[Tom706]

Hi, my cat has started going to the toilet inside, not spraying, but pooing and weeing. He has always been good, but has just started doing it. We have had a dog for about a year and he is scared of her but she is fenced off so he can go outside. Please help me because my dad is threatening to get rid of him.

[morgaine300]

Do you have a litter box?

It sounds like you're expecting your cat to be a dog and let you know when he needs to go out. You didn't say he was suddenly going outside his box or in inappropriate places. You're saying he's going "inside" as though that's bad behavior.

I've never known of any cat to always go outside and never use a litter box inside, even one that stays outside a lot. There always need to be a litter box inside. And they will quite naturally use it, unless there is some problem.

[simoneaugie]

If your cat normally goes outside to do his business, and has started up going inside, a litter box may quickly solve the problem. My cats have litter boxes available to them. When it rains the boxes get full fast. If there is a new threat, or something that scares them, the box is used more too.

Cats really like litter boxes, especially when they're clean. I hope you get to keep your cat.

[Tom706]

Hi, thanks for your answers. Just to clarify, there is a cat door where he can go outside to an area where the dog is not, but I think he is just scared to go outside sometimes. My parents think he is just being lazy but I don't think so. We have 2 other cats, who are fine, but we have never had a litter box (apart from when they were kittens). The other 2 always go outside, but aren't scared of the dog. I think I will have to try to convince my parents to get a litter box. Thanks again for your help! Hopefully I can get him to stop going on the carpet.

[Tom706]

Also, the dog never comes inside, so a litter box is a really good idea.

[morgaine300]

It should take very little to "convince" your parents to get a litter box. It's not like they cost a lot, and if he usually goes outside, you won't spend much on litter either. If they are not willing to even have a litter box, they shouldn't have cats. That's just a basic necessity, like you having a bathroom in your house. Blame it on the cat because they don't have a little box? It's not the cat's fault. In fact, I really have to wonder about that attitude that he's just being lazy. Cats don't go in inappropriate places because they're lazy -- they do it for a reason. Cats actually prefer to go in dirt or sand or the like. Sounds like they know very little about cats.

[Kati-Katt]

Maybe he /she is having diet problems or bad eating habbits and can't control where he/she goes to the washroom.

[Tom706]

Thanks for your help morgaine, I think its my parents who are being lazy, not the cat. The problem is I have moved out and live in a different city and don't have any room for a cat (my flatmate already has 3) so I can't take him, and they say if I want him, I can take him. They are the ones having to clean up the mess. But I totally agree with you, cleaning out a litter box is much easier than cleaning the carpet or getting rid of the cat. Thanks heaps for you help, I'm going to tell them what you guys have told me.

[morgaine300]

Oh, that's a bummer situation. I can remember once when I moved and couldn't take my cat. The cat had been in this huge house (relatively speaking), and was an outdoor cat. And I was moving into this tiny apartment and we couldn't let pets outside. She just couldn't adjust to that. My parents didn't particularly like her -- she puked a lot (I could probably solve that now, but knew nothing about nutrition then), and she could get nasty and was always scratching my mom. I knew there were going to be issues having to leave her behind, and eventually they had her put the sleep just cause they didn't want her anymore.

At least your issue should be easy to solve. Good luck.

[Tom706]

That's really sad, my parents don't particularly like my cat either. Im really hoping I can avoid that situation though. Trying my best. Thanks heaps, you have been really helpful.