Hiding feces is instinctual when it comes to cats. This is primarily because it allows them to ward off detection by predators. That means if your cat is frequently dragging stool out of its litter box, then there is a logical explanation behind it.
Pulling out poop from its litter box isn’t usual feline behavior. Cats are usually instinctively driven to bury their feces so their presence cannot be identified. However, they can do this when their health, litter tray, or home have become an issue.
Why Does Your Cat Poop Outside Of Your Bedroom?
Let’s explore various reasons your cat may decide to poop out of their litter boxes.
Mobility Problems
Perhaps your cat is elderly, obese, injured, or disabled? For any of these reasons, your pet might be tracking poop out of its litter tray accidentally.
And when your cat is defecating, it could get some mess on its fur, particularly if it has runny feces. If that cat has mobility problems, it might lack the flexibility to deal with the waste.
Specifically, overweight and arthritic cats will experience difficulties with this procedure. Long-haired cats might also have a hard time because they may get some stool in their butt fur and have difficulties cleaning it off as they age.
To fix this issue, help your pet groom. Try using an unscented wet wipe on the fur, while focusing on its butt. Cleaning off any stubborn mess that your pet has trouble reaching would also help.
Poor Habits
Cats usually learn litter box habits and grooming from their mothers while they are young.
If you have adopted a stray adult cat or kitten, you might require to teach them how to use the litter box correctly. So if your pet’s pooping outside of your bedroom, it might require some training so that it understands how to use the tray and the right location.
In case your cat isn’t covering its waste, it might step on it and track it around your house. In such a case, your cat might require some teaching on how to cover its stool.
You could do this by staying with it while using its litter box. Slowly take your pet’s paw and help it cover its waste once it’s done so that it learns the right procedure.
Marking Its Territory
Research shows that a cat’s feces consists of a pheromone used to detect the owner. Consequently, a cat uses its poop as a means of marking territory.
Cats usually do this with urine. Unfixed males are commonly known to spray walls. If they have been fixed, they might utilize poop as a marker.
Boredom & Attention-Seeking
If you have a bored cat that lacks suitable toys, it might get into its litter box.
It’ll then bat around some dried poop. Do you keep getting whole pieces of stool outside your bedroom? Then your cat is certainly bored and looking for ways to entertain itself.
Another reason your cat might start dragging feces out of its litter tray is if it’s looking for more attention from you. It’s smart enough to recognize that it’s bad behavior and that you will respond eventually.
So, ensure that your pet has lots of toys and lengthen its playtime.
Stressed
An anxious and stressed cat claiming an area can leave its stool uncovered to mark its territory.
Although these animals don’t have a set hierarchy, they’re protective of their resources and space. Leaving their poop uncovered is a safe, indirect method for stressed cats to exhibit dominance.
Other Reasons Your Cat Is Pooping Everywhere
There are also additional reasons that you keep finding cat poop outside of your bedroom. These include:
- Fecal incontinence. It causes the cat to spread a mess everywhere it goes.
- Not covering waste. It steps on it when leaving the litter box and tracks waste everywhere.
- Insufficient space. The cat’s litter box is too dirty or small.
- Feeling pain when going to the toilet. Cat experiences discomfort when using the litter box.
Let’s take a closer look at these different situations.
Cat Runs Out Box While Pooping
In case your cat never seems to finish and yet it leaves the box, it might be undergoing some discomfort. One of the most obvious signs is that your pet cries out after using the toilet.
A cat might feel too exposed when using its litter box because of a lack of privacy. Since the litter box might not feel safe for the cat, it will be in a hurry to finish its activity and leave the area.
If that’s the case, consider relocating the box to a much quieter, and private spot.
Cat Avoids Pooping In Litter Box
Perhaps your cat doesn’t like the litter box for various reasons, such as:
- Too dirty
- Too small
- Texture or scent of the litter
- Used by other cats
Cats won’t compromise in such scenarios. If there are no appropriate litter boxes present, pooping in your closet or outside your bedroom are acceptable alternatives.
Some of the ways you could prevent this include:
- Clean the litter tray routinely
- Larger litter box
- Replace the type of litter
- Extra litter boxes
Make sure you have more than one litter box per pet and always clean them afterward.
Cat Dropping Pieces of Poo
Do you keep finding small pieces of poop outside your bedroom or around your home? If so, your cat might be constipated. Because bowel movements would be painful in such a scenario, the cat poops whenever it can.
You will also realize that its waste is small and strangely shaped. Your pet might also have leaking anal glands or bowel incontinence, which causes the cat to pass waste unexpectedly and uncontrollably.
Why Does Your Cat Drag Its Butt on the Floor?
Your pet may drag its butt on the floor, commonly known as scooting and leave a mess everywhere.
Common reasons for cat scooting include:
- Poop stuck to the butt. Mostly, cats with mobility problems will have difficulties cleaning themselves.
- Anal gland issues. Irritated or infected glands, which makes them itchy.
- An itchy butt. It might be because of an uncomfortable growth or even worms.
You should visit a vet to examine your cat for worms, growths, or anal gland complications.
