Here's why:
* Urine is more potent: Cat urine contains pheromones that are much stronger and more effective at communicating their presence to other cats.
* Feces are a hygiene risk: Leaving feces around could attract unwanted attention, such as predators or other animals, and could also be unsanitary.
* Strategic marking: Cats typically urinate in strategic locations, like vertical surfaces, to maximize the spread of their scent. Feces are usually deposited in a designated area (litter box) and are not as effective for territorial marking.
However, there are some exceptions:
* Stress or illness: Cats that are stressed or ill might defecate outside their litter box, sometimes in places they consider their "territory," as a sign of distress.
* Dominance display: In rare cases, cats might defecate in another cat's territory as a dominance display, but this is not typical behavior.
In summary: While cats use urine to mark their territory, they generally don't use feces for this purpose. Their primary reason for defecating is to eliminate waste, and they usually do so in a designated area.