Why does my cat pee and poop when my boyfriend approaches him?

Defecation outside the litterbox can be due to infection, constipation, difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Leo seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. It is also possible that Leo is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Leo’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com . Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is a frustrating thing and is very likely behavioral since it is both poop and urine. If it’s the exact same spot on the bed, the first thing I would try is getting a litter box for right on the bed where he goes. If he goes for that, awesome. Leave it there a few days (cleaning it daily of course) and then slowly start moving it toward the side of the bed, an inch or two each day. 

 This could be that he feels there is competition with another cat, has anxiety, cor some other thing that we may never figure out. 

 Spraying that area with products designed to get rid of the smell, rearranging the furniture, keeping th bedroom door shut at all times are also all tactics to try.

 Finally, speak to your vet about anti-anxiety/behavior modification medication which can help quite a bit with inappropriate elimination. 

 Best wishes to you and Jack.

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! Sometimes underlying medical conditions can become behavioral even after the medical condition is long gone. If Leo hasn't seen a Vet I recommend you take him in for a physical and to have his urine tested. A UTI or crystals in the urine can cause irritation and urgency to urinate. Also, Leo is not neutered. Intact male cats mark and inappropriately urinate more. If there is no underlying medical condition I would ask your Vet to prescribe an antianxiety medication like Prozac. Confine him for 2 weeks and clean the soiled areas well with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Put Feliway diffusers in his favorite nap places. When you let him out, keep the doors closed to the rooms he previously soiled in, keep clothes and bags off the floor, use shower curtains or aluminum foil (they don't like the feel on their feet) to cover beds or carpeting. Also environmental enrichment can help indoor cats. I've attached a few links below. I hope this helps! https://www.chewy.com/comfort-zone-feliway-cat-diffuser/dp/49006 https://www.chewy.com/natures-miracle-deep-cleaning-carpet/dp/42132 https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats

I'm so sorry that you are having such problems with Kitty. I am imagine how frustrating this is for you. Since these problems started with the move, stress may be playing a role. One option for decreasing stress is to add a Feliway Diffuser ( https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected ) to your house. This is a calming pheromone that will work for a month. I have also had luck with Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water. Hover, there are a large number of reasons that a cat will inappropriately urinate and defecate (urinate and defecate outside the litter box) and stress may be only one of the reasons. I am attaching a handout below which discusses this in detail. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 The first step in figuring out why a cat is urinating outside the litter box is to have your veterinarian do an examination and get a urine sample to evaluate for a medical reason. If that is normal, then we need to look at other possibilities. The handout above discusses litter box issues that can play a role. Make sure you have at least 2 litter boxes (if Kitty is the only cat), they are not covered or lined, and are cleaned daily. You may also want to try products like Cat Attract Litter (https://www.drelseys.com/shop/cat-attract/). If your veterinarian cannot find a medical reason and all litter box issues have been dealt with, then it may be time to discuss medication with your veterinarian. Medications are also discussed in the handout above. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that you can figure out what's going on with Kitty. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi there. Having Leo neutered may help alleviate some of these issues. Feliway pheromone diffusers are also sometimes helpful. They can send scents which calm our cats. Another idea would be medication for anxiety, as this is often at the root of our behavioral problems with our animals. Hope this helps!

Bonjour! Thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Defecating and urinating on the floor can be a sign of stress, yes. If there has been any changes in the household or your schedule recently, this could be due to stress. It can also be caused by certain medication conditions that will need to be ruled out and checked by your veterinarian. If you request a consult with me, we could talk further about Joconde's issue and explore what may be contributing to the development of the new behavior and next steps. Thanks for posting your question and I hope we can connect soon.

I’m sorry to hear you are dealing with that, I know how frustrating it is. She might have a health issue, such as a urinary tract infection, bladder stone, or an endocrine disease, or it may just be behavioral. Take her to your vet to have her examined, and have some lab work run to rule out a medical cause. If it is behavioral, there are things you can do to try to help. You may find this article helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/inappropriate-elimination-urination-defecation-spraying-in/ Before we call it behavioral, a medical condition should be ruled out. Thanks for asking PetCoach!