The poop on power poop

Middening is not the average pile of crap

Hi, my humans,

Are you ready to talk sh!t? I hope so — because this issue is all about hardcore turdage.

Well, a certain kind of hardcore crap, anyway.

I’ll be as…delicate as possible. ;)

In general, cats -- even in the wild -- are meticulous with their leavings. They bury their plops so the odors do not alert any prey they may want to hunt, as well as their own predators. As you're well aware, indoor cats, when all is well, cover their business in their litterboxes (though, yeah, they may kick up a mess as they do), and that anytime they go outside their litterboxes means there is some sort of problem. 

Last issue, we looked at some secret signals cats give us that something is wrong. Peeing and pooping outside their litterboxes, elsewhere in the house, is not a subtle signal. It's a honking red flag. Something is up. It may be physical, may be emotional. But something is going on, and it is the number one issue vets and cat behaviorists are called upon to help humans solve.

There are tons and tons of great articles out there, already, about litterbox issues, so I don't want to just reiterate what is already out there. However, there is one type of pooping outside the box that is, indeed, "outside the box" -- in that, when it happens, it still means there are issues humans need to attend to, but not in the way we usually think. And it's weird how little information there is on it, considering it happens fairly frequently…not as frequently as the UTIs, cat bullying, and other various reasons for going outside the litterbox…but frequently enough. 

It's called middening.

A different kind of poop

Middening is not the poop you think it is. It's when you find turds outside the litterbox, yes, but it's done as a POWER MOVE. 

Power move? Yup.

We know cats are beasties who understand much of the world through smell. We see them mark objects, furniture, even us, by rubbing on us (when they rub their cheeks on stuff, especially, but even when they just seem to brush lightly past something).

In less adorable circumstances, they will also spray (yanno, pee) on whatever they want to claim.

Marking lets other cats know that thing, area, human, whatever, is THEIRS. Their land. Their chair. Their laptop computer. Theirs.

It's also the cat equivalent to lighting a me-scented Yankee candle after a long day. Their own smell is a relaxing smell. They are most comfortable when everything smells familiar.

Middening takes this to a whole 'nother level. When urine just isn't enough, middening turns the volume to eleven.

There's nothing more smelly specific than a crap. And when a cat moves to a new area, or a new cat moves in with you, or you have cleaned the house so completely that it smells new to them, they just may lay a turd here and there to quickly lay claim to an area. It's unmistakable shorthand -- until they get things re-marked, just how they like it, a well-placed crap will do the trick for them. 

Like labeling your food when you have a roommate. 

Like laying all your stuff on the bunk you want when you first move into a college dorm. 

Only, it's a poop.

So, how do you know when it's a middening, not a miss-ing the litterbox?

Context. What's going on will give you clues. Like I mentioned, did something new happen, or did you move? If so, and you find a few scattered treasures which cease after a few days, then…it's middening. 

Is it just poop, or is it number one and two? If it's both, then it's probably not middening, but the host of other reasons cats go outside their litter boxes (such as stress, a dislike of the litter smell or texture, a dirty litter box, a urinary tract infection, illness, or pain, just to name a few. A vet visit is required here).

Here's an illustrative example: during the introduction period between Paul, my resident cat, and Robert, the newest guy in our house, Paul stood up, looked at Robert (who was hissing and straining at his leash), and calmly crapped on the carpet. Power move. 

Paul was not outwardly frightened. He did not pee on the floor. There was one calm crap. Boom.

Paul was asserting his dominance in the house, his ownership over the house and its "lands" in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

There was no room for Robert to argue with a poop. The poop was a mic drop.

But middening is maddening!

Sure. Cleaning up excrement is not fun. But it shouldn't last too long. A few times, here and there, with some pretty obvious motivations.

Once those issues are tied up (new place smells familiar, new cat learns their place, strange cats quit trying to walk in your yard), it should taper off and stop completely.

If it doesn't, then there may be some serious anxiety issues setting in -- or, it wasn't middening to begin with. And then, a conversation with your vet is in order to get to the heart of the problem.

There’s also — always — the issue of odor, and I don’t mean us humans dealing with the odor of free-range poop. I mean that cats use odor, obviously, as information as to who “owns” the space and what is “allowed” there. So, you need to clean the — pardon the pun — clean the shit out of the shit when you find it…like, clean it well, using an enzyme cleaner that will break down any residual odor, else you risk the poo smell signaling that that particular place is an acceptable place for crapping. There are a lot of good enzyme cleansers available at pet stores, and frequently in the cleaning product/laundry supply aisle of the supermarket. In a pinch, white vinegar will work — but it will also make your house smell like salad. Lemon juice will keep all cats away from an area, to poop or otherwise, so you can also use that until you get a cleanser.

I have more questions!

Great. I don’t blame you. Cat poop is interesting.

There’s not a ton of articles out there, directed to cat humans, on the specific topic. Here are a few I’ve found that are reliable, if not specific (if you search online for middening, you will find a page by a team of fellow cat behaviorists that I’ve not included, because the point of the page, with zero shade on them, is to make you worry about cat middening and hire them. If you check with your vet, it is middening, and, for whatever reason, it doesn’t stop, then, by all means, consult these experts. They are very good at what they do):

• Catster: What You Need To Know About Cats And Marking

• VioVet: Stress in Cats

• VCA Animal Hospitals: Marking and Spraying Behavior

As always, thanks for reading. I hope The Clowder Room is helpful (and interesting!). Next issue, end of the month, we’ll talk teeth. As a human living with a toothless cat, this is a topic close to my heart — but it’s also one that, even for those of you who don’t have teefless kitties, you may still face some day, as our cats live longer than ever now, and with age…comes dental issues.

Note: I'm not a medical professional. As always, you know your cat best. Follow your common sense and consult with your veterinarian. If you need low-cost veterinary services, the Humane Society has some options, but you can always call 211 for your area (in the US) to find out about clinics near you.

Thanks for reading! Remember, you can write in to request a topic, anytime.

See you soon,

TCR