cat behavioral problem: will not use litter box?

Question

my nine month old cat will not use his litter box. my husband and i have used many difernt types of cat litter, and even a seperate pan for him, but still nothing.our other cats all use their box, but he hasnt seemed to catch on.
our other cats always use thier box, our oldest cat will not use the box if it does not have a hood or clumping scented litter in it.(he is a oddball i know) so we have tried a open pan, we have tried difernt clumping litters, unclumping, unscented. we have also tried wood shavings and shreded newspaper. but our little buddy still prefers the livingroom rug, no matter how many times we clean it. the litter box is cleaned daily, do i dont think that this is a issue with clieniness of the box. our vet told me that it was probly that another cat scares him away from the box when he goes to use it, or that it isnt clean enough, but even after it has been freshly cleaned he will not use it.
dose anyone know a way to get him to use his litter box?

Answer 1

some cats refuse to share a litter box, try putting him in a separate room with his own litter box and see if uses it.

Answer 2

Cats are neat animals. They are also intelligent enough to be trained. Given those characteristics, it will be very easy for owners to teach their pets. Here are some tips to guide owners in training their cats to use litter boxes. 1. Cleanliness is a must for cats. Sometimes, even if the cat is already trained in using litter boxes, the owner usually finds his pet urinating or defecating just a few inches away from the litter box. The cat wants to use the litter box, and this can be proven by the proximity of the waste to the litter box. However, because the litter box is dirty, the cat opted not to use it. The point here is that cats prefer to expel body wastes on clean areas. So make it a point to regularly check if the litter box is always clean and ready for your cat's use. The cleanliness of the area where the litter box is situated must also be checked frequently. 2. Cats do need privacy. Do not expect your cat to defecate or urinate in busy areas because they also have the need for privacy. That is why most cats prefer to do their thing behind furniture, or in corners of rooms. To solve the problem, place litter boxes in areas where cats would be less likely to be disturbed.

Answer 3

Buy him his own. Some cats refuse to share.
Then put it where he goes (yes, in the middle of the living room) just until he gets the idea. Gradually move it to where you want the litter box to stay. (not next to the other cat's box, find him his own corner because it could be a territory thing)
OR
Get a large dog crate. The ones used for giant breed show dogs will work nicely. When you can't watch him close, put him in there with the litter box, food & water, a bed and some toys. That way he can't mess up the carpet. Then, cover the spot he likes with aluminum foil. Cats hate the way it feels on their feet and avoid it.
Put 10 pennies (or small rocks) in a soda can and tape it shut. When he starts to go for his spot, shake the can. The big, scary noise it makes will make him avoid the area and do his business elsewhere. Tossing the can to the spot as he is walking toward it will further scare him away.
Neuter him.
Good luck

Answer 4

Have you had the cat checked for urinary problems? Sometimes cats will tell you there is a problem by not using the litterbox. Mine always went where he wasn't supposed to, took him to the vet and he ended up being a diabetic kitty. The other thing is perhaps he isn't happy not being an only cat. Some cats, no matter how clean it is, will not share the litterbox with any other cats. Is the litterbox on a carpeted area? try moving it over a non carpeted area.

I would suggest a urine and blood test to rule out any physical problems, if that is ruled out, then check with a behavior specialist at a local veterinary office.

Answer 5

Keep him in a seperate area of the house where the other cats cant get to him with his own litter box, get him used to using this one and when hes got it down leave that litter box there and let the other cats in. He can the claim this litter box as his. Im not sure id wanna go poo where there were bullies around either

Answer 6

My kitten had this problem. I found this amazing litter called Cat Attract, its a little expensive but it worked. I bought this and used it instead of regular litter, it has some type of pharamone in it that attracts them and she started going in her litter box imediantly. It was amazing. Ok change her litter to the cat attract and put a couple of her poops in it. Clean up all potty spots with a solution made for cats and then use a repellent there as well. When she uses litter praise her. Keep using this litter for a month or so then start to switch to a different one of your choice(i suggest sticking to litters that are sand like and clump easily) Start slow like one cup a week added to the pan until you completely switch. I hope this works for you it worked for me, my cat goes in her pan every time.

Here is the site for the litter I'm talking about. http://www.preciouscat.com/

Good luck!!!

Answer 7

I had the same problem when we got our second kitten. She didn't want to use the litter box. At the time we only had one box, so we bought another one, so that each of them can have their own box. After that we still have some trouble with her, but i trained her to use the box. Every time when I thought that it is time for her to do her stuff, i put her in the litter box and wait untill she is doing her things. She is using the litter boxes now and if she forgets where it is, she is using our shower's drain.

Answer 8

TRY THIS
The most common reason a cat stops using its litter box is because the litter box is dirty - from the cat's viewpoint, not yours. Cats often react to any type of stress by suddenly urinating or defecating outside the litter box. The stress may be caused by a new cat in the neighborhood; children home on vacation; too many cats in the house; your going away on vacation or a new piece of furniture. Urinary tract problems also cause cats to urinate in places other than the litter box. Any sudden change in elimination habits should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Prevent House Soiling
Until your cat is reliably house trained, she should not have free run of your home. If your cat continually makes mistakes, the behavior can simply become a habit. Punishing a cat after the fact teaches her to be afraid of you. Scolding and then taking the cat to her litter box after she has already eliminated teaches her to associate the litter box with punishment. Basically, punishment doesn't work with cats: prevention and praise for getting it right are the keys to training. When you leave the house for any length of time, your cat should be confined to a single room, preferably one with non-porous floors, such as a kitchen, bathroom, utility room, basement or garage. Provide your cat with a bowl of water and a warm place to sleep at one end of the room and a freshly cleaned litter box at the other end. Until the house soiling has been cured, your cat should have a regular feeding schedule so she will develop a corresponding elimination schedule. Read more on how cats learn.

The Litter Box
Your cat does not simply need a litter box - she needs a clean litter box with fresh litter. Your cat will be inhibited from using her litter box if it smells of urine. Think about it from the cat's viewpoint. When she soils your dining room carpet, the area is immediately and thoroughly cleaned. Given the choice between a regularly cleaned place and a litter box that gets changed only once or twice a week, your cat will naturally prefer the carpet.

The litter box must be cleaned daily. The old litter must be discarded and replaced with about 1 1/2 inches of fresh litter. Rinse the litter box thoroughly with water. Adding a little vinegar or lemon juice to the water will help neutralize the odor of the cat's urine. Do not use ammonia; this will make the litter box smell worse.

Make sure that the litter box is in an appropriate place. Cats do not like to soil the areas close to their sleeping or eating areas, so place the litter box some distance away. However, do not place the litter box in an area that is too inaccessible. For example, if the litter box is placed in the bathroom, make sure the door cannot swing shut preventing the cat from getting to it. If the cat is new to your home, she may go into hiding for a few days so place a litter box close to her hiding place.

Some additional factor may be inhibiting your cat from using her litter box, so put down an extra one in a different location. If there is more than one cat in the house, have several litter boxes available.

Housetraining Success: Reward for Using the Litter Box
In order to reward your cat for eliminating in her litter box, you must be there at the time she eliminates. You need to have some idea of when your cat urinates and defecates. Most cats, especially kittens, will eliminate shortly after waking; after eating; and after exercise.

To help you predict when your cat will eliminate, feed her at regular times. If the input is on a regular schedule, the output will follow likewise. Before feeding your cat, spend ten to fifteen minutes playing with her. Then put down the food, allow her fifteen minutes to eat and then clear up any leftovers. After your cat has eaten, it is time for another gentle play session. Call her to her litter box from a variety of places around your house, especially areas where she has soiled. When your cat gets to the box, scratch the litter to get her interested. Similarly, throughout the day, whenever your cat has been asleep for over two hours, wake her up and call her to the litter box. Encourage your cat to hop into the litter box, praise her when she does so. Even if she does not eliminate, she is learning that the litter box is a great, CLEAN place to be. This is especially important for cats that are now avoiding the litter box because they assume it is always dirty or because they associate it with being punished. If your cat does eliminate, praise her in a gentle voice. Once she has finished, gently stroke her, give her a treat and take the time to tell her how pleased you are.

Answer 9

sounds like to many cats for the box's, try tying him out on a harness or walking him, I had a cat years ago that would..nt use the cat box. his was male I took in his mother as a stray , I found homes for all the kittens and the mother but this kitty wouldn't leave with anyone, but he would eat kitten chow or use a cat box ether. when he got 10 week old he got out the door one day when I was going to walk the dogs and he just fallowed the first tree he came to he potty ed, I got rid of the box and he never had accident in the house again. weird but true

Answer 10

id see another vet for a second opinion and check for urinary problems and stick too one kind of litter because cats hate change, as for the carpet clean it first then put vinegar and baking soda on the spots the vinagar will repel kitty from the carpet and the baking soda will deoderize it. be sure 2 praise kitty with treats and playtime when he uses it