how do i "retrain"my cat to use her litterbox.?

Question

ok..she WAS potty trained, but i think it was my fault that she stopped. i forgot to clean it for awhile, then she started pooping along the wall where he box is, and peeing on and around a chair in the living room, mostly she sticks to those two spots, but i have cleaned the box and put her in it when i notice what shes done, but she runs back outta it and still doesnt use it. i dont think its medical, cuz the areas are consitent not random, and there have been no sudden changes, other than my litter box cleaning mistake. what should i do to get her to use her box again.

Answer 1

Cats will often stop going in litterboxes when they are dirty.

There is a cat litter on the market - I've seen it at PetsMart. I think it's called Cat Attract. There are 5 rules to get your cat to start going in the litter box. I would suggest trying this litter or at least going to look at it and get the tips off the package.

Here are the ones I remember:

Get rid of the hood on your litterbox. Cats don't like hooded litterboxes. How would you like to go into a tiny, stinky bathroom? It's the same thing for them.

Get one more litterbox than you have cats. If you have one cat, get 2 litterboxes. If you have 3 cats, have 4 litterboxes, etc.

I think another may be to scoop the litter daily.

I can't remember the others.


One thing I'd like to mention that I have tried is the silicon crystal cat litters - the while clear pellets. One brand that is really good is Tidy Cats. It lasts several weeks. You just have to stir it and scoop it daily. But if you have one cat, you can change it once a month.

Good luck.

PS. I'd like to add.... a way to keep litterbox changing simple is to line the litterbox with large trash bags. Then you can just take the trash bag and throw it away and you don't have to scrub the box. This doesn't seem to work if your cats have claws, though, which mine do.

Answer 2

Try buying a completely new litter box and place it in a new location. Clean the old area using some form of cleaner that will remove any residual odors left from the cat. Then place your cat in the new box and see if she will use it. If she does, clean it daily, use the scoopable litter so this will be easier, each time you clean it, place her in it so she will recognize it is clean. Over time you can begin to inch the new box back into the location of the former box, however you will always need to maintain it on a daily basis.

Answer 3

Clean teh spots outside the litterbox that she has peed on really well, with a detergent with a strong smell, so that she doesn't smell her pee there. Cats go back to where they have gone before. Put some of teh poop she has done in the litterbox, show her where it is and help her cover it up.Also, when she is about to pee outside, put her softly in the litterbox.

Answer 4

I would isolate her in that room.
She has marked those spots with urine, so good luck with that, normally once marked they use it all the time.

Keep her box really clean, scoop it into the TRASH can, not the toilet, it will ruin the pipes ( no matter what they tell ya).
Mine actually like Arm & Hammer cat box baking soda and it really helps.

Good luck

Answer 5

I think if your cat See's how it's done, an example, if you would show your cat you using the litter box, I think all your problems would be solved. Of course, you would have to continue to use it to re-enforce it in the cat's mind. You don't have any problems with that do you?

Answer 6

put her in a room where she can't stain anything if she pees, like the bathroom, and close the door. She will eventually have to use the box--if she insists on being stubborn--choke her

Answer 7

forget the whole thing of her using a litter box. its time for kitty diapers.

Answer 8

you train her by cleaning her catbox more. and take her paws and rub them in the kitty litter.

Answer 9

try geting a old trud of hers i no its sick and put in her litter box see if that works.