Do Cats Bury Their Poop Outside
Yes, and no. Cats that live outside full time are sometimes fastidious about burying their poop, just like well-trained indoor cats. However, other outdoor cats rarely bury their poop or have a poop area where they poop on hard surfaces like rocks or gravel over and over without burying.
There are a couple of reasons for this. Burying is potentially less critical in some habitats outside, both because there are more cats and other animals around and because theres a lot more space and territory around.
Poop might not be as big an indicator to predators and other animals your cat wants to avoid if your cat can go anywhere to poop.
Not burying poop but having a designated poop area can also work just as well as burying for hiding. After all, the scent is always there, so theres nothing very notable about a little fresh poop in the same spot.
Of course, cats worried about predators or that live somewhere theyre less comfortable are a little more likely to bury their poop than cats that are comfortable in their surroundings and havent met a predator.
They Never Learned How
Covering poop isnt always an instinctive behavior in cats, but a learned or modeled one. Cats who consistently leave their feces out and about may simply have never learned how to bury it. Many stray or outdoor cats leave their poop uncovered and kittens raised outside may think this is the normal way to deal with their deposits. Orphaned and bottle-raised kittens wont have their mother to model poop covering and could grow up leaving it out.
The Litter Box Might Not Have Enough Litter
Sometimes, when a litter box needs to be thoroughly cleaned, there might not be enough litter for the cat to bury its poop. If this happens too many times, your cat will get out of the habit of covering its leavings. While you may not like the sight of your cats poop, it doesnt bother your cat to leave it out in the open.
To keep your cat from getting lazy about covering its poop, make sure the litter box is scooped out daily, and that enough fresh litter gets replaced so that your cat has enough litter to bury the poop. Cats are very clean creatures and prefer clean litter boxes with enough clean litter to bury their poop.
You also might consider thoroughly cleaning your cats litter box at least once every two to three weeks to get the extra ammonia from the urine out of it.
Dispose of the used litter completely, then use dish soap and water and scrub the box clean. Completely rinse the box and wipe dry. Place new litter in the box. By replacing the litter every few weeks, you create an environment where your cat is ready and willing to bury their poop.
You May Like: How Do You Teach A Kitten Not To Bite
Teach Your Cat To Bury
If your cat has never buried her poop, it might be because she never learned from mamma kitty.1 Try sitting with her while she uses the litter box and then gently use her paws to cover the litter when she’s done. Give her treats when she does cover it. You can also use clicker training to “capture” the right movements and slowly encourage her over time.2
Burying Their Poop Helps Avoid Predators
Another big reason domesticated cats and other types of small cats bury their poop is to avoid notice from larger predators in the area.
Wolves, coyotes, cougars, and other large predators are all potential threats to smaller cats, which means that small domesticated cat-sized animals tend to work hard to go unnoticed by those predators.
That means burying their poop, leaving fewer scent markers, and not leaving many signs that theyre around.
Even if there arent any signs of a predator nearby, cats cant be sure there isnt some risk. So most cats will bury their poop most of the time, just in case.
Read Also: Is Blue Buffalo Good Cat Food
Why Does My Cat Scratch The Wall After Using The Litter Box
Your cat could be displaying a particular behaviour or making a statement about their dissatisfaction with their toilet facility: the tray might not be adequate in size they may prefer a different substrate, or they dislike the litter-liner.
Wall scratching may also be indicative of scent marking, however presumably during this instance refers to displeasure.
Cats That Arent Litterbox Trained
Kittens or cats who lack any training to use the litter box will still attempt to cover up their poop. Theyll use anything that it can move thats close enough to try to cover it up.
Theyll either do that, or uselessly paw around at the surrounding floor, or even scratch at a nearby wall. Even though theyre not accomplishing anything by doing this, its that instinctive drive to at least try something to cover it up.
However, if you happen to own a cat who believes that it is in charge of you and the household, it may be pooping outside of the cats box deliberately. If not outside the box, then it will leave the waste uncovered within the box.
In this case, the whole point is to let everyone know that its the boss, and its not afraid to show it.
Also Check: What Was Hp Lovecrafts Cats Name
Reasons Cats Dont Cover Their Poop
Elizabeth Gray
Everybody poops, its just a fact. Usually, we treat it as nothing more than a natural part of life, at least once we get past the age of diapers and immature jokes. But pet owners dont have the luxury of ignoring their animals poop. For example, litter box scooping is a daily chore that no cat owner enjoys but the alternative is a smelly house or, worse, your cat refusing the box altogether.
Suppose during your daily scooping, you notice your cat has stopped covering their poop, making the box extra messy and stinky. Do you wonder why that is? Here are seven reasons that cats dont cover their poop and some ideas for how to make them do it.
The Litter Box Is Not Conducive For Burying Poop
Cats can run into many issues with their litter boxes.
Lets start with the size. An ideal litter should be big enough to fit your cats body, and then some. It should have enough wiggle room for your cat to dig into the litter comfortably and find spots that have yet to be soiled.
If your litter box has a hood, that could be your problem. In general, cats prefer their litter boxes to be uncovered because its less likely to trap odor plus your cat feels more secure when its able to scan its environs.
What happens when the litter box isnt conducive for pooping and digging? You know the answer: your cat might not cover its poop.
How to rectify this:
Use an uncovered litter box that is sufficiently big for your cat. If your cat is of a large breed , look out for litter boxes meant for large cats like Maine Coons. Have a look at our article on that here. It shows you the perfect litter box and it doesn´t even cost much.
Don’t Miss: Is Baking Soda Bad For Cats
Reduce Stress And Anxiety
Certain things or situations can trigger stress in your cat which can cause them to not cover their poop.
Some of the things that can trigger this stress are, other cats wondering around, visitors in your home, and moving house. To help reduce stress, you can try using a calming diffuser which mimics pheromones.
You can also reduce stress by creating a thriving cat environment in your home which includes cat trees, towers, cat furniture, plenty of toys, and vertical and horizontal scratching posts.
Why Does My Cat Not Cover Her Poop
Most cats deposit their pee and poop in the litter box, cover it up, and theyre done. So why do some cats refuse to cover their poop?
There are a few different theories. The first step, as with any change in your cats behavior, is always to rule out a medical problem. This is especially important if your cat has previously buried her disposals, and all of a sudden stops doing so. If a cat experiences pain or discomfort during defecation, it could explain her desire to get away from the litter box as soon as possible. Painful or uncomfortable defecation could be the result of constipation, a blockage in the colon, or even a urinary tract problem.
If there are no medical issues, the problem may be behavioral.
In the wild, cats cover their stool to hide their trail so predators cant track them. One theory as to why cats dont cover is that indoor cats have figured out that this need no longer exists.
Another theory is that not covering their stool is the result of bad parenting, or no parenting. Some kittens just never learn to cover their waste.
The litter box itself may be an issue. If a cat doesnt like the location of the box, or the type of litter used, not covering may be her way of getting in and out of the box as quickly as possible.
Do you have a cat who doesnt cover her poop? How do you handle it?
Related reading:
You may also like
You May Like: Blue Buffalo Cat Food Weight Control
Could Not Covering Poop Be A Behavioral Issue
Primarily, it is behavioral, says Dr. Houpt, who has specialized in animal behavior for more than 30 years. But there could be several reasons behind it.
Lax cat parenting may be one culprit. Dr. Bain says that some cats never learn as kittens to cover their waste.
Another reason: Certain cats will not cover their waste because they prefer to eliminate in their own territory, Dr. Houpt explains, noting that even an indoor cat who’s lived in the same place for a long period of time still may not feel as though the home is truly her territory. Some experts feel that a dominant cat will not cover,” Dr. Houpt says. “The smell lets other cats know Im here.
For some felines, the litterbox itself can be an issue. It could be the ‘wrong’ kind of litter for that cat, or it may be too dirty, says Dr. Bain. “It may even be that the litterbox is too small for the cat to adequately turn around inside.
Dr. Houpt adds that a dislike for a certain type of litter can often lead to avoiding the box entirely. A cat who doesnt like the litter will often not dig before it eliminates, and she’s more likely to be a house-soiling cat, Dr. Houpt says. She doesnt like the feel of litter and prefers the feel of the rug.
Reasons That Your Cat Doesnt Cover Their Poop
One of the best things about owning cats is that they use litter boxes. With dogs, you have to walk around with doggy poop bags waiting for them to finish their business so that you can pick up their waste and dispose of it. Cat waste requires less physical handling because of litter boxes and poop scoops. There shouldnt be any need for you to pick up cat poop unless your cat has had an accident or has litter box aversion and is still learning to feel comfortable using them.
However, that doesnt mean that you wont experience some kitty litter issues throughout your cats life. When you find that your cat is leaving their poop uncovered, thats a sign that something isnt quite right. Cats naturally cover their poop theyre very clean creatures and they want their surroundings to be clean too. As such, weve gathered together some information on the common reasons that your domesticated cat might be having litter box problems:
Read Also: Bird’s Nest Fern Toxic To Cats
Why Doesnt My Cat Cover Their Excrement
You may find that your cat does not always bury their waste. In rare cases, this may be because they feel that they are the dominant animal in a household. Sometimes it happens because of an underlying health condition. For instance, stomach problems or urinary tract infections can contribute to a cat not covering their waste. Your cat may be going blind and cannot see its box clearly.
In older cats, arthritis may make it painful to use a litter box. Similarly, a cat that has recently been declawed or has a paw injury might find that spending time in a litter box or burying their waste hurts. For cats with arthritis or a paw injury, consider investing in a litter box that has at least one low side so they can easily enter and exit.
If The Problem Is The Litter Box
Make sure your cats litter box is big enough, kept clean, and filled with a litter they are comfortable using. Usually, a fragrance-free clumping litter is the best option, but every cat is different. Once you find a litter brand that your cat likes, keep using it to avoid any issues.
Litter box placement is another key factor in avoiding issues like not covering poop. Place your cats box in a quiet, safe location away from their food and water bowls.
Recommended Reading: Cat Drawings Realistic
What Wild Animals Bury Their Poop
4.2/5Cats
Correspondingly, do raccoons bury their poop?
Yes, raccoons have latrines. Raccoons have communal defecating sites called raccoon latrines where they deposit their feces and read the paper. Let me describe raccoon feces for you.
Beside above, what animal poops in my yard?
- Mice Poop. Mouse droppings are similar in size and shape to a grain of rice.
- Bat Poop. Bat feces, also known as guano, look like dark-colored grains of rice.
- Squirrel Poop. Squirrel droppings are cylindrical in shape with rounded edges.
- Coyote Poop.
- Snake Poop.
Similarly, you may ask, do dogs bury their poop?
This behavior is natural in dogs. They cover up their “waste” so that an enemy does not find them, from the scent of the poop or pee. It is an instinct handed down from wolves, who hid their scent by covering up their feces in leaves, sticks, soil, or other nearby natural materials.
Why do cats not cover their poop?
A cat may stop covering its poop because it’s marking its territory or dealing with a medical issue. It’s also possible that your cat does not agree with the litter box or the litter itself.
Your Cat Dislikes The Litter Box Or Something About It
Felines can’t talk, so they find ways to register their displeasure about certain things. This can include a litter box that they find uncomfortable to use. When selecting a litter box for your cat, you want to put some factors into consideration to ensure your cat uses it with no problem. For example, you should only buy litter boxes with enough room for your feline to comfortably turn around and bury its excreta after use. A small litter would discourage your cat from carrying out this activity. Another thing that could discourage your cat from using its litter box is filth. Cats are some of the most finicky animals and will avoid using a litter or spending extra time burying its poop if it is too dirty or hates the feel of the litter. If your cat does any of the above, you should consider changing the litter more frequently or get a different or better quality litter type.
Don’t Miss: What To Do If Your Cat Eats Chocolate
Wild Cats Dont Bury Their Poop
Cats both wild and domestic and humans do not share the same idea about poop in general.
To us, poop is gross and meant to be disposed of immediately, sooner if possible. To cats, and many other animals, poop is a form of communication.
Mountain lions, for example, only bury their poop under particular circumstances. Mostly, they build a little hill and then deposit their poop on top, for all the world to see and smell. According to Mountain Lion Foundation, cougars create scrapes little piles of dirt and leaves all over their home range, but especially at the borders or where one cats territory overlaps another. They pee and poop on top of the scrape. The poop-covered scrape is a smelly way for a male cougar to advertise his dominance and keep other cougars from trespassing. This, in turn, increases his chances of breeding with the local female cougars and decreases the chance that his cubs will be harmed by an intruding male.
Theres a whole chapter on Pheromones of Tiger and Other Big Cats in the Neurobiology of Chemical Communication that explains how big cats communicate through chemicals that they release into the environment in urine, feces, and other gland secretions. The great thing about unburied poop is that it sends a message that sticks around even when the animal has left the area. Poop pheromones might tell other cats about the age, health, and sexual status of the one who left it behind. This is important information in the cat world.
Cats Might Not Have Learned The Behavior From Their Mamas
Kittens that are separated from their mothers too soon, either by well-meaning cat parents giving away the kittens too soon or by a fatal accident in the wild, did not learn how to bury their poop.
Mother cats teach their kittens everything there is to know about cat life, including covering up their fecal matter.
If you want your cat to learn how to bury their poop, there are ways to teach them how to do it.
Just because your cat doesnt know how to bury their poop, it doesnt mean it cant be trained to do so. It takes patience and a firm and gentle hand to help your kitty learn this behavior. And because your cat wants to please you, it will try to get the message you are trying to teach.
Also Check: Short Haired Lps Cats