What to do?

[wayne0214]

One of my kittens ( Little Bit) has a problem. She will plant her little butt down and poop where ever she wants. I have tried to have her poop in the litter tubs, but with no success. This morning I caught her pooping in kitchen area, so I picked her up and placed her in the tub, but she woud have none of it. I do not know what to do with her. She is not sick, but is very tiny for a 9-month old cat. As far as I can remember, she has never used the litter box, but prefers to poop next to the 5 of them I have scattered throughout the house. Any suggestions? I have considered keeping her outside.

[jenluckenbach]

you say a home with 12 furkids. Is that 12 cats? If so , 5 litter boxes may not be enough.. Some cats do not like to share, or expect them to be super clean when it is their turn to use it.

Have you tried different types of litter? Some cats don't like the feel or the smell (if it is scented) of certain litter.

If she poops near the boxes, is it possible that she is standing in the litter but her butt is outside the box? If so, a covered litter box may be the answer.

On the other hand, if you have covered litter boxes, she may be intimidated to go inside.

Try putting the box right where she goes. If she starts to use it, slowly move it back to where you want it. Or confine her to as small of an area as possible, with a litter box, food and water until she used the box and then give her more and more area.

Problems like this are difficult. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted.

[moosmom]

Wayne,

Jenluckenbach is right, the rule of thumb is 1 box for every cat (although they will ALL use each others). The best thing to do is confine the little one in a room with her food and water and the cat box. That's what my vet told me when my oldest cat began pooping behind my chair in the living room. It worked!

It could also be the cat litter. Cats don't like change.

How old is kitty??

Good luck.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Hi Wayne,

You mentioned that Little Bit is very small for her age. Does she have difficulty climbing into a regular litter box? Maybe try a (lined) card board box with the sides cut down so she can get in to it..

[wayne0214]

Thanks for your responeses, all. I will try to answer all the questions. Concerning her litter boxes, no, she does not have difficulty in jumping into the tubs. I started to use tubs because of the other furkids throwing litter all over the floor. And they appear to like the tubs better than a standard litter box anyway.

Moosmom, no, I have not tried that approach. Although I shall do it, now that I have the facilities.

Jenluckenbach. I have never seen her use any litter box regardess of what type of litter material is used, even sand, and this all before I brought her out here from central California. Little Bit is about 9 months old. Every morning when I get up, it is necessary to fill the orange plastic bucket with hot water and detergent with disinfectant, and mop up all of her poops around the house. Fortunately, there are no rugs in the house, yet. Usually, they are around the litter boxes, but then again, sometimes they are indescriminantly scattered throughout the house.

I will try the isolation-litterbox approach this evening, however.

.........wayne

[krazyaboutkatz]

Wayne, I really don't have any more advice to give you but I do want to wish you good luck. I sure hope that some of the suggestions work. :)

[wayne0214]

Last night, I placed her in the service room with Otis, for company, (my orange tabby) with food, water and of course a large litter box. I saw 3 poops in the box and one on the floor. Now, I do not know which one was Otis' and which one was hers. However, the fact that they both used the box appears to me that she may not like to share a litter box, and also that she will not use one with any poops in it. Also, that she does not attempt to cover any poops, as Otis always covers his. So, this morning, i will clean out the box and place her and Otis back in there and see what happens.
Thanks, all, for your help in this matter.

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

[jenluckenbach]

Wayne, As hard as it is she must go into the room alone so you will know for sure.
:(
But knowing what happened with the two together might help you decide if is it a matter of not wanting to share.

So be brave :mad: and keep her by herself until you know what she is going to do.

we're rooting for you

[FloppsyLadySally54]

Maybe she does not like something about the litter box, maybe it smells bad to her, or something like that. Usually cats know how to use the litter box instead of the floor, as long as you show them. Why don't you give your vet a call to see if there is anything you can do to help her get used to the litter box.

[Uabassoon]

I heard you should have 1 litter box every cat plus one. So if you have 2 cats then you should have 3 litter boxes.. so if you have 12 you should have 13. Are you cleaning the bozes with disenfectant too? Because if you are it may be a harsh smell which could keep her from wanting to use the litter box. You may want to take her to the vet just in case. She may be sick with something that you are unaware of and she might my trying to let you know. People suggested different litters because cats can be picky. Try lots of different litters and so as not to uspet your other cats don't put them in all the boxes just a few maybe she can find a litter that she likes. Good luck.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have 3 cats and I only have 2 litterboxes. Sometimes my cats only use one of the litterboxes so I think that 2 is plenty for my situation. Sunny and Pepper also rarely cover up their poop. I've never understood this. They dig and dig in the litter but don't cover the poop up. Storm will sometimes do it for them because I think that this annoys him. Good luck Wayne. :)

[Barbara]

The reasons may be complicated: we used covered litter boxes but at some time, Tigris attacked Filou every time he was in the litterbox and so Filou looked for another solution and peed in some hidden corners in the apartment (no longer hidden then). Now we have open litter boxes and Filou doesn't feel so fenced in anymore and it never happened again. (They still hate a used litterbox. If it's not ok Tigris stands in front of the litterbox and gives a rough meeeaooo (meaning: Do ! clean the litterbox).)
Is your young cat bullied by others?
I wish you good luck and patience -there is a reason why and you can find it. (I had to tell that to me quite often because it took about a year to solve the problem)

[wayne0214]

Littlebit is not bullied by any of the others, yet I placed Otis with her for company for the night. So, I will do it again -without a companion. I am beginning to think that she will use a litter tray, (which I placed with the two of them) provided that it is totally clean and dumped at least 2 times a day. After every dumping of the litter material, I do wash out the tubs and trays with detergent soap before refilling them and replacing them in their places. Thanks all for your help. At least now, there is some knowledge that I did not have before.

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

[wayne0214]

this morning there were no poops on the floor! This tells me that (1) she does not like to share a used litter box, and (2) that she will only use a totally clean box. All of my furkids except Littlebit will use an already "dirty" litter box with no complaints. So, this is what I'll have to do, to confine her in the service room with food and water with a clean box for her, the she will not poop on the floor. Thanks all for your help in this matter. :)

..........wayne

[jenluckenbach]

It is good to know that you narrowed the possibilities down. But consider this: If #2 is true, and she will only use a clean litter box, she may not use it the 2nd time she needs to go. You may need to go one step futher and place down more boxes or scoop more often. This is just food for thought.

[wayne0214]

Jen. you are so correct. since most of their pooping occurs within a half-hour of their feeding, I will try to clean out her litter box, 2 to 3 times daily and see it that is acceptable to her.

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

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad that you now know what the problem is. The solution could take some time though. Good luck. :)

[Cataholic]

After reading the above, I am convinced I need to move out of my house, into a little shed, and convert my entire first floor to a giant litter box! Isn't it funny that dogs will poop almost anywhere? Yet cats "need" either coverage, a certain surface, a certain level of clean, their own box...CATS! Can't live without them, can't live without them...he he he.. I have six (not counting porch cat) cats and four boxes, and scoop twice a day. That seems to do the trick for my herd, thank goodness!!! I do have to work sometimes felines...:p

[wayne0214]

Apparently, the calling from Cookie is caused by wanting attention. Every time she calls out, I will go and find out what she wants. I know now, because she will position herself so I can easily pick her up. So far she is the only cat who will do this for me. Usually they keep waking, so I have to "chase" them first.

Yesterday, I placed all of my "pooping kitties" including Otis, Nightshade, Littlebit, and my female Russian Blue kitten, Katrina, in the service porch with a clean litterbox. They got out at feeding time, and came to sleep with me on the bed last night. This has revealed several things: that their litter box must be kept clean at all times, and that they are aware of their sickness, and feel left out when I isolate them like that. I will not isolate them any more when they are sick. This morning, they are all around my keyboard, resting everywhere, as I opened up the windows and let in the Autumn's breezy cool air. Nickolai, my Russian Blue male kitten, continually curls up in my lap, regardless of where I am or what I am doing. And not a sound from Cookie.

[jenluckenbach]

I do not know how long you have owned cats, so without any offense meant I say ""I think you are getting the idea"


:D :D :D

[wayne0214]

jen, although I have alway been partial to cats, I have not taken a special interest in them until about 2 years ago. It was a part Abyssinian that caught my attention. From there it has been an on-hands learning experience, with a lot of help from Pet Talk.

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

[jenluckenbach]

Well, I have had cats my entire "adult" life, say about 20 years. I was not allowed to have house pets at my parents, although we did have outside cats (A practice I no longer like- personally). So along with that, and grooming cats/dogs for 15 years, and a close alliance with my vet, I have ,let's say, an understanding of the species. Maybe I was a cat in another life ! I can't imagine life without cats.
Well leave it to me to ramble on :rolleyes:

[wayne0214]

Jen, even though I am retired, the learning experience with my furkids is interesting. At least it keeps me up and moving around the house. Sometimes, especially when any of them are sick, I wish I had a "helping hand" in dealing with them.

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

[jenluckenbach]

Well, wayne, you do. We are all here for you.
By the way, how did you manage to get 12 cats in such a short time (you said about 2 years experience, right?) I built up rather slowly, myself.
P.S. I think we digress from the subject of the thread. Oh well, you started it so I guess it's ok.

[wayne0214]

jen, all of my furkids are rescues and native born kittens, I left a few of them in Calif. when I came to Kansas mostly because of a request from those who I worked with, and also that those left behind would not get along with the others. I am very selective about taking in cats because as it is, none of them, that I have now, fight each other. This old house is large enough for all of them.

my experience with cats began over 6 years ago, when a Torbie stray showed up at my door in central Calif. and she had kittens. Many of them fell victim to coyote attacks, It wasn't until that I got tired of losing many of my favorits that I began keeping them inside my small quarters there. I made escape places for them but if you are familiar with the hunting practices of coyotes, many of my furkids did not have time to escape. One of my rooms in this 77-year old house is as large as the entire living quarters in central Calif.

.........wayne

[jenluckenbach]

Yes I always worry that the next one will be a trouble maker, but so far so good.
I am glad you started to bring the kitties inside. Much better that way, don't you think? I can't imagine not having cats, and now, at 11 cats, I can't imagine life without MULTIPLE cats. :D

[wayne0214]

jen, yesterday when I put out the Science Diet kitten food, all of them came and scarfed it all up. Since they were all together, that the bulk of them would fill a bushel basket. Even though 13 furkids sounds like a lot, they are not really that big, and do not occcupy much space.

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

[Cataholic]

Wayne, when someone comments that I have six cats, I point out that all of them added up together- space and weight wise- still hardly amounts to one dog!!!! What justifying cat lovers must do???:D

[wayne0214]

Cataholic, Yes, that is correct. 3 medium sized dogs will equal in weight, space occupied, and food to about 25 cats :D

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

[Cataholic]

And, we don't even want to go into the poop problem with three dogs, do we ?:D

[jenluckenbach]

Let's see.....Now a lot of people have 3 dogs, right?? SO 25 minus 11 means I can get 14 more cats !?!?!

[krazyaboutkatz]

LOL You guys are too funny. :D :D