I just adopted two kittens from the animal shelter. The boy kitten is about 8 weeks old and is litterbox trained. However, he INSISTS on using the bathtub as a litterbox. He knows where the litterbox is kept and uses it when I put him in it, but if the bathroom door is open, he uses the tub instead. He also used the mop bucket once until I turned it upside down. A friend suggested placing the litterbox in the tub and gradually moving the box into another room. Will this work though? I don't want to give him the impression that it's okay to use the bathtub. How should I go about fixing this problem?
2007-09-17 05:38:39 · 6 answers · asked by Materhead 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
We keep two litterboxes on opposite ends of the house since we have three indoor cats now. One is in the guest bedroom and the other is in my bedroom for them to use at night.
2007-09-17 06:01:35 · update #1
Cats are sooo easy to train. And your friend is right. Just put the litter box in the tub, then after a few days, set it next to the tub, then keep moving it until you have it where you want it. I have trained many cats to go outside by putting their litter box outside.
Always keep the box clean. Cats will not use a really dirty litter box.
Another good solution for keeping them from using things that you don't want them to, like the tub or a plant, is to put little containers of water where they will land if they jump in. Cats hate to get wet.
You could also try keeping the bathroom door shut once you have gotten him moved out of there by gradually moving the litter box to its proper place.
One other thing. You don't say where the normal place for the litter box is. Cats are at their most vulnerable when going potty. If he doesn't feel safe in the box, if it is super exposed to traffic, etc. he may not want to use it. Always keep the box in a semi private or private place.
2007-09-17 05:50:40 · answer #1 · answered by txassgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you need to do it to put the litterbox in the bathtub, and surround it with less than a cm of water... which the cat will not like to stand in... then the cat will use the litter... then gradually over time move the litter tray to where you want it moving it bit by bit everyday... the cat will pick up its own scent and autoatically use it after a few days so it shouldn't be to hard!
Best of Luck! give your kitten a snuggle!
2007-09-17 06:00:03 · answer #2 · answered by madiallen 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two things spring to mind. It may be that he just doesn't like the smell of the littler box and is peeing else where because of that but in that case I think he wouldn't poo in it either. In the case of my cat he started doing this when he got a urinary infection and crystals in his bladder Some male cats are more prone to this especially if they are fixed. They start to pee on soft things like towels or maybe a bedspread because they think it might not hurt as much when they pee. You should check if there is blood when he pees or you could get the vet to check him out and make sure everything is normal down there. Hope that helps a little bit. If he does turn out to have a urinary problem often it can be fixed by just giving them a diet low in foods with a high ash content. They sell special food that is for urinary track health.
2016-05-17 05:24:12 · answer #3 · answered by sharleen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could try leaving an 1" of water in tub.
2007-09-17 05:49:23 · answer #4 · answered by Steve B 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Keep the door closed.
2007-09-17 05:47:13 · answer #5 · answered by girlnextdoor409 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you should probably just keep the door closed.
2007-09-17 05:55:52 · answer #6 · answered by Rae Elizabeth 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋