Help me please!

[marie25]

About a month ago I adopted a stray kitten. He is probably about 4-5 months old. We have taken him to the vet and he is healthy , he is beggining to get along quite well with my other cats. The problem is he has been using our hallway carpet as his litter box. Every morning I wake up to a little smelly pile in my hallway. We have tried locking him up in a room at night, but then does it during the day when we are gone. Any suggestions how I can change this behavior???

[lovemymaltese]

have you tried placing the litter box in the hall. also there is sprays that can be purchased at pet stores and online that you spray to keep animals (dogs and cats) from certain areas, also there are sprays to keep them from spotting an area. Good luck!

[lynnestankard]

Hi Marie25 and welcome to Pet Talk. I would just add - whatever you do DON'T clean the carpet with disinfectant it'll make the furbaby use it all the more! Use vinegar. BTW whats his name?
Lynne

[wayne0214]

Marie 25; It could be that he is using the hall way because he doesn't like, or is not comfortable with the present location of the other cat's litter box. I'd place a larger litter box in the hall way where he is pooping. I have the same problem with Little Bit ( a tiny silver/tan tortie). She will not use any one of 3 litter boxes around the house, but will continually poop next to them. (At least she is in the correct area!) Try this first, even if you use a temporary box, such as a beer, 24-can flat, something to see if he will use it.

...............wayne

[Cataholic]

Also, try placing his food where he is pooping. The spray, referenced above is called Feliway, and though I haven't used it, I have heard good things about it. If things don't get better, try purchasing or borrowing a large dog crate. Start training all over again- keep the kitten in there until you know things are good and learned. You can take him out for play time, etc., but keep him confined until he learns. Also remember that he keeps smelling the scent and coming back to the spot. He may not care for the litter you are using...and sometimes switching litter back and forth will send a cat out of the box. I have six cats and four large boxes that I clean AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. Some cats are more finicky than others about the box. Good luck.

[Troy]

Perhaps your kitten has had no toilet training at all?

If this is the case then he will probably just go wherever he pleases unless he gets some training.

Has he ever used a litter tray regularly that you know of?

[marie25]

Hi, thank you for your responses. Our kitten (Hobo) has been doing much better. We have thouroughly cleaned the area where he liked to poop and have put a litter box in the hall. Since then he has been using his litter box and not our carpet. Thanks again for all of your input.