2 questions

[toughCookie]

1. is there anyone that could tell me why some of my cats have started , over the last 2 weeks, to occasionally sleep or rest in the litterbox? I have seen cats at the shelter or petsmart do this, but why are mine, now? Charlie did that a few times, and tonight Patches was in there resting, and either Emma or Louise did once too, can't remember which one.

2. some of you might remember that a while back I posted about Emma's paw condition... well for the last few months she has seemed confused when she uses the litterbox...she always goes in the box, but after I see her pawing at the side of the box, and on the floor and wall near the box.
does anyone have any ideas of what may be causing her to do this? I don't know if the litter bothers her paws or what

[Nomilynn]

I don't know about #1.. I would like to know too!

But for #2.. perhaps it's the smell? When Bassett peed on the floor a while back (grr!) after it was all cleaned up but before I could put the odour remover (this was only a matter of minutes while I ran to the kitchen..) Tilly and Nutmeg were there really fast trying to cover the smell. If her urine is really strong (has her food changed or something??) maybe she can still smell it outside the box and is trying to cover it up?

I hope someone can give you some better answers!

[toughCookie]

your reply to question #2 makes alot of sense! I had never thought of that...butI left out a big part of it ( )
she never covers her poo, she did when I first got her, but then she stopped, and it is like shes confused, she is trying to cover it, but can't quite figure it out. she seems normal in all other things.

[wayne0214]

TC. have you c recently changed their sleeping box, and if so, did you wash the old blanket with a detergent that is new to them and you? I do not have the answer to question #1, but I thought I would give it a try. As to them pawing around the litter box, my furkids do this all the time. I think it is because Littlebit refuses to us any litter box that has been previously used. So, whe she poops, it is often done outside the box. I go and clean up the mess (as their litter boxex are now on pieces of panneling) and then this pawing stops.

........wayne

[Cataholic]

I don't know about No. 1. I caught Tenny laying in the box...which is right next to my lovely comfy bed..so, go figure?

As to No.2...I think it is a way of marking. With the added info about not covering her poops, I really think it is so. Cats have scent markers in their paws...in fact this is SOME of the reasons cats sharpen thier claws on things, to release the scent on the item they are scratching. This is why even declawed cats do it too/still. So, when kitty poops, she then marks the area around it as if to say, "this is my poop, and I don't have to worry about it". This would differentiate her poop, or her food, or her special something from other's cats...who would then mark their territory with their scent. I would guess if she is doing it infrequently it might be that something stressful has happened, or she is feeling insecure about something, and feels the need to revert back to her wilder days- even if she never knew wild days.

My cats sometimes do this, even to the side of the box, walls, etc. I have had some of my kitties from birth..so, I know it isn't anything traumatic related with them...and it most certainly is NOT a physical problem for them...like injury, change in litter, etc.