feline behavior question

[cellio]

This is a new problem for me, but (I gather) old hat for some others. So, advice please?

Starting about a month ago, every couple days I have found a "deposit" (solid) on a particular section of carpet. (Usually this is in the morning.) When I say "section of carpet", I mean it's always within the same area of about two square feet. None of the cats seem to be having other litter-box issues and the placement is pretty consistent, so I'm guessing this is a behavior problem, not a continence problem. I haven't yet been able to determine which cat it is, but if we apply Occam's razor and assume it's just one, I can eliminate Erik based on the most recent incident, which happened tonight while he was with me.

In late November I had a visiting cat for about a week, and Baldur wasn't too happy about that. However, this problem began a month or so after that cat went home, so I don't know if that's related. (I found no evidence of marking/spraying while that cat was here.) There's been nothing else weird going on that I've noticed -- medical, dietary, behavioral.

I actually have two questions. One is about how to change this behavior, but the other is this: is there something I can and should do to that carpet to make it less of a target? If so, what? Or will doing that merely relocate the problem? Yeah, it's annoying, but at least I know where to look and it's not, say, on the couch. Placement could be worse.

Comments

[baron-steffan.livejournal.com]

The enzymatic cleaner is a good idea, since its always better (for human noses) to neutralize an odor than to introduce a new and potentially noxious one. But if that doesn't work, you might want to step over from neutrality to something the cat will find offensive, therefore discouraging it from "going" in that area again. The various dog/cat repellent sprays are all the same thing: 0.9% (if I recall correctly) of methyl nonyl ketone, so just grab whatever your local pet store has available.

Of course, the cat may just find a new site, but the idea is that she'll go back to the proper litter box.

It may be that she finds that box itself offensive, perhaps because it's been "marked" by the "guest" cat. Either thoroughly clean the litter box (eeew) or just buy a new one. (We use the disposable Kat Kits: they're wonderful).

[cellio]

Good idea. It's definitely time to replace at least one of the two boxes; I may as well do both.