Female cat pooping in shower after spay

by Anonymous

I spayed my female cat when she was about 10 months old. The first pee she took after her spay was in the litter box, but the first poop was in the shower.


She then sometimes used the litter box to poop in, and occasionally the shower. She always pees in the litter box. She never pooped somewhere else before the surgery.

I always clean the litter box, and I change the whole thing when the ammonia hits me.

I tried everything, leaving water in the shower, she pooped in the water.

I changed the litter type, she still pooped in the shower.

I put the litter box in the shower, she still pooped on and off in the actual shower cabin and not in the litter box.

This pooping situation is becoming more and more frequent.

Also, after her spay, she got really aggressive towards me to the point she attacks me out of nowhere although I play with her a lot with cat toys.

She is not aggressive towards my partner. She also started being very mean. She jumps everywhere, scratches everything, etc., although we give her the play time she needs.

She was very loving and calm and affectionate before the surgery.

The surgery went well. She healed completely. She doesn't have worms or any other medical issues.

It's been almost two months since her spay and it's getting worse and worse.

Please help.

My thoughts: I'm sorry to hear your cat is having problems.

In my experience, cats don't normally undergo major personality changes after spay or neuter procedures, but any trauma, such as a surgery, can cause a shift in behavior.

At first glance, though, it sounds like your cat has developed a preference for defecating on hard or smooth surfaces. This preference can
develop at any time and the reason isn't always known.

This may result in pooping in the shower, the tub, the sink, on tile, wood, cement or other hard or smooth surfaces. This is obviously in contrast to the usual sandy soil that most cats typically prefer.

Also, some cats prefer to pee in one box and poop in another. This preference can develop at any time as well.

If she heads for the shower to poop whenever there are clumps of pee in the box, it's likely that she's become a two-box kitty.

Adding another litter box is the clear fix for a cat that prefers two boxes. While it may have no effect if that is not the case here, adding another litter box is never a bad thing.

It's possible your cat developed constipation after the surgery, and may have continued to experience some intermittent constipation. This led to pain while pooping in the box and a desire to use a different location.

If she's still experiencing constipation, you'll want to address that with your vet.

If placing the litter box in the shower didn't get her to use it consistently, that would lead me to believe there is something she didn't like about the box or the litter.

In addition to adding a litter box, some people have had success with using Feliway. This may help to calm her a bit. It can be helpful to increase exercise levels as well, and make sure she's not under any stress from any other source.

I'd also make sure the litter box is squeaky clean all day and night, and I'd be sure to use the same litter she used to use regularly before the surgery.

I hope that helps and please keep us updated on her progress.
-Kurt

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Oct 30, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Location, location, location.
by: Kurt (Admin)

I'm glad to hear you're making some progress. That's good detective work.

Given this new information, it sounds like you've discovered your cat has a clear location preference. The next thing to pursue then, is what is it about the two locations that's different? Why does one spot make your cat happy and the other not so much?

Although I could be wrong, I have an idea.

I'm normally not a fan of using bathrooms as a litter box location. The thing about bathrooms is that they are usually one of the smaller spaces in the house, and they typically have only one entry/exit point.

While cats often love tight spaces, this may not work well for litter boxes. An ideal litter box location includes multiple escape routes. If a predator comes calling while you're doing your business, you want to be able to get away.

In a bathroom, you're trapped. From a cat's point of view, bathrooms may be good for hiding or finding small prey, but not so good for going to the bathroom. Ironic, I know.

Another thing about bathrooms is that they're usually busy places, and the door is sometimes closed. All of these things make them potentially problematic.

The best location for a litter box is typically a not-so-busy room, but one that is not too far away from where your cat normally spends time. Like Goldilocks and the beds, it has to be just right.

Something I am in favor of is giving cats a choice wherever possible. I prefer to leave it up to the cat to decide.

That being said, I realize the ideal situation for the cat may be difficult or impossible in some cases. It may be possible, however, to start in the living room and slowly change the location. I'm in favor of the advice given by the Dumb Friends League on moving litter boxes.

Per their advice, you never just pick up the box and move it to another spot. That might work for some cats and not cause any problems whatsoever, but it's like running with scissors.

Instead, you slowly move the box one inch each day to its new location, and I quote:

"When she has consistently used this box for at least one month, you may gradually move it to a more convenient location at a rate of an inch per day."

The pheromones may help make the transition easier.

I hope that helps.
Oct 30, 2017
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starstarstarstarstar 		Im back
by: Anonymous

I temporarily moved the litter box in the living room for a week, she used the litterbox constantly, not even once did she poop in another place.
Yesterday I put the litterbox back into the bathroom, and this morning there was a surprise in the shower cabin 😂😂😂😂
The two litter boxes doesnt exactly work either, she just uses one, and the shower.

We're going to try the pheromones.
She is not suffering from constipation and when I had the litter box in the living room, it was pretty clear she can still use it. Its just like the minute she sees the shower she goes bazookas.
I can't put a sliding door to the shower since we are renting

...

I will get back if there is any improvement in the near future. Till now is a work in progress.
If you have any other ideas, it would be much appreciated.

Thank you

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