Another Kitty/Litter Box Woe Thread

Tortilla cat has a nasty problem of peeing on the flloor in the room where her box is. I thought it was her old litter, so we switched it and thought it had improved. Then I noticed she was at it again, so I thought I wasn't cleaning her box frequently enough (sometimes I missed a day), so I have been very dilligent about cleaning it daily. No luck, this evening she walked in front of us and peed on the floor. :( I suspect this could be why our wonderful baby was at the pound but I wouldn't do that. She has a hooded box so I thought maybe she doesn't like that? She is only 1.5 years old and is in good health. I am so stressed!

She might just feel to constrained. If you have a place that can accommodate it get a much bigger box. I'm fortunate enough to have a basement and keep the litter boxes there. I bought a big under the bed box that I use as the main litter box for my two. They love it.

they do say that more cats end up in shelters due to bad toilet habits. My parents are having a hard time with their cat who has taken to pee/pooing only outside in the middle of the night and refuses to use the litter box.

What sort of litter are you using? some cats don't like the sensation of whatever's in the box under their feet. I know that most cats like plain old dirt - I've had to get rid of all my potted plants on the floor because my cat would stand on the pot but miss it completely because they're not big enough.

Try spraying feliway onto the litter. There's actually one brand that's sold with feliway infused into the litter (sorry, can't remember the name of it, but it's guaranteed to work on problem toilet habits).

And try to clean the spot where she's peeing - Nature's Miracle comes to mind - if there's a scent of her urine there, she'll keep peeing there.

I am using a pine type, it is more fine litter than the pine pellets she hated. She was declawed and I have read that can be one of the many bad things is declawed cats have bad toilet habits. :( I was thinking of taking the lid off the box. She is going on the carpet in the room her box is in. It is like she knows that is the room but doesn't think the box is the only spot. She does use her box but not exclusively. I wonder if moving it to a hard surface would help? I have never had an indoor only cat so I am clueless.

Have you considered whether she has a UTI? Might be worth ruling out, anyway.

Pam

I would try adding a second litter box with a clay based litter that is not scented (unless you can find the one with Feliway) and give her the choice, she what she likes. Some cats are sensitive to the smells... My cat hates pine and wheat litter. I can't say I like having clay litter tracked all over, but it's better than finding poop in front of the litter box instead of in it!

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Originally Posted by pumpkinpony

I would try adding a second litter box with a clay based litter that is not scented (unless you can find the one with Feliway) and give her the choice, she what she likes. Some cats are sensitive to the smells... My cat hates pine and wheat litter. I can't say I like having clay litter tracked all over, but it's better than finding poop in front of the litter box instead of in it!

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+1

I tried that pine stuff once, and my cat HATED it! She started using the potted plants instead. When I switched to regular clay, the problem was solved. I then transitioned into the scoopable, clumping stuff with no problem.

I never thought she might hate the pine, we like that it keeps the box smelling fresher but if Tortilla won't use the box then the house doesn't smell fresh! She is low on litter so I will see what else there is.

Pam- She went to the vet just a short while ago and he thought it was the pellets not a UTI. Would she have one if she is definitely using the box, just not all the time?

She is an amazing cat if we can just solve this stinky problem!

de-clawing is definitly very hard on a cat. But what you are asking are for solutions.

Try different brand, of litter, if pelletes are not good try more the coarse sand/grainy type of litter. Try clay type, try wheat kind. Try scented and unscented. it may be that Tortilla doesn't like to pellet feel under her pads. Maybe she would be okay with softer wheat kind Sweat scoop or even the corase powdered pine litter.

Also use Natures Miracle on places where she has peed to get rid of the smell. If you don't not only does it stink but she will use the same spot again. If you clean with regular cleaner, you may not notice but Tortilla sure will and will repeat it in the same spot. Nature's Miracle has some kind of enzyme to destroy the smell. Just follow instruction on the bottle. We keep a gallon of that stuff around. Mainly for cat vomit and some other unmentionable acts one of my cats engage in.

If worst comes to worst, you may have to turn her into a indoor-outdoor cat. I hope you don't have coyote problem where you live.

smilingcat

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

Pam- She went to the vet just a short while ago and he thought it was the pellets not a UTI. Would she have one if she is definitely using the box, just not all the time?

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Probably she doesn't have one if you've been to the vet. I just always chime in "rule out medical problems" because I remember times when I didn't do that with my cat.

Good luck to both of you!

Pam

you have to remember that the ends of her toes are sore little nubs and the shape of some litters are extremely uncomfortable for declawed cats. I'd go out and buy "world's best litter" or a brand like it to lure her back into the litter box.

Also go buy a BIG plastic storage box (not too tall, just big). Our cats like their big roomy litter boxes with no cover.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I didn't declaw her, she ended up at the shelter that way but I do think that might be why she prefers the carpet to her box. It is so terrible to watch our poor little clawless baby try to sharpen her claws.:( But now at least I have some ideas to help her and us out.

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

I am using a pine type, it is more fine litter than the pine pellets she hated. She was declawed and I have read that can be one of the many bad things is declawed cats have bad toilet habits. :( I was thinking of taking the lid off the box. She is going on the carpet in the room her box is in. It is like she knows that is the room but doesn't think the box is the only spot. She does use her box but not exclusively. I wonder if moving it to a hard surface would help? I have never had an indoor only cat so I am clueless.

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My cats refuse to use pine litter. Try switching to a litter with no scent -- +1 to trying clay litter. Clay is so cheap, you could probably dump it every other day and start with fresh.

I think declawing should be outlawed. :mad: Poor babies. Yes my kitties occasionally claw at my leather couch and they are slowly destroying the woven seats on our dining room chairs, which we wove ourselves. The kitties respond appropriately when yelled at for clawing at the couch. The chairs are a lost cause. :rolleyes: But those can be replaced. My kitties are priceless. :p

Good luck on finding litter that works.


Veronica

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Originally Posted by Veronica

I think declawing should be outlawed. :mad: Poor babies. Yes my kitties occasionally claw at my leather couch and they are slowly destroying the woven seats on our dining room chairs, which we wove ourselves. The kitties respond appropriately when yelled at for clawing at the couch. The chairs are a lost cause. :rolleyes: But those can be replaced. My kitties are priceless. :p

Good luck on finding litter that works.


Veronica

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interesting.... my two little darlings followed the same pattern. When we first got it they showed some interest in the leather couch, but responded quite appropriately and leave it alone now. The dining room chairs otoh (woven, but not by me) are irresistible...

Fortunately they also like cardboard flat scratchers and my girl likes tearing up a cat tree. (oh and they are diligently attempting to knock down the house by using a support post in the basement as a scratching post, but I think the post will win)

Aggie, I just wanted to let you know that we did have success by isolating a cat. In our case the problem was the "new" kitten (a year later). It sounds like you only have the one cat, so it's unlikely to be issues with other pets.

I found a lot of good advice on http://www.catforum.com. I didn't log on or sign up, I just read some of the relevant threads. They also said that a LOT of cats end up at pounds because of litter box problems. I easily found our cat's story over and over.

Good luck, hope your kitty's behavior improves. It can be so frustrating.

hi there-
litter box issues suck, but can often be worked out with some patience as you sort through the possible factors that are making kitty go outside the box. Good luck sorting out the problem!!

this handout is really useful (warning, it took a LONGGGGG time to load):
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals..._problems.html

It explores a variety of factors (size/configuration of box, location, litter type, cleanliness, multipet situations, etc.) that can impact kitty behavior and has a series of suggestions based on common possibilities.

My co-worker recently troubleshot a kitty peeing problem using the suggestions in this handout (her kitty was going on her bed, so she switched to softer finer claylitter litter from pine pellets and the problem was solved!)

I also echo the suggestions above to experiments with litter and box location/size by getting an extra box where you can field test different litters. I did this last year (after a pooping problem developed w/ one of my cats) and we tried all sorts of litters, box positions, open/covered, etc. and let the animals vote with their paws. We ended up switching litter types as a result of the experiments, and for quite a while had an extra box in operation in a different room.

One further comment- it sounds like you've addressed possibly health problems, but I wanted to mention that my mom's kitty started peeing in the sink and was found to have crystals in her ureters. The crystals caused straining while urinating and apparently it's pretty common for girl kitties in this situation to try and pee somewhere smooth and cooler, like the sink (or maybe the floor).

My husband thinks Heidi (our miniature schnauzer) is the reason Tortilla started. A year ago Heidi had bladder stones, the vet removed them but said that most dogs end up with some permanent scarring and bad potty habits. If we are not very attentive with Heidi she sneaks into the same room and potties. I clean it to where we no longer smell it but the animals surely can. We are thinking of just pulling up the carpet but right now that is not feasible. I think I will try Nature's Miracle, maybe diapers for Heidi and new litter for Tortilla. Ugh, I love my pets but right now I want to scream at them!

Veronica- I could rant forever about how cruel declawing is. I threw a fit when my aunt wanted to declaw my Mammaw's kitten instead of teaching him good manners. Of course I wouldn't pass Tortilla at the kill shelter because she was declawed. I wanted her because she was sweet and a manx, I wish she wasn't declawed. :(

nature's miracle rocks. you might need to use a lot of it, if the urine has soaked into the carpet pad as well (if there is a carpet pad). Cats do home in on urine odor- my mom's cat peed on a particular spot in her carpet for ages, despite all attempts to clean up the carpet. She ended up cutting that patch of carpet out, which ended the problem. It was in a corner, so the hole was inconspicuous

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Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama

Of course I wouldn't pass Tortilla at the kill shelter because she was declawed. I wanted her because she was sweet and a manx, I wish she wasn't declawed. :(

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I'm glad you took her. She needed someone to love her. I just wish declawing wasn't an option. Kitty and puppy love is grand.


Veronica

I'm having the same problem with Calypso. She's declawed - came that way. I cleaned her litter box this morning, and after her morning ritual of a brief romp outside (she goes out with the dog, Nala, but does she find a spot to "go" outside? NOOOO!), she runs to the bathroom and promply pees on the towel in front of the box. I could scream :eek: She also poops on the floor.

For some reason, Calypso refuses to use the litter box, she goes right in front of the box on the towel. I long ago gave up on bathroom rugs - which used to be her target. I either clean the floor with white vinegar or a non-ammonia cleaner, but I'm really getting tired of it. :mad: Let alone the laundry. Could the pee smell be lingering in the towel load? I rinse the towels with the hose, let dry, then when I have something of a load - towels + cleaning towels, everything goes in hot water with bleach. Lately I've been adding a good handfull of baking soda to the load as well.

Calypso had been an only cat for about a year, the first year of her life, then was surrendered to her vet by her previous owner. Lived there for a month before I adopted her.

I have two elderly kitties with health problems. Sometimes I wonder that in Calypso's eye's I'm "spending time" with them just because I'm medicating them (twice daily). Calypso does like to spend time outside, will meow to come in, run to the bathroom, go on the floor, then run back to the kitchen door, wanting back out again. ARRGGGH!

FWIW, my female hated that pine litter too. Come to think of it, she didn't like the corn-based ones either. I finally figured it out, and switched to Precious Cat, a clay litter with larger grain sizes than most- really good for digging (or so the cat tells me).

Cat Attract litter is made by the same company, and contains some kind of herbal attractant. I can vouch that it works miracles. I think we've solved our litter boxes issues (knock wood!), but I've continued using a little with every box change just as cheap insurance.

Good luck!

Some great responses in this thread. If you have the time/money/room/motivation you could set up several litter boxes with different litter in it and see which one she gravitates towards.

Also, I just wanted to mention that the company that owned Nature's Miracle sold a few years ago and the original Nature's Miracle formula is being sold as Petastic. Not that the new Nature's Miracle doesn't work -I haven't tried it- but you might find that interesting if you have not switched and noticed a difference.

Aggie:

Sorry you are having troubles! There is some great information in this thread to try. I definitely second that you should visit the vet and make sure she doesn't have a urinary tract infection or crystals forming that are painful when she urinates.

As for the litter -- many have "preferred substrates" meaning they prefer to urinate on something that feels like sand, or carpet, or paper. If you can simulate that / find the favorite, you will go a long way! I have had clients cut up small carpet pieces and put them in the bottom of the litter pan by itself to start -- (get LOTS of scrap remnant pieces!) -- then slowly add litter after they begin using it -- a SLOW transition could get you where you want to go.

Try different litters -- I like Dr. Elsey's sandy stuff. I buy the "Precious Cat". And... IT'S CHEAP! Nature's Miracle also makes a litter and my cat loved it -- it helps a lot with odor, but is spendy! I now mix a little into the Dr. Elsey's to save $$

And always put enough litter pans -- especially put one in the exact place she is going -- even if it is inconvenient. Once she is using it routinely you can start nudging it inch by inch to a more convenient place for you.

Change the litter DAILY, or more! If you have more than one cat, get one more litter pan than you have kitties.

Make sure there is no stress in the area where the pan is, or on the way to the pan (ie, going by a noisy place, a dog, etc, to get there).

And a hardy +++++ to the Nature's Miracle liquid. Used correctly, it will enzymatically get rid of the odor in the pad and carpet (not only just to you, but also to the pet). They WILL continue to urinate in the same areas if they can smell it.

There you go -- that is everything I know! Your vet may be able to talk to you about anxiolytic drugs if it becomes necessary -- 99.9% of the time it is not. I hate jumping to drugs if not necessary. And it is almost always not!

GOOD LUCK! Start with a visit to the vet!

I bought some Precious Cat kitty litter the other day, and replaced most of the litter in the box that Calypso uses (bathroom box) with it - SUCCESS!!! :D

Thought it was a one day fluke, fresh litter and all. She's always liked new litter. Then yesterday I had a 14 hour day, came home to find the towel by the box all wadded up, but it was dry - no poo, no pee. Yippee! :D I'm really hoping for this trend to continue, and I'll be doing less laundry. Maybe, just maybe, I can even put the bathroom rug back!

Litters I've tried that she didn't like: Tidy Cats scoopable, Corn based, and Wheat based. I've come to realize that she absolutely refused to use the Tidy Cats. She would use the box if it had the corn based or wheat based, but ONLY when the box was clean, one use only. I wanted to use the corn or wheat based as I was trying to be able to put the waste in my compost pile, and flush the poo down the toilet - neither of which I can do with a clay based litter.

So Calypso gets Precious Cat litter here on out in her box. The other box will use up the mix of corn litter + Tidy Cats. Herald doesn't mind. Bonnie will use either box.

Yay! I love Precious Cat because my cats love it :D