Please Help! My Cat won't do number 2 in her litter box

I got my cat in November from a family member who left her home a lone on a regular basis for several days at a time. She adjusted well into my house and loved the attention and consistency of someone being around every evening. However, I had surgery at the end of January and was home for several weeks straight. When I went back to work I noticed she was pulling her hair out (She had previously done this before and the vet my family member had taken her to stated it was because she was stressed out due to being alone too much, which is why I took her.) So I took her back to the same vet and she checked her out, told me she was over weight and to change her to a weight management food and gave me a medication that would make her less stressed out. The medicine worked for the hair pulling out and I did change the food. I thought the food had made her sick as she stated to get loose stools so I had changed it back to her regular food. I have a fully finished basement with no furniture in it and I rarely go into the basement and I had to go down to switch a circuit breaker and noticed she had gotten sick and did number two all over my basement. I cleaned everything had the carpets steamed and she was feeling better but would not use her litter box unless I had something blocking the basement (There is no door.) The next time she snuck into the basement I noticed her deposits for me did not look ok and called the vet. They did an examination of the stool and said she had tape worm and gave me medication. The medication seemed to make her feel better and then I went out of town for a wedding and was gone for two nights but my roommate was here all weekend and she said the cat was happy, slept with her every night, and did not seem stressed out. However, she still is breaking into the basement instead of using her box for number two. She uses it for number one... I am beginning to think this is not a health problem but a behavior problem. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get her to use her litter box for both number one and two??

How many litter boxes do you have for her? Sounds funny but some cats want separate boxes for their business. Pee in one only and poo
in the other.

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Originally Posted by lizbud

How many litter boxes do you have for her? Sounds funny but some cats want separate boxes for their business. Pee in one only and poo
in the other.

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Mine have done that from time to time. Chessie did it the most. He'd do a #1 downstairs, bury it, and then go tearing upstairs for a #2.

She may prefer the darkness of the basement for #2, especially as that's where she went when she was not feeling well. any chance or harm in just leaving that door open just enough for her to get in and out, and putting an extra box down there?

Pinot will, on occasion, tell us her bathroom is below standard and poop in the middle of the oriental (in the downstairs rec room where her box is). She will also poop where ever she is (downstairs usually) if she's not well. It seems you have at least one of these situations with your kitty. I don't know the condition of the box, but the kitty has not been feeling well and sometimes they can't control where they go (especially if there is a loose stool situation). If she has all health problems clear and the box is cleaned on a regular basis, by all means, give her another one.