Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my new kitty has an aversion to pooping in the litterbox. She will pee in it, but not poop. I have tried everything everyone has suggested - a second litter box for the poop, Dr. Esley's cat attract litter, moving the boxes to a quiet place, secluding her in a room all day (she holds it until I let her out)....the only thing I haven't tried is putting a piece of carpet in her litterbox as this is where she prefers to poop. I am desperate at this point. I don't want to get rid of her as she is just a little baby and needs to learn, but how do I teach her? To make matters worse, we are going away for a week and we are having a friend come to check on the kitten over the week (I have 2 other adults cats too) and this person is going to have to be cleaning up kitten poop all week!!! Should I confine her to the basement only? I feel bad locking her up all alone. Please offer any advice you can.

I spotted your post over in Behavior - sorry to hear you are still having problems.

I wouldn't get carpet remenants for the litter box just yet. I've heard of people using them as a last resort but I'm afraid given your baby's tender age you'd just be shooting yourself in the foot. Without a long term history of using a one spot only for pooping, you'd just be teaching kitty to poop on carpet, period, with no regard to if it were in the box or the bedroom.

You didn't mention how baby is getting long with the other cats. At 3 months of age, kitty is just learning how to jockey for status among other cats. She can pee fast - get in, get busy, get done, but pooping takes a little more time and she needs to get comfortable. If she thinks another cat might jump her while in the box, she'll look for somewhere else to poop. Confinement will probably be your best option while you're gone.

Are your boxes covered or uncovered? Some cats like covered for the privacy, some want uncovered so they can survey the area for danger. Offer her a choice if possible. And be open minded to moving them again. I recently moved an almost never used open litterbox 3 feet and suddenly it's used nearly exclusively. I moved it next to a covered litterbox. I think from the cat's point of view, they can watch the basement steps to see who is coming, but they are hiding behind the hood of the box next it it so they think no one can see them. (talk about fuzzy logic!) Whatever, as long as they use it.

Check back, there is always someone here to help.

Purrs,
Elizabeth

Elizabeth -
Thank you so much for responding. I will take your advice and eliminate the option of getting carpet for the litter box, your logic makes complete sense.
Ginger seems to get along with the other cats well enough, she doesn't seem to be afraid of them, even plants herself near them while napping, but they are tolerating her only, there is no love lost believe me. Monster will even attack her if she gets too close to what he believes is his property, so your comment about her not wanting to be attacked makes sense. All of the litter boxes are open at this point. I have 2 small ones in the upstairs bathroom where she was being confined at night, one large one in the downstairs bathroom and another one in the basement near the furnace. I heard having one on each level might help, so I tried it. I will get a cover for the one in the basement as that is where she will be confined while we are away. Should I get a cover for one of the others as well? She likes to poop on the basement carpet and in our upstairs office on the carpet, both out in the open in the middle of the floor, not even behind anything. I am perplexed and frustrated. I am hoping this is a phase I can teach her to eliminate.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/behavior.html

I went to the Cornell website to try and find info on getting a behavior consult for Ginger and they recommended this link. There is an extensive section on litterbox troubles at the bottom of the page. There is also a link on displaced aggression and litterbox issues about mid-page. Didn't read it, but with Ginger pooping in the center of the room it makes me wonder if she is telling the older cats off. (look at me! I stink! I belong here - deal with it!)

Go ahead and try a covered litterbox in the basement, and see how Ginger takes to it before trying it anywhere else. While you are gone, I'd really recommend you keep her in an area where she won't have access to carpet. Its a week - give her lots of love when you get back, she'll survive.

Also, it might be a great time to try using Feliway for Ginger. It's synthtic feline happy phermones. You can find it in a plug in diffuser at Petsmart, or your vet may have it in stock. I've used it twice with litter box problems with good results. The first time was when 6 yr. old Romes and I moved to a new place where the previous tenant had a cat or dog who had soiled the carpet behind the door. Romeo thought he had to re-mark the spot to tell this stranger it was his place now. Last year, one of my cats was seriously ill - when she started to recover she beat the crap out of one of my older cats who pooped outside of the litterbox several times as a result. Feliway brought the whole aggressive level in the feline household down, ending the problem. But it does take some time to work.

It might help all 3 cats like one another if you use a toy to encourage them to play with one another. Then Monster might not feel like he has to be such a monster (great name, btw)

Keep us posted...

Purrs,
Elizabeth

Thank you so much for the link, I will definitely check it out. I am game for anything at this point.
I will set up a covered box for Ginger in the basement, she will be confined there by herself and I will remove the carpet for the week (area rug). Have you heard of the Budda dome cat box? Would you reccommend that one or just a regular square covered litter box?
Ginger seems to want to play with the older boys but they are not having it yet. It took Charlie a good 8 months to even let Monster near him, now they are cool with one another.
This mornng as I was cleaning the litterbox in the basement, Ginger pooped on the rug right in front of Charlie, so I am wondering what her motives are. I may need to take Ginger to a psychologist...LOL!!
I will look for the Feliway too, that sounds interesting.
Thanks again for all of the help, I truly appreciate it. I am hoping we can find a solution soon.

Still searching.....
Laura

Never heard of the Budda Dome litterbox, but you've got to love the name! Probably the #1 problem of covered litterboxes is some cats are too large/long to fit comfortably. (My 17 lbs Lizzycat butts up to the wall to urinate in order to fit. Kinda gross; so glad she hangs out the front instead to poop) But we're talking about a 3 month old, size isn't going to be an issue. Is Monster monster sized? If so, you might want to buy whatever is largest just in case. Sooner or later, everyone visits everyone else's litterbox.....

Let us know how things turn out!

Purrs,
Elizabeth

One last throught - is the litterbox you've got set up for Ginger a new one? Plastic boxes will retain urine scent even if you routinely scrub them. A new box might encourage Ginger to claim it as "mine! mine! mine!" In cat speak, he who controls the litterbox or the food dish, rules.

Yes, I set up 2 new boxes for Ginger, she wants no part of them for pooping. I also have two existing ones that Monster and Charie use. The girl just wants the carpet!!

I am so excited to write and let you know that Ginger has finally figured out what the litter boxes are for!! While we were away on vacation, she did not have even one accident, went in the litter box every time and she has bonded with Monster and Charlie. Who knew all I had to do was remove the carpet in the basement and go away for a week to get her to start behaving? I am thrilled, and we are all getting along just great! Thank you for all of your advice and encouragment as we worked through this, you really helped. I would have gone crazy without the support.

Fantastic! I'm so happy to hear everything worked out and all is well in your kitty household again!

I hope you have many good years with Ginger. Give all three an extra scritch behind the ears for me!

Purrs,
Elizabeth