I recently adopted a 3 year old cat. When she uses her litter tray she does not dig the litter to bury it, but instead she tries to dig the sides and roof of the tray (it's a hooded tray - this is what she used at her previous home).
Anyone have an explanation for this and how do i get her to bury her mess as it is very smelly uncovered?
Could it be she doesn't like the brand of litter?
2007-03-21 13:19:45 · 16 answers · asked by Blueberry 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Lisa number 1 answer has summed it up perfectly. This has been suggested by various animal behaviourists.
P.S. Sorry I cannot give her a "thumbs up" tick, as I am only on level 1...
2007-03-22 09:52:24 · answer #1 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could be that she doesn't like the feel of the littler on her paws, and thus avoids digging into it. The litter might not be deep enough for her liking, or she could just be neurotic. If you're able to get in contact with her previous owners you could consult with them on the general area her litter box had been located and what litter they used. Cats can be stressed by change very easily and when stressed they can act weird. If you're able to obtain the basic routine and layout of her favorite things (ie: was her litter box and food bowl located in a very quiet area or a high traffic place?) and try to move things a bit to mimic her old home, it might make her feel a bit more relaxed. It's very likely, though, that this is simply a bad choice of litter on your part ;)
2007-03-21 20:27:46 · answer #2 · answered by Heather 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My first question is, is she declawed? Many declawed cats can't bury their poop.
There isn't really much you can do, just be grateful they're using the litterbox. At least you don't have to dig for treasure and rake around in the litter to scoop it so just take it away and dispose of it as soon as she's done.
If you have a multi-cat home, she may be the dominant one, she leaves it there so the other cats know she's boss.
It could be a habit she picked up in early life, especially if she was taken from Mom too early as Mom may not have finished teaching her the finer details of litter box etiquette.
2007-03-22 11:25:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A subordinate cat will bury its faeces so as not to demonstrate its presence to more dominant cats. A dominant cat will leave its faeces uncovered. A cat kept on their own will bury its Faeces by scratching on the litter tray, this has nothing to do with cleanliness - it is a sign that the cat feels that its owner is dominant. In households with more than one cat, you will often find that one or two cats leave their faeces uncovered, whereas the rest will cover it up.
2007-03-21 20:24:50 · answer #4 · answered by Lisa 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most very dominant cats do not bury their feces becuase the scent advertises his or her presence. They would do this especially if they feel there may be other animals around (inside or outside) and they need to advertise their presence. All I could suggest for you to do for now is to follow her when she does poop and when she is done, cover her poop with the litter (while the cat is still near the litter bo). This will show her that YOU are the dominant animal in the area. Hopefully, the cat will take the point and proceed to bury her poop therafter for fear of offending you - the dominant one.
2007-03-21 22:06:32 · answer #5 · answered by Phoebhart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't worry, i have a few cats and most of them do bury their business but one just doesn't.....
in your case it might be the litter as you said that she digs other parts of the tray. she seems to be very accustomed to this routine of hers, though, so she may not know what you expect of her. if the smell continues, i suggest sprinkling a bit of deodorizer over the litter each time you refill it or leave a scented plug- in close to the tray just to cover it up until you scoop it away. good luck : )
2007-03-21 20:29:26 · answer #6 · answered by ❤fabulousSARA❤ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cats do the same thing, we've put up with it for as long as we could have.We recently purchased a litter quitter so they could use the toilet and yes you can successfully train a cat to use it. You should look into one, although the price for a new one is steep-we paid 78 for ours. You could maybe find one cheaper, or you can e-mail me and I'd sell it cheaper in about 2 months, when they are not using the rings and are fully toilet trained
2007-03-21 21:00:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cat did this, we experimented with litters and found one that he will bury it in. Try to use small grain litter, make sure you use clumping. We use the Walmart brand and it is just as god as Freshstep, just doesnt have the scented stuff added to it. Good luck
2007-03-22 16:42:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my sisters cat did the same thing....she is trying to bury it but she has a long reach that she is trying to use to do it.....if you can find a bigger litter box that will help....if not and the smell bothers you than think about getting an automatic litter box that will scoop out the poop.....that is what i am doing.... and my cat burys his but it still smells some.....
2007-03-21 20:27:24 · answer #9 · answered by Rhylie and Paiyden 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I trained my cat to use the toilet.
put a board across the toilet set .
put alittle cat litter on the board.
the cat will do its business over the toilet.
no more litter box for my cat.
2007-03-21 20:30:03 · answer #10 · answered by 987654321abc 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋