My rug is not a toilet!

Someone sent this to my box and for cat owners, this could be a problem solved for you……My 6 yr. old female cat has begun defecating occasionally on throw rugs within a few feet of her covered litter box! The litter box is not new and she will do this even when the box has been freshly cleaned. HELP!

Your cat is doing one of three things:

• She either objects to something in the litter tray (this may have been something that happened in the past and is now simply an association).
• There is an outside disturbance and your is marking her territory/ relieving anxiety (more likely to be the case if this is happening near a window or door).
• She prefers the carpet substrate.

You need to clean up your rugs thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner. It might also be preferable to remove the rugs for a while, if possible. If not, use deterrents such as citrus skins laid over the rugs. If you suspect another cat in the vicinity, close all window blinds to prevent your cat seeing the other one and have a word with the cats’ owners.

Replace your litter trays with new ones, preferably of a different size. I like to encourage owners to buy bigger ones than the typical small ones available in most stores. Make sure you are using a deep layer of litter and cleaning it often. When all else fails, some owners have had success in getting their cats back into the litter tray by placing off cut of carpet in there! With time, you can sprinkle litter over the carpet and gradually increase this until the cat learns that this is the best substrate for toileting.