Cats defecate on the carpet when they get too stressed and can’t make it to the litter box. Health problems or a wrong litter box can also be a reason for defecating on the carpet.
What are the causes for my cat defecating on the carpet?
There are many different causes for your cat to become unclean and defecate on the carpet. Here we have listed the most important reasons why your cat defecates on the carpet:
- Your cat has too much stress
Cats are true creatures of habit and need their regular daily routine. If any external circumstances in their environment change, your cat may become stressed and defecate on your carpet. Stress in cats can be caused by moving to a new home and having a new family member. But new furniture or a new room spray can also make your cat uncomfortable. Likewise, loud noises from outside or the death of another pet can make cats uncomfortable.
Uncleanliness in your cat can also come from bullying from other cats, causing your cat to become stressed and anxious.
- Your cat has health problems
Behind defecating on your carpet, your cat may also have a medical condition. Many cats that develop uncleanliness have problems with their bladder or urethra. To rule out illness, you should seek veterinary advice and have your cat examined.
Old cats that become unclean often have dementia and forget where their toilet is.
- The litter box is not in order
Cats are very sensitive when it comes to their litter box. The litter tray should always be in a quiet place and preferably accessible from two sides. If your cat becomes unclean and defecates on the carpet, first check the litter tray. Check if there is enough cat litter left on the toilet and if the location of the toilet has changed. Also, if your cat defecates on the carpet, it may be due to a new litter or room spray at the litter box location.
- Your cat has only ever been an outdoor cat
If you’ve got a new cat that has only been outside and done its business there, you first have to teach your cat that it will have a litter tray in future. Put small portions of soil and sand from outside into the litter tray. This way your cat will recognise the scent from outside and can slowly get used to the new toilet.
- Your cat wants to mark its territory
Cats also set off certain scent marks when they defecate and thus mark their territory. If you don’t have a scratching post in your home, it could be because your cat has defecated on the carpet. By scratching on the scratching post, it marks its territory and you should definitely buy it.
What can I do if my cat has defecated on the carpet?
The most important thing is not to yell at your cat and let him retreat in peace. Observe your cat’s behaviour more closely over the next few days. If he eats less or is noticeably quiet, seek veterinary advice to rule out illness or other health problems.
To protect yourself against your cat’s next mess, you can cover sensitive areas such as the bed or sofa with aluminium foil. Cats don’t like to walk over anything that makes a loud rustling noise. You could also put the food bowl on the new carpet. Cats do not urinate near their food.
You should try to get rid of the smell at the urine or faeces site, as cats always like to do their business in the same place. A good cleaning agent is, for example, BactoDes Animal. We can recommend this product.
What is especially important with cat litter?
It is particularly important that the liquid is good and highly absorbent. It is also important how well and long-lasting the cat litter can bind odours so that it does not start to smell unpleasant.
It is also a great advantage if the wet litter clumps together and can therefore be removed from the litter tray more easily. There is also the advantage that only a small amount of cat litter needs to be refilled, which saves time and money.
The cat litter should not be perfumed or made of chemical agents, as cats have a very sensitive sense of smell.
Also, the carrying weight of the cat litter should not be too high so that it can be transported easily. Cat litter should ideally be made from sustainable raw materials and be biodegradable.
Why do cats bury their droppings?
Cats bury their droppings because they are afraid of predators. When a cat does its business in the wild, it knows that predators can detect the smell and thus become aware of it. Therefore, cats instinctively bury their droppings to protect themselves.
But cats also bury their droppings out of respect for higher-ranking cats. Thus, the droppings of the previous cat remain the strongest to smell.
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Summary – Cat defecates on carpet
There are several causes for your cat defecating on the carpet. For one thing, it could be due to the wrong litter box as well as a new cat litter or a health problem of your cat like cystitis. But also too much stress like moving house, new family member or new room spray can lead to uncleanliness in cats. Likewise, outdoor cats must first be trained to use the new litter box.
The most important thing is to leave your cat alone if he defecates on the carpet. Allow your cat to withdraw and have some time alone. If, in addition to uncleanliness, your cat eats less or shows other behaviour, seek veterinary advice. To get the smell out of the urine spot, you will need certain cleaning sprays that are available in pet shops.
To protect important areas such as the bed or sofa from messes, you could cover them with a cat blanket or aluminium foil.
Cat litter should always be highly absorbent and long lasting. It is also an advantage if the cat litter clumps when wet.
Cats bury their droppings out of fear of their predators. The smell of excrement would draw the attention of predators to your cat and your cat would be in danger.
But they also bury their droppings out of respect for higher-ranking cats, so the smell of the previous stronger cat remains.