# Cleaning semiliquid cat shit out of a white carpet **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930 "2005-10-19T16:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/1 "2005-10-19T16:36:26Z")
Is there anything more rewarding? Stupid fucking cat. Is there any reliable way to get a kitten to use the litter box if she’s disinclined to do so? I’d hate to get rid of her, but if she doesn’t straighten up, out she goes. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/2 "2005-10-19T16:53:24Z")
What kind of litter are you using? Where is the litter box? Is it too high for her to get into? Try another litter box in a different place, and try changing brands of litter. My cats, for example, will not use the highly scented brands, but use pine pellet stable bedding without a problem. Many people put the litterbox in the bathroom, and one of my cats hates the sound of running water, so he wouldn’t use that box. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/3 "2005-10-19T17:02:56Z")
The litter boxes are in the laundry room. My other three cats don’t have a problem with the boxes or the litter, and all the boxes are of the low-sided variety. When I first brought the little one home (another stray,) I kept her isolated for a few days at the vet’s suggestion with food, a litter box (the same stuff the others use,) etc. She didn’t have a problem using the litter then. I hate to be, well, an ogre, but I can’t have a kitten fucking up the carpet in this rental house. If she can’t learn to poo properly, I’ll get rid of her without a glance backward. I’ll take her to a no-kill shelter, but I can’t have her around stinking up the joint. It’d be a shame, since she’s so cute… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/4 "2005-10-19T17:10:02Z")
Cat shit shouldn’t be semiliquid. If she’s got diarrhea, it’s not really her fault if she can’t make it all the way to the litterbox. Take her to the vet. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/5 "2005-10-19T17:14:30Z")
Have you had your vet check her out? Semiliquid doesn’t sound normal for cat poo, at least not to me (IANAV, but I do clean the Neville kitties’ litter box). She might have worms or something like that, which would make it hard for her to hold it in until she gets to the litter box. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/6 "2005-10-19T17:17:24Z")
Been there, done that. Apparently, “cat with diarrhea” is synonymous with “my worst nightmare” to a vet. It can be difficult to impossible to treat, and some cats simply _have_ diarrhea, in spite of anything that can be done. We’ve already been through a couple of diet changes and one round of antiparasitic drugs. We’ve gotten her from “perpetually leaky anus, and leaving liquid poo spots everywhere” to “mostly solid, but still pasty feces.” Pleasant stuff. And she has no problem making it to her box. If she can consistently shit in a single spot on the carpet (behind my computer,) she can make it to her box. ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/7 "2005-10-19T17:19:23Z")
Maybe the kitten is confused since moving the litter box to another room. Try putting her in the box and move her front paws in the litter to “help” her a little. Also, if you see her getting ready to squat, immediately pick her up and put her in a litter pan. Cats can be very finicky though, the smallest change that’s not up to “their desires” can cause these kinds of “conflicts”. If you still have trouble, I suggest Spot Shot. It has taken out so many stains in our house: pet urine, red juice, misc spills from food and condiments. The key is to get to it quickly and remove any solids before spraying, if there’s any remaining stain, mark, or scent - it is a life-saver. The few accidents like these in our house are saturated with warm water to loosen up any dried solids, gently scrape off solids (use gloves and a tool), blot as much of the liquid as you can with dry paper towels (or misc. work rags laying around), then spray with Spot Shot. You can sit there and watch the stain disappear in seconds. Pretty amazing stuff. Good luck and she’ll catch on. Some are slower than others, don’t give up on her just yet. Maybe your vet will have some suggestions for you. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/8 "2005-10-19T17:19:44Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > It can be difficult to impossible to treat, and some cats simply _have_ diarrhea, in spite of anything that can be done. Cop out. Time for a second opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Arwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Arwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwin)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/9 "2005-10-19T17:20:53Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Been there, done that. Apparently, “cat with diarrhea” is synonymous with “my worst nightmare” to a vet. It can be difficult to impossible to treat, and some cats simply _have_ diarrhea, in spite of anything that can be done. We’ve already been through a couple of diet changes and one round of antiparasitic drugs. We’ve gotten her from “perpetually leaky anus, and leaving liquid poo spots everywhere” to “mostly solid, but still pasty feces.” > > Pleasant stuff. > > And she has no problem making it to her box. If she can consistently shit in a single spot on the carpet (behind my computer,) she can make it to her box. Apart from any medical problems (change of diet in itself is bad for cats, they should eat the same as much as possible as their stomach specialises itself towards certain food types), excrements are used as markers just as scratching and rubbing. Try putting a litterbox at that exact spot for a while, and then move it later and see if she follows it. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/10 "2005-10-19T17:22:18Z")
She’s been dewormed. We went through one round of it, then I found a segment of tapeworm in her poo (she had flea problems, and one probably transmitted a tapeworm egg after the initial deworming.) I took her back, got her treated again, and put her on an antiparasitic to take care of your various pseudomonas, giardias, etc. The only thing has seemed to help the consistency of her poo is putting her on Iam’s Hairball food. The vet suggested this (not Science Diet, not Purina, only Iam’s works, for some reason,) and it has improved things a bit. If she’s just a diarrheic kitty, that’s fine. But she MUST learn to shit in the proper place. That’ll be the deal-breaker. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/11 "2005-10-19T17:23:32Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Cop out. Time for a second opinion. Been there also. Got the same answer from another vet. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/12 "2005-10-19T17:29:14Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > And she has no problem making it to her box. If she can consistently shit in a single spot on the carpet (behind my computer,) she can make it to her box. Are you using some product like Nature’s Miracle to get the smell out of the spot on the carpet where she’s going? Cats have a better sense of smell than humans, and if she can still smell the poo there, she might think that’s where she’s supposed to go. If possible, you might want to try putting a food dish there- cats normally won’t eliminate where they eat. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/13 "2005-10-19T17:29:23Z")
> [@Arwin](#): > > Apart from any medical problems (change of diet in itself is bad for cats, they should eat the same as much as possible as their stomach specialises itself towards certain food types), excrements are used as markers just as scratching and rubbing. > > Try putting a litterbox at that exact spot for a while, and then move it later and see if she follows it. As I mentioned, it’s in a small space behind my computer. I think I’ll try blocking her out of there. The trouble is that she’s so small, she can shit in any tiny space. Hell, I’d almost rather have her shitting on the front door rug, like she did the first time I brought her home. At least I can get to it there. > [@](#): > > If you still have trouble, I suggest Spot Shot. I’ve been using Resolve and an enzymatic odor remover. Where do you get Spot Shot? I’ve never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/14 "2005-10-19T17:31:48Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > Are you using some product like Nature’s Miracle to get the smell out of the spot on the carpet where she’s going? Cats have a better sense of smell than humans, and if she can still smell the poo there, she might think that’s where she’s supposed to go. > > If possible, you might want to try putting a food dish there- cats normally won’t eliminate where they eat. I’m using a product called Out. It is an enzyme solution that is supposed to eliminate pet odors completely. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/15 "2005-10-19T17:39:04Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Been there also. Got the same answer from another vet. Then it’s time for a third opinion, ideally with an internal medicine specialist. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/16 "2005-10-19T17:46:10Z")
You might try moving a food bowl to where she keeps pooping. Cats won’t poop where they eat. My cat went through a “let’s pee on the mattress” phase, and sticking a food bowl there for a week fixed it. ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/17 "2005-10-19T17:51:05Z")
So sorry for your problem. I hope the poor thing wises up. No one likes the boot. ☹ I went through it with a 100lb dog (who drank a _lot_ of water) so I can sympathize with the scrubbing. ---
**Author:** ![Obsidian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@Obsidian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obsidian)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/18 "2005-10-19T18:00:57Z")
A thought: Are your boxes covered or uncovered? Everyone who’s going to tell you they know anything about cat behavior is going to tell you cats HATE covered boxes. (If they’re covered, you could try uncovering them) However, I’ve got one that prefers a covered box. He’s very shy and gets knocked around by the other cats. I think the covered box may make him feel secure. Your kitten may be afraid of/intimidated by your other cats, and prefers to go in a place where she feels safe. Making her box seem safer may help. Maybe give her her own small-sized covered box. Also, I suggest putting plastic down where she goes. It may discourage her (esp. if it’s crinkley), and it will at least keep the poo off the rug. For poop (or vomit) on white rugs, I’ve had good luck with Oxyclean, mix the powder kind with hot water and douse it. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/19 "2005-10-19T18:03:45Z")
Semiliquid catshit. Band name? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930/20 "2005-10-19T18:10:22Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Then it’s time for a third opinion, ideally with an internal medicine specialist. For a stray kitten that shits on the carpet despite having successfully used the litter box before? No way. Time for kitty to go bye-bye. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-semiliquid-cat-shit-out-of-a-white-carpet/326930.md?page=2)