Kittens REFUSE to Use Litterbox

So, my two kittens, Fork (brother) and Spoon (sister) are both three months old (born on election day). Despite the fact that most kittens seem to start litterbox training at 3-5 weeks, and despite Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum here being 13 weeks or so, they will not use the litterbox. They live in my room with two of my other cats (their mother and grandmother). Unfortunately, my room has carpet. They started peeing and pooping in two spots next to the litterbox, directly next to it and about four feet away. So, I figured maybe because it was a higher litterbox with a lid, they just couldn't get into it. So, I got an old, plastic, two foot long long shelf that's only four inches off the ground on one side and filled it with litter. I put this litterbox right next to the other litterbox, where they had been pooping. Again, instead of using the litter, Fork continued pooping next to the box (a little over a foot away from the new one), and Spoon found a spot behind some shelves which are FULL and under a table COVERED in clutter that's boxed in on both sides that I (a pregnant 5'1 woman with the upper body strength of a toddler) can't move to clean behind. The smell is hellish. I can't have anyone come in my room and the second they do, they leave immediately. The smell makes me feel sicker than I already do, too. I feel like it's probably hazardous in some way, too, with me being pregnant and all. My last resort will be using a spray that deters cats from peeing in certain areas (I can't even find what brand it is online and I don't really know where it is right now to look and see. All I know is it's a red bottle). I have some issues with this. Is this really a safe product to use around my cats/ kittens? And whats gonna stop them from just finding another spot on the floor to claim as their toilet. I mean, I've tried putting their poop in the litterbox to encourage them to go there. Nothing. They stand around and just watch the other cats use the litterbox. Nothing. I've tried quickly tossing them in the box when they're in the process of pooping or peeing. They finish what they're doing, scratch the side of the box or wall (All three generations of these cats will not bury their poop. I have to bury it for them. They just claw at the walls of the litterbox for a long time), then jump out. But when they have to go again, they'll go right back to the spot on the floor. I caught one of my adult cats starting to go on the floor where they've been going too, the other day. She hasn't done it since, but it's still just a huge pain. I'm getting tired of my room smelling like a hazardous waste zone. Like, imagine a really bad petting zoo in a really hot barn in a bad part of town. That's exactly what my room smells like.

Also, since i don't have a phone, I have no recent pictures of them. The best I have is a picture from when they were a month and a half old (Fork on the left, Spoon on the right).



This picture of Fork at a month and a half old napping.



And this picture of spoon when she was a month and a half old when she got mad at me for discovering her hiding spot.



Those are the shelves she poops behind, by the way. They look so cute and nice. They're super clingy and sweet and playful and great. But oh my god why do they have too poop and pee in the carpet. Why.

First, they are adorable!  Thanks for posting the pictures, they made me smile!

Now, as for the litter box issue...cats are notoriously finicky about everything in the world.  That said, they have their reasons,and to them, they are perfectly valid, and ought  to be obvious to you!  I'd suggest first trying different litters with different textures, preferably NOT scented, as that can throw them off.  When you try a new one, place a little bit of their poop in the box, so that they get the idea that THAT is where it belongs!  Also, make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner for the areas of carpet that they have "baptized" to completely remove the scent from those areas.  

That''s what I have off of the top of my head, but I'm sure you'll have even more suggestions soon!

OH...congratulations on your new baby!  The main health concern for you is actually handling the poo, not the smell.  Cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which is dangerous for pregnant women.  Be sure to wear plastic gloves when cleaning boxes and accidents, and wash your hands VERY thoroughly after handling the "incidents."

Welcome to The Cat Site!  Looking forward to you becoming a part of our family!

Mamanyt1953 said:

OH...congratulations on your new baby!  The main health concern for you is actually handling the poo, not the smell.  Cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which is dangerous for pregnant women.  Be sure to wear plastic gloves when cleaning boxes and accidents, and wash your hands VERY thoroughly after handling the "incidents."

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If possible, get someone else to clean the litterbox. 

Do you have a SO? If so ask him to clean the accidents and box.

Have you tried placing the kittens in the box after feedings? My Indy always goes after her meals. They say eating gets the digestive system running so they have to go after eating.

IndyJones said:

Do you have a SO? If so ask him to clean the accidents and box.

Have you tried placing the kittens in the box after feedings? My Indy always goes after her meals. They say eating gets the digestive system running so they have to go after eating.

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He only visits once every week or two. And he apparently can't handle cat poop. He has the weakest gag reflex of anyone I have ever met in my entire life. He gags and freaks out about it and makes me do it (Quite the man, right?).

Anytime I put them in the box, whether it be after they've eaten or as they're clawing at the floor about to go, they squirm and immediately try to leap out. They want literally nothing to do with the litter boxes. Every time the other two cats go, the kittens stare at them and watch them go, but they want absolutely nothing to do with actually using the litterbox themselves. The only time they'll go in the box is if they were already pooping when I picked them up and I toss them in the box as fast as possible. They finish what they were doing in the box, pretend to bury it like the other cats do, and hop out. But they never use it willingly.

Mamanyt1953 said:

 
First, they are adorable!  Thanks for posting the pictures, they made me smile!

Now, as for the litter box issue...cats are notoriously finicky about everything in the world.  That said, they have their reasons,and to them, they are perfectly valid, and ought  to be obvious to you!  I'd suggest first trying different litters with different textures, preferably NOT scented, as that can throw them off.  When you try a new one, place a little bit of their poop in the box, so that they get the idea that THAT is where it belongs!  Also, make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner for the areas of carpet that they have "baptized" to completely remove the scent from those areas.  

That''s what I have off of the top of my head, but I'm sure you'll have even more suggestions soon!

OH...congratulations on your new baby!  The main health concern for you is actually handling the poo, not the smell.  Cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which is dangerous for pregnant women.  Be sure to wear plastic gloves when cleaning boxes and accidents, and wash your hands VERY thoroughly after handling the "incidents."

Welcome to The Cat Site!  Looking forward to you becoming a part of our family!

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Thank you. And they've had a bunch of different litters, but I dont think I've tried unscented litter, yet. (I'm pretty poor. I tend to go with the cheapest price for the most litter available at a time.) I'll see about getting some whenever I can. And I've definitely tried putting their poop in the box. That's the one tip you see everywhere. They could not care less. The carpet still smells of their pee, so they still go on the carpet. And I know about the toxoplasmosis. Being an obsessive compulsive hand washer, I always wear gloves when I clean the boxes (especially because the kittens also like to poop ON THE SCOOPER) and the floor.  And I always wash my hands thoroughly after. 

The pictures of them do their evil no justice. They've claimed my floor as a litterbox, they pee on any clothes that get left on the floor, I woke up earlier to discover they had knocked over and broken the legs off one of my porcelain dolls (The doll had been on my carpeted floor to begin with. How did they even shatter her legs?), they are VICIOUSLY food aggressive still (I assume all kittens are as a survival mechanism, but still. They're savages) when it comes to trying to steal food from me, they LOVE to attack feet and climb up people's legs, et cetera. But they also love to sleep on/ next to me and follow me around and get pets and purr and be sweet. They don't mean to be such pains, but they really are a huge handful. I've raised kittens before (Their grandmother that I found feral in the woods as a kitten and their mother and her siblings) and they litterbox trained themselves and were pretty docile and non destructive. So I'm pretty out of my element when it comes to these two.

Have you tried Fresh Results from Walmart?  It's one of the light-weight litters, natural (corn, I think), no artificial scents, and is less than $6 a bag.  It clumps really well, and does a good job of odor control.  Best of all, my Hekitty likes it (although that might be because the color goes well with her tortie coat, she's a vain little beast)!  I know what it is to live on a very tight budget!  

LOL...I can't imagine what the SO is going to do with a diaper!  Have you considered trading him in on a more rugged model   ?

CelesteLoRusso said:

Thank you. And they've had a bunch of different litters, but I dont think I've tried unscented litter, yet. (I'm pretty poor. I tend to go with the cheapest price for the most litter available at a time.) I'll see about getting some whenever I can. And I've definitely tried putting their poop in the box. That's the one tip you see everywhere. They could not care less. The carpet still smells of their pee, so they still go on the carpet. And I know about the toxoplasmosis. Being an obsessive compulsive hand washer, I always wear gloves when I clean the boxes (especially because the kittens also like to poop ON THE SCOOPER) and the floor.  And I always wash my hands thoroughly after. 


The pictures of them do their evil no justice. They've claimed my floor as a litterbox, they pee on any clothes that get left on the floor, I woke up earlier to discover they had knocked over and broken the legs off one of my porcelain dolls (The doll had been on my carpeted floor to begin with. How did they even shatter her legs?), they are VICIOUSLY food aggressive still (I assume all kittens are as a survival mechanism, but still. They're savages) when it comes to trying to steal food from me, they LOVE to attack feet and climb up people's legs, et cetera. But they also love to sleep on/ next to me and follow me around and get pets and purr and be sweet. They don't mean to be such pains, but they really are a huge handful. I've raised kittens before (Their grandmother that I found feral in the woods as a kitten and their mother and her siblings) and they litterbox trained themselves and were pretty docile and non destructive. So I'm pretty out of my element when it comes to these two.

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Definitely get an unscented litter. You could also try cat attract litter, which helps to draw them to the box. It's a bit pricey, but you could mix it with your normal unscented litter.

How many boxes do you have?

You also need to use an enzyme cleaner to clean where they've gone inappropriately. This will really get the smell out. Otherwise, they've marked it as a bathroom place and will keep going back.

Do they ever get out of the one room? It sounds like they may be bored. Do you have shelves and cat trees for them? Do you play with them?

And do you need help finding a low cost spay and neuter clinic?