to help you get started with the process.

1. Fix a Proper Cleaning Schedule For Your Litter Boxes

Cats are fussy creatures and are very particular about their litter boxes.

So, if the litter box is dirty, it will likely not poop there.

The solution to this problem is simple.

Clean the litter box regularly and give your cat a clean place to poop.

It is important to note that cats have a high sensory response. Hence they are sensitive to smell.

It means that your task includes reducing the smell from the litter box as much as it is about cleaning.

You can do it easily if you scrub the box once every week.

2. Offer Your Cat Multiple Litter Boxes

This method is perfect for you if you are a new cat parent and are discovering what kind of litter box your cat prefers.

It is also helpful in houses with more than one cat, as cats are territorial creatures.

So when you offer multiple litter boxes to your cat, you spoil it with privacy. It enables each cat to have its private litter box and reinforces its territorial nature.

3. Clean Any Place Where The Cat Accidently Has Pooped In The Past

Cats have strong olfactory sensibility, making it crucial to clean up their mess instantly.

Not to mention that animals have the natural tendency to mark their territory.

And surprisingly, most of them do it by pooping, peeing, or creating destruction in a specific area.

When you clean the poop on a priority basis, you stop the smell from lingering, leading your cat back to the spot.

4. Consult A Vet To Be Safe

We, as cat parents, are not vets, and it will be a dumb move not to consult a professional.

We urge you to consult a vet if you suspect any underlying disease.

The more you delay, the more difficult it gets to treat the condition.

However, if you treat health concerns on time, there is nothing to worry about here!

5. Look For A Different Place To Keep The Litter Box

As weird as it may sound, this is a valid reason for your cat’s sudden behavior change.

We are certain that there have been situations wherein you keep the litter box in a specific room, but your cat keeps going to a different room to poop.

In such cases, we advise you to keep the litter box in the room your cat has been pooping. Sometimes relocation is the key to all your problems!

Another way is not to allow your cat to poop outside the litter box.

But you must ensure that you do not keep food or water bowls nearby.

6. Pay Close Attention To Your Cat’s Mental Health

Stress, fear, and anxiety can also be responsible for your cat’s sudden change in litter habits.

To ensure your cat’s mental health is at its best, we advise you to monitor their behavior closely.

All these mental conditions come with symptoms, and you can easily detect them.

It can be that your cat is scared due to a new member in the house.

Or internal health conflicts may make it poop on the floor.

How Do I understand if it’s a hairball or a cat poop?

A lot of cat parents fail to distinguish a hairball from cat poop.

It is common because both things are similar in appearance – in terms of shape or color.

So what are hairballs? These are cylinder-shaped excretions that come from a cat’s digestive tract.

Don’t worry! It is normal for your cats to give out hairballs, which is part of their grooming routine.

And if you are a cat parent, I am sure you can see it everywhere in the house.

Be it on your carpet, couch, or floor – hairballs always tend to find their way to you.

Conclusion

There are many reasons behind your cat pooping outside its litter box.

While we know how it can be tiresome and daunting to clean all the mess, we advise you to take some time to understand your cat’s behavior.

It will help to detect if there is an actual cause for worry or if it was just a minor inconvenience.

However, if your cat continues to poop on the floor, despite trying out everything in control – consult a vet!