Pooing on the Bed!

socalprincess · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:17 pm **Posts:** 89

I realize after browsing these forums that these elimination problems seem to be more common than I'd hoped.

So we've had 12 week old Orion for 4 full days now, and the first day we had no issues. He was very farty on the way home in the car, but seemed relaxed and bonded with me immediately...I assume the gas was related to stress. He used his litter box, several pees and two poos, with no problems (lid on). I noticed his stool seemed a little soft, and very stinky. We had him set up in the second bedroom, and I noticed by night time he was pretty much ready to be out of there by the first night.

On Day 2, when I arrived home from work to take him to the vet, he'd pooed on the bed in his room. I scooped his box, not too much in there, took and left the lid off, and after watching me do all this, he climbed in the box right after me and peed. Took the poo from the bed as a sample for the vet. Check up was good, clean bill of health, sent the fecal sample off to the lab and results are negative. We are having it tested for TR as well, just to be safe, we won't know the results of that test for another 5 days. Soaked the mattress and all bedding in Nature's Miracle and washed everything. Kitties have been sniffing under the door.

Day 3, arrived home from work, no additional accidents. Scooped his box immediately. He seemed like he was getting stir crazy in the bedroom so we let him out to explore, supervised of course because of Apollo (3yr old). Kitties had a friendly nose-sniffing introduction and some growling, but that's it. He fully checked out the main living areas, then after about 10 minutes, went inside a popup cube tunnel toy, and pooed! Right in front of us. We took him and the cube into the other room and put him and his poo in the litter box, and he started to bury it, then ran off. We tossed the tunnel toy. Later that night, at bedtime OH was getting into bed in Orion's room (we've been taking turns sleeping in there while kitties are segregated), and Orion jumped up on the bed and peed on it while OH was in it. Repeat of washing and Nature's Miracle, and I ended up sleeping in there that night.

Day 4, OH went home at lunchtime to check on him and he was fine, no accidents, but said he was meowing and wanted out of the room when he left to return to work. Came home from work, and he'd pooed on the bed. Repeat of washing and Nature's Miracle, but I'm realizing this is likely some sort of protest/behavioral thing. Duvet was in the hallway soaking before being taken to be washed, and 5 min after all this, he went over and pooed on it again! We put that poo and him in the litterbox, but he did NOT want anything to do with it, so we went and got Kitten Attract litter before dinner and gave him a new box in case it's the litter he is upset with, also left the lid off still. Both kitties had free (supervised) roam of the house last night and have been playing. They are good with each other now, playful and curious. Ate dinner side by side. Orion went into our room, and used Apollo's box (pee) later in the evening. So it's apparently not the litter that is bothering him. Kitties were together all night, and aside from the occasional play chasing, they were quiet.

Day 5 (this morning), we've decided to leave Orion out with access to the whole place today, in case it's being closed off that's upsetting him. After being up for an hour, I literally caught him mid-poop on OUR bed! I put him in Apollo's box as it was the closest to me, and he finished and then buried it, and I praised him like crazy. What in the world is going on? Is it just a change in environment? I hope to god he's not building a habit of this since the first day, and obviously if that's it we really need to break him of it quickly.

I ordered two feliway diffusers, one for each bedroom, and they will be arriving today. Any other thoughts? This is crazy, four other cats I've had and raised from kittens, and I've never had this problem!

*Holly*

brianj12 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 20, 2015 8:08 pm

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

Find out what type of litter pan and litter they had previously. When I got my two kittens they didn't use the hooded litter box I set up with pine pellets. After 24 hours I called their foster mom and asked what she used. They were accustomed to an open litter pan with low sides and Arm & Hammer clumping clay litter. I ran out and got exactly that and they both jumped in and went and went all evening long. The little angels held it for over 24 hours! I still feel bad about that. They must have looked at that ridiculous hooded box with the high entrance and pine pellets and wondered what the heck that was for.

socalprincess · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:17 pm **Posts:** 89

The breeder gave us 3 suggestions for litter, and one was the kitten attract which we tried last night. Like i said, he's fine peeing in the boxes, either his kitten one or Apollo's box with the same litter we'd initially started him on, and he pooed in his box twice the first day. I emailed the breeder asking for the specific litter he was used to.

It's odd. Apollo's box has a lid and scented litter, which he's happy with...and kitten has used his box for pee 3 times now. And he's used his own box, with no lid and the Kitten Attract, for pee. But since day 2 all the poos have taken place in the beds.

We will try to get him a second box and see if that helps as well. Do you suggest we space them out from each other? Side by side?

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Yes, unfortunately improper peeing and pooping are the #1 complaints with cat owners! And it's frustrating because you can't seem to put your finger on what's causing this. You want to stop it because it's inconvenient and a real pain to take care of washing bedding over and over again.

First of all, you've only had Orion a few days and adjusting to a new environment can be extremely stressful on a kitty! He's trying to get his bearings around your home and you have another cat who has a different smell! I don't think cat owners realize how overwhelming this can be on a new kitten. Some adjust better and faster than others.

By all means get another litter box. You really do need one for each cat and an extra one. Some kitties like covered boxes, others do not. Type of litter is important and location of the litter boxes is important, too. I don't know why someone would put three litter boxes side by side. Place them in various areas of your home and especially one where he is pooping. Sometimes you just have to try different things until you hit on what works.

Hope things get better for you soon.

Kyenta1 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:26 pm

I would be concerned that he has a medical or infective issue. You said he was "farty" on the trip home. Audible flatus from a cat is rare, in my experience. I have never heard a cat fart. It would take some physical process in his digestive tract to produce noticeable flatus.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I have heard a cat fart before! Usually once you pick up a new kitty, you should take it to a local vet for a complete checkup. This starts the medical history for the kitty (unless your breeder gave you one) and the kitty can be checked for parasites or anything that might have been brought home with him. It's more of a "safety" thing. And it can give you peace of mind that all is well with your kitty. That means they may do blood work, test the urine and poo, and just do an overall probe to make sure everything is fine. This gives them a baseline for any future visits.

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

My kittens had lingering bacterial imbalance when I got them and the one who had more issues would pass gas. They tested negative for parasites at the vet but it didn't clear up until a course of antibiotics. From what I read on here this is not uncommon with kittens.

socalprincess · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:17 pm **Posts:** 89

Thanks for the replies everyone! As I said, we took him for his initial checkup with the vet on the second day as soon as we could get him in (regardless of concern for medical issues, it was required by the breeder), and everything checked out fine. No TR, fecal test came back negative. Also, his flatulence wasn't audible, just smelly. We know it was him because well, it wasn't us!

He did seem to be itching his ears a bit, and they checked him for ear mites but negative, so he gave him antibiotics in case it was an ear infection. Based on CMYKjill's experience, I'm hopeful that the antibiotics will also clear up whatever may be causing him to pass gas.

I *think* we may have the pooing issue resolved! It took 3 full days of being home with him constantly (we were off on Friday) and literally following him around and watching for the signs to retrain on the litterbox, which the was advice the breeder gave us. He starts calling out and searching as soon as he's ready to go, so the first 2 times on Friday when we recognized the signs, we put him in the litterbox and he went. Since then, every time he's gone in there on his own and did his business. Today is our first day away at work, we'll see how he does with it without us there! Fingers crossed!

It's been a full week and both cats are getting on great with eachother!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Hopefully, you've "retrained" your kitty to poop in the litter box. I took another stool sample to the vet today because Raiden's poop is still "soft" at the very end. They found nothing!!! I've ordered a probiotic to give him daily and see if that helps. And I'm looking for a different type of food for him as well. Thankfully, he always uses the litter box. Let us know how your little one does now that you've returned to work.

socalprincess · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:17 pm **Posts:** 89

socalprincess · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:17 pm **Posts:** 89

Update on Orion:

Good news is he's pooing in all the right places, even after getting back to our normal work schedules!

Bad news is, we received final results back from the lab on the fecal sample today, and while he's negative for TF, he did come up positive for both Giardia and Clostridium Perfringens. Both can apparently cause both loose stool and the excessive/foul smelling flatulence. Hopefully the next 5-10 days of medication will take care of both issues and he'll be all good to go! He's not going to be happy about that though obviously!

I wonder if his calling out before/while he goes is due to discomfort he's feeling? I guess we won't know until his treatment is over and he's cleared of it, and it continues or doesn't...

brianj12 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 26, 2015 12:57 am

hennrywel · **Joined:** Mon Jul 27, 2015 7:56 am **Posts:** 40

You really do need one for each and an extra one. Some kitties like covered boxes, others do not. Type of litter is important and location of the litter boxes is important, too.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I have not changed Raiden's diet at all. The probiotic has worked and it's sprinkled over the food. The vet recommended continuing it and I found it on Amazon for half the price the vet was going to charge me. It's on its way. I asked the vet if they tested it for TF and I was asked, "what's that?" I haven't had the luck of watching Raiden poop the last two days. He covers it up so well and I can't really tell anything once it's a big clump of litter. The product I use is FortiFlora by Purina. It comes in individual packets, which makes it easy. I asked about a "jar" which would be even cheaper!

Pooing on the Bed!

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