Why wont my cat ever use the litter box???

Question

She was originally a stray and we took her in and she's been with us for about 6 years. I've researched so many things on this and nothing seems to come up. I've moved the cat box, I've changed the litters, I've tried different types of cat boxes, tried giving her extra affection and encouragement. I've tried deterrent sprays, I've taken her to the Vet and they said nothing was wrong with her. I even went so far as to try anti depressants. She doesn't go on tile floor, only carpet. I feel like I've tried everything, I just can't figure out what else it could possibly be. There haven't really been any changes of anyone coming or going etc. She has always had this problem and it's just getting to the point where I'm exasperated and out of ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions at all???

Answer 1

Here is the answer for a kitten, I am not sure it will work for a cat that has a six year old habit. It is worth a try:http://www.catchow.com/askamentor_2answers.aspx?q=8

How can I teach my kitten to use the litter box?

Answer: You will want to keep in mind that a young kitten is still a baby and will have accidents from time to time. That is the reason that we recommend confining the kitten to a small area of your home with easy access to his food, water and litter box until he is litter trained and gradually introduce him to the rest of the house.

Cats and kittens are meticulous, and you may find that your kitten's mother has already trained him to use a box. If not, it's usually relatively easy.

Make sure your kitten has immediate access to his litter box and that he can climb in and out with no extra effort (box lids work well). Watch him closely and place him in the litter box when he wakes up, after meals or any time he begins nosing in corners or squatting.

If he has an accident, wipe it up with a paper towel and place the towel in the litter box. Gently scratch the kitten's front paws in the filler, so he learns this is the place to deposit and bury waste.

When he is successful, praise him lavishly.

Answer 2

Hi there

Hope I can help a bit. Please don't get me wrong, I'm sure you are a very clean person, but cats have an amazingly enhanced sense of smell compared to us. The fact that she only goes on the carpet, not on tile floor, tells me you probably aren't managing to get the entire odour out of the carpet when you clean up after her. You and other people in the house won't be able to smell it and the area will seem to all intents and purposes very clean - but she, bless her, may well still be able to smell where she "went" before. So instinct will tell her it's OK to "go" there again.

The two links below (one to an answer from Seattle, an extremely knowledgeable answerer on Yahoo Answers) may help with the "cleaning up after her" side of things. It sounds from Seattle's answer to this other question as though Nature's Miracle is the best. I'm in the UK and have to admit I've never seen it here. If you are also in the UK and have either a Betterware and Kleeneze doorstep catalogue person, their Pet Odour Sanitary Cleaners are pretty good. I've also heard that putting baking soda in the water when you are cleaning the carpet may help - I've not tried it personally but I know people who have and they reckon it works.

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-19.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061102053458AADL7oM

Another thought - it might be worth trying having two litter boxes - she may prefer peeing in one and pooing in the other.

Just taking a chance to make you smile - one of our cats has a litter box problem - she sometimes can't remember how far her bottom is away from her head and ends up "going" over the side!!

Best of luck, hope you get this sorted.

Answer 3

My 3rd cat was an outside cat before I got him. He also had this problem, of not using the cat box. The way I got him to go was I went outside and got a couple of leaves from the yard and placed them on top of the litter in the box. He started going right away. Though this worked with my cat, it may not work with your's, considering that you have had her for 6 years. I have only had this cat for a couple of weeks. Maybe it is something to try???

Answer 4

Well if you jave a cat that lived with you and used the litter box than maybe she smells your old cat and knows that she has been in the box. Maybe she she just dosen't know what it is from being a sray cat and all.She might not like tile because she might have sensitive feet or maybe she had a bad experiance with her fett getting really cold. Maybe you could put a blanket of the tile so she will go on the tile. I hope that helps a little.

Answer 5

Whenever you find the poop, move it to the litter box, then introduce the cat to the litter box each time. This takes a little work, but you will see it retrains the cat for litter box use. It will also help if you put the cat in the litter box at times during the day to help familiarize the cat to the box.

Answer 6

I would recommend going to your local pet supply and purchase a product called "Cat Attract", it is specifically designed to "attract" your cat to its litter pan. The other thing I would recommend is to try and confine your cat with the litter pan, food and water into a small room, preferably no rug and see if she will use her pan. Good luck it is a difficult problem to control.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

You waited SIX YEARS to decide you were fed up?

Anyway, the cat still has the normal instinct to bury its business, but it learned to dig anywhere as a stray, and the carpet feels diggable.

Answer 9

Maybe cause she had been outside she is mistaking carpet for grass. Could be she'll never train or always have accidents. You could start letting her out (fixed I hope) and thus ending your problem. She will come home.

Answer 10

Did you try putting her in the litterbox everytime she's about to go to the restroom?