Will my cat ever learn ? My cat is about 3 years old. She often will urinate & deficate around the house.?

Question

This is baffeling to me, because for long stretches of time she will go in the cat box. She had a litter of kittens about 6 weeks ago. She isn't teaching the kittens to go in the cat box either. WHY? If we can't solve the problem we will have to get rid of her. Any suggestions ?

Answer 1

Cats are very fastidious by nature. They instinctively want to be clean, not soil their homes. When a cat starts not using the box, that means something is "wrong" from the cat's point of view. In that case, discipline doesn't help one bit - on the contrary, it makes the cat more nervous and anxious, and can make the problem worse.

There are a number of possible reasons for litter box avoidance. I will go through them one by one.

1.) One of the most most common reasons for cats not using the litter box is a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). If the cat feels pain while urinating/defecating, they may associate that pain with the box, and try to go in other places to see if it hurts less.

So the first thing to do is to get her checked out by a vet, and have a urine test done, to see if there is any medical cause for this problem.

2.) If she turns out to be healthy, the next step is to have a good look at the litter box itself - how often to you scoop? How often do you change the litter and wash the box? Cats can be finicky where hygiene is concerned. Also, many cats don't like to urinate and defecate in the same spot. Often, it helps to have two litter boxes. (The general rule of thumb is to have as many boxes as you have cats plus one - so for one cat, two. Of course, that doesn't mean you need to get one for every kitten now - see more on the kittens below.)

3.) Position of the box/boxes is also important. Could it be that the box is in an area where she doesn't feel safe (cats feel vulnerable while "dong their business"), for example in a high-traffic are in your home, or close to something she's scared off, e.g. the washer? Is it in a dark corner in the basement that she might not always be able to get to? (Cats can see in very low light, but not in complete darkness.) Is it very far away from the area where she spends most of her time?

4.) Maybe she doesn't like the type of litter you're using? If it's a crystal litter, she might not like the feeling of walking on it. If it's scented, that might be the problem - since cats have much better noses than we do, what seems like a nice slight scent to us can be overpowering stench to them. Or the litter might hurt her paws.

This last point is especially important if your cat is declawed. Declawed cats often don't use the litter box reliably, because their feet are tender and the litter hurts them. There is a very soft litter called "Yesterday's News" made from old newspaper that often works in such cases.

Another thing you could try is the "Cat Attract" litter. That's a special litter mixed with certain ingredients that make it smell to the cat like an attractive place to go. (This might also help with training the kittens.) I know many people who've had good success with it - however, you need to find the root of the problem and deal with it first, or the success might be short lived.

As to the kittens: You need a separate litter box for them - one with very low sides, that they can easily get in and out of. An old baking pan might be ideal.

Kittens are like toddlers - they get totally caught up in play, and when they need to go, they need to go NOW. So you need to have a kitten litter box in every room the kittens go in. (Easiest, and safest is to confine them to one room, like a spare bedroom - maybe you already do that anyway.)

If you want them to get the idea, put a bit of feces from mama cat, or a piece of tissue you use to clean up her urine, or a clump of used litter if she goes in the box, and put it into the kittens' box. The smell will tip them off.

You can also try watching the kittens shortly after feeding them. When one starts squatting, quickly pick him/her up and put in the box.

In summary:

For the mother - vet check, add 2nd box, think about condition of boxes (litter, clean, etc.) from her point of view.

For the kittens - make sure they have easy access at all times, "prime" the box with a sample, put them in if you see them going.

Answer 2

Hello Hatcher
Is the litter box cleaned every day without fail? Cats will often refuse to use a box that is used or doesn't smell right. This is especially true if they have new kittens. It is an instinct because in the wild animals that would hunt or hurt them and their babies often found their territory by smell. If the box is clean and you have not changed litter brands then there is a possibility that she does not feel well or is hurting when she goes and has associated the box with pain. Have you noticed if she is straining to urinate or have a BM? Is she drinking more or less than usual? These things would be a clue to whether this could be related to an illness or something like a hair ball. You might want to try disposible cat boxes for a while. They cost about $2 and if you change the box daily for a few days you should be ale to tell if she is just wanting a cleaner potty place.

Cats also go where they smell that they have gone before so be sure to clean the wrong places well and try something like Nature's Miracle to be sure there is no inviting scent.

Try confining her to a small area like a bathroom or a good size cage or carrier with a clean litter box at one side. That is hard to do with new kittens but the babies are getting big enough to be away from her a lot. Cats generally will not "go" where they eat or sleep.

Since mom does not seem to be training the babies you may have to help their instincts for cleanliness along. Pick them up and gently put them in a low litter box after they eat and again after they have played actively for a while. Praise them when they do the right thng. Most kittens train themselves pretty well with a little encouragement.

If you are not able to retrain her and your vet can't offer any solutions please consider finding a home where she can safely be outside or a no kill shelter or cat rescue group rather than a humane society where an adult cat especially one with bad habits has very little chance of surviving and being adopted. Pottying in a bad place shouldn't mean a death sentence.

Answer 3

when you buy an animal it is for life. you don't throw it away when things get tough. cats are very clean animals, keep her litter tray clean or if possible give her a litter box of her own,she may not like sharing it with the kittens. there are too many poor cats in this world that are not looked after,please have your cat desexed.

Answer 4

something in your domestic situation is stressing the cat. or she may have a kidney/bladder/urine infection. you can house train the kittens if their mother won't. if this is her 1st litter, she may still be beginning her "motherhood" learning curve. cats learn such matters by experience, same as humans, even to the extent that some "1st litters" do not actually survive kittenhood. look at the "stress" possibility 1st & i'd advise consulting a vet re. urinary tract infection

Answer 5

Dr. Patricia McConnell wrote a book called "The Fastidious Feline" to help with litterbox problems. She is a PhD behaviorist and brilliant with dogs and kitties. I'd suggest that book.

Answer 6

Sorry, you are the one who needs to learn.
They will do what they are allowed to do. Whatever sanction you place on her, it's not enough to make her change. Tough love is called for.

Answer 7

what you could do is shave the hair off the cats tail. a vet recommended this to us.

we did this to our cat after he was crapping on the curtains, and it worked a treat, i dont know what it does but it works