Over the last year my elderly cat has stopped burying her shit in the garden. Has anyone else had this problem? It didn't bother me at first but it attracts flies and I've now find myself covering it up with soil, raking over it on a daily basis to cover new turds and generally having to spend time on this which I'd rather not be spending.
Toilet training a geriatric cat
- Thread starter nosos
- Start date
weltweit
Well-Known Member
We have more trouble with Larry the Lad. He has taken to crapping on one side of our small parking area, in the grass. I try always to park on the other side but sometimes that isn't possible, because there is grass on the other side his shit is partly hidden, you have to watch your step.
I should badger his owner to clean up more often.
No one deserves to tread poo into their house
I should badger his owner to clean up more often.
No one deserves to tread poo into their house
That puts my problems in perspective
Shippou-Sensei
4:1:2.5
We had an elderly cat who got freaked out in the garden so decided to start shiting in the guest room we were using for storage.
We didn't find out for months. The whole carpet had to go.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
it's the very least many people deserveNo one deserves to tread poo into their house
shakespearegirl
just worked out taglines
Our Harry has started using his litter tray rather than the pot plants on the roof… it’s mega fucking hot her though, maybe that’s contributing to the situation. He’s also got very pushy over food and stile a chicken thigh off my plate last week… the vet is visiting today
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littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
When my old cat was very old - over 16 - he stayed indoors and used a litter tray. He stopped covering his poos after a while, and right near the end when he was 18, he'd stand inside the litter tray and poo over the side of it. 
Around the same time, he stopped licking himself clean and stopped scratching things to keep his claws short. He seemed no longer to care at all about anything to do with personal hygiene.
Old cats do lose their marbles, and that does seem often to involve poo routines and general cleanliness.
Around the same time, he stopped licking himself clean and stopped scratching things to keep his claws short. He seemed no longer to care at all about anything to do with personal hygiene. Old cats do lose their marbles, and that does seem often to involve poo routines and general cleanliness.
izz
Increased Leisure Citizen
How old is the cat nosos ? Its possible it's an age thing, or there may be another kitty in the neighbourhood, leading to marking behaviour. I like Callie's idea of prepping an area where she already shits and either flushing turds or burying in another area - but hey, perspective-wise, we have three cats, all of whom come in (from the whole of Somerset !) to shit in their trays and occasionally they synchronise their shits, presumably because they like to see us running round the house in disposal mode 
. I also like Thora's idea of an outside tray but if you're unused to tray duty you may not like it too much . Shit happens I'm afraid
I take it she pisses outside ? Any other signs of aging ?
. I also like Thora's idea of an outside tray but if you're unused to tray duty you may not like it too much . Shit happens I'm afraid I take it she pisses outside ? Any other signs of aging ?
shakespearegirl
just worked out taglines
Vet reckons it’s probably heat, thyroid and old age combined… did tests yesterday so we will get results next week..
Harry wasn’t happy about bloods being taken, but at least they came to us rather than the stress (mainly the husbands stress) of taking him there
Harry wasn’t happy about bloods being taken, but at least they came to us rather than the stress (mainly the husbands stress) of taking him there
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I've had indoor cats for 18 years and if I've been lucky they've gone in a litter tray and I've cleaned it out.
Jakey has always perched on the edge of the tray facing the wrong way when he does a shit though, so I have a bit of vinyl flooring on top of the carpet under the litter tray for easier cleanup.
He also used to have a habit of pissing on piles of fresh laundry or on our bed.
Whether shit in the garden is being buried or not seems like quite a lightweight cat excrement issue in all fairness
As others have suggested, it could be territorial marking, or it could be due to arthritis - a lot of cats when they get old get stiff toe joints and cannot retract their claws all the way, which can make it difficult to do certain things.
I think a dug area for her to go in so the soil is looser, or as others say a sandpit (not that orange builders sand, the stuff kiddies play in!) which would make it easier to bury due to a soft surface.
Jakey has always perched on the edge of the tray facing the wrong way when he does a shit though, so I have a bit of vinyl flooring on top of the carpet under the litter tray for easier cleanup.
He also used to have a habit of pissing on piles of fresh laundry or on our bed.
Whether shit in the garden is being buried or not seems like quite a lightweight cat excrement issue in all fairness
As others have suggested, it could be territorial marking, or it could be due to arthritis - a lot of cats when they get old get stiff toe joints and cannot retract their claws all the way, which can make it difficult to do certain things.
I think a dug area for her to go in so the soil is looser, or as others say a sandpit (not that orange builders sand, the stuff kiddies play in!) which would make it easier to bury due to a soft surface.
