Why cats won’t bury their faeces: there’s a reason for the annoying behaviour

In the wild and within the four walls, cats will usually bury the contents of their litter box after they have done their business. But there are some cats who are perfectly happy to leave their droppings uncovered in the tray. Should we be worried about this habit that does not smell of roses for the owners? We investigated what might be behind the behaviour.

Covering faeces and urine is a habit that is based on the ancient instincts of cats. Once, in the wild, they needed this to prevent dangerous predators from finding them by following their scent. This instinct is also strong in indoor cats, and although there are no dangers within the four walls, they are more likely to bury the contents of their litterbox. However, there are cats who, despite these instincts, do not bother to use the litter tray properly – at least in the eyes of the owner. Let’s see what can cause this, why won’t cats cover their droppings.

They have not learned

Kittens are taught the correct way to go to the toilet by their mother. But you may find that the baby is separated from their mother too soon and therefore does not have the opportunity to learn from her. The responsibility of house training and litter training then falls to the owner. Instincts will come to the rescue, as it is usually enough to teach the kittens where to go to the toilet and they will do the burial themselves – but not always in the most efficient way.

Our cat, Lujzi, was tiny when she came to us. To this day she spends minutes scratching in the litter tray to cover her droppings, but most of the time she fails because she has poor aim.

Health reasons

Pain, illness or injury can also make it difficult for your cat to cover their feces. If the cat finds it painful to use the toilet, they will probably want to leave the litter tray as soon as possible because they associate it with discomfort. They can skip this step even if the scraping itself causes discomfort – for example if they have a joint problem or a paw injury.

Incorrect litter tray

If they are not happy with the litter tray, you can tell by the cat not covering their droppings. Using a litter box that is too small or too dirty is very uncomfortable for the animal, so they will leave as soon as possible after they have finished their work. In the worst case, the animal may also react to an inadequate litter tray by relieving themselves outside the tray.

Besides the size and cleanliness of the tray, it’s the placement of the tray is also important. For cats, doing their business is a very vulnerable situation. Therefore they are reluctant to do it in a busy part of their home. At the same time, they are not comfortable with a toilet in a very small, very secluded place, because they can feel trapped with no escape route.

Stress

This behaviour can also be caused by stress – even if the negative feeling has nothing to do with relieving themselves or the litter tray itself. If the animal has been using the litter regularly and there are no problems with their health, it is worth considering what changes have occurred recently that may have had a negative effect. Any stress factor can cause behavioural problems in pets, and sometimes this manifests itself in the leaving of faeces uncovered.

Territorial signalling

Very assertive cats will even leave their droppings uncovered in the wild, showing who is the boss of the house. The same behaviour can also occur between four walls – especially in households where several pets live under the same roof. A cat who considers themselves dominant may adopt this habit to let others know that they are the boss. The smell of excrement is one of the tools they use to consolidate their position of power.

How can you encourage your cat to cover?

The first and most important thing is to rule out the possibility of health problems by having a vet check. Then eliminate the possible stress sources, and if that doesn’t solve the problem, it’s probably the litter tray or its surroundings.

Try a new litter tray, a different (larger or lidless) litter tray, or maybe move the cat’s toilet to a new location. In our cat litter article, you’ll find all the information you need to choose the perfect products. Don’t expect instant results, of course – it takes time for your pet to get back into the right behaviour.

However, be prepared for the possibility that your cat will not cover their droppings later on. A dominant animal or a cat that has not learned how to do this is unlikely to change their ways. The only thing to do is to clean the toilet as soon as the smell hits you.