This cat needs to learn...?

Question

I have 5 cats and one of them we just got not too long ago. She is about 14 years old. She will not use the litter box. She uses other places as the litter box. All of our cats are inside but one. If she does not learn to use the litter box, she will have to be an outside cat when the weather heats up. I am wondering if you guys have any suggestions for teaching an old cat, well, old tricks. Have anything to help get her to use the litter box?

We have had this cat before...

Answer 1

Hi there...if this is something that recently developed, first consider all the possibilities such as:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up
- senior cats develop age-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc. that can cause inappropriate urinating.

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem such as something as simple as a lower urinary tract disorder: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

...please consider visiting the website for further details

Answer 2

I was raised with cats and my family has had over 50 (literally) over the past 20 years. Litter box training has never been a problem. This is what we do:
Take the cat, right after it eats, and put it in the litter box. Put the litterbox in a fairly private corner, where it won't be openly stared at. Cats HATE being looked at while they do their business.
As soon as you take the cat in it box, take one of its paws and have it scratch in the litter gravel. This is normally what they do when they 'go'...they scratch the surface of the litter box. When you make it scratch, it makes it realize that it is time to 'go'.
This has always worked for me. My oldest cat that learned the trick was about 8. Obviously, this kind of stuff is not certain. 14 is pretty old! She may be set in her ways, or even senile...yeah, some cats are, believe it or not.
However, this trick has NEVER failed in my Egyptian family. We are and always will be cat people.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Old cats tends to have habits. I had many cats in my life and sometimes you get one that doesn't like to share the litter box with others. Maybe this is the case here if all of your cats use the same box. Try giving this cat its own personal box.

There are also cats that will not go in the box at all. My brother had one that asked for the door, like a dog, when it was time for his "nature's calls", no matter the weather or season. Outside was the way for this one.

Answer 4

Give her own litter box. I am fairly sure she knows how to use one. She is an old grand damme and I don't think it will be fair to chuck her outside becuase she won't be able to fare out there as well as a younger cat could. If you could sequester one room in your house just for her (i.e. no other cats are allowed to go in there even if humans could), then maybe you'll find a change in her. She may also feel a bit stressed becuase of the other cats. Sometimes, stressed cats will poo and pee in appropriate places becuase they are stressed. So, say you choose one of the bedroom as this cat's refuge. Put her own litter box in there. So she knows that the box is for her alone, keep her in that room for several hrs during the day or night. Show her the clean litter box. Let her out only when she wants to go out for a bit of exercise. But let that one room be her refuge.

Answer 5

I agree with giving her her own litter box. if she is new, she may not like sharing with other cats she doesn't know.
it sounds weird but cats are weird.
place it in a different place away from the other box.
I have heard that if there are too many cats, they will stop using the box. i think they prefer a 2/3 cat per box limit. crazy but true..
think about it, would you want to share the same toilet with a lot of people you didn't even know who might not smell good?
enough said!

Answer 6

1. Yes, they can, it just takes more time then dogs. 2. Just a cat bed, no crate. set up a litter and show them where it is and they will use it. 3. I don't think there is a main cat virus but there are fleas that are a big common thing with cats. (keep your cat indoors, if you don't want this problem). 4. Yes, you can, use a harness. 5. If it is de-calwed then it wouldn't need a post because it doesn't have any nails. Btw you shouldn't get your cat de-clawed it is cruel. 6. is that even a question? 7. Yes! 8. No. You should buy a couple of BOOKS on cats!!!!!!!!!!! Hope this helped!

Answer 7

There are a couple of things. It was wonderful of you to rescue her, but going to such a multi-cat household may be too stressful. Make sure you have at least 2-5 litter boxes and scoop them daily. Make sure the food and water are as far away as possible to prevent territorial stress (in the wild they eat in their den and mark the edges of their territory. The two smells close together can often cause problems) The fact that she is old, however, makes me wonder if she is not doing it to get your attention and let you know something is wrong (infection, failing kidney, cancer, etc). Have the vet run a urinalysis check and at least a blood sugar check, if not a full CBC (complete blood count - checks just about everything)

Answer 8

Grab a piece of toilet paper and pick up her poop and start placing it inside of the litter box and then show it to her. Pick her up and place her in the box and take her front paws and shuffle those paws all around in the litter. Also, some cats hate sharing boxes with other cats. And... I'm not accusing you of anything, but make sure that box is cleaned out constantly. Some cats (and rightfully so) refuse to step on their own poop. :)

Answer 9

At this point do not give her full roam of the house. Keep her in a smaller room or even a dog cage so that the litter box is always available to her.After a few days she should get the idea.

Answer 10

not sure how it works on an oldie but i locked my kitten in the basement bathroom for the night and put newspaper on the floor to make it all blend in and the box was in the corner so it "stood out" if u will. i left her food and came back in the morning she went in the box not on the floor or anything. she knew exactly what to do but for an old one she may just be stubborn now who knows. http://www.karawynn.net/mishacat/toilet.html maybe it can use a real toilet instead!