About Those Litterboxes...

[RocketPuppy97]

We all know our little furballs, they are extremly picky reagarding... nearly everthing.
A little bit of background:
We got Cosmo (around 1 1/2 year old) as our second cat just about a month or two after Monty (around 1 year old) we are 4 month into our introduction and we can see the light at the end of the tunnle. They are both seperated one being in the bedroom and one having the rest of the flat, swtiching them daily.
Now my problem:

Cosmo has a little peeing problem and we don't really know whats causing is. It's nothing medical, I just got him checked. He pees infront of the litterbox if our littercatching mat is laying there

Like this one. At first he didn't have a problem with the mat for like 2 month and now he doesn't seem to like it.
He uses the litterbox normal all day long, but when it's staring to get late and dark he pees, but only when noone is there to see AND only in the bedroom. No peeing when he's in the rest of the flat.

When I remove the littermat, he pees on clothes on the floor or in the laundry basket.

We suspect that he either doesn't like the litterbox because of the hood (the one in the livingroom has no hood), but he used it just fine for the first months.
Or he's comfortable enough with being in the rest of the flat that being in the bedroom feels like losing territoy or something.


So I have a few questions:

Are there good alternatives for catching litter? Other kinds of mats or anything other?
Do you think a hoodless litterbox could solve the problem? If so what are some good options? Preferably with high walls to prevent even more litter flying around.


I'm thankful for every tip!

Her are some photos of Monty and Cosmo

(Cosmo)

(Monty)

 

[rubysmama]

Do you think a hoodless litterbox could solve the problem?

If the cover can be removed from the current litter box, I'd try that first. It's possible he got a scare and felt trapped in the covered litter box, and that could be what caused his change in behaviour.

There are large, high-sided litter boxes that may be what you're looking for. Here's a TCS article with some examples: What's The Largest Cat Litter Box (and Why Your Cat Needs It) | TheCatSite

About a mat to catch litter scatter, I haven't found a perfect solution yet. Well, other than vacuuming.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Well, rubysmama gave you my answer, very nearly word for word.

Why did this happen? You'll never know for sure, but it may be as simple as a loud noise while he was in the covered box that spooked him. In the words of my father, who had a way with cats that was second to none, "Who knows from cats?" They are so sensitive to their surroundings that things we don't notice make an enormous impact on them. My own girl is currently yowling all night long because I had to move some outdoor furniture indoors, as the pressure washers will be here this week.

 

[Etarre]

We could never convince Juniper that a covered litter box wasn't a nefarious death trap. Oh well.

If taking the top off the litter box doesn't work and you do need to replace the litter mat, do you need both something waterproof under the box and something that will help clean litter off cat paws? Or are you more concerned about one or the other? I ask because if your litterbox is in a discrete space with a smallish entrance (like a small bedroom that only has one entrance/exit) maybe a rug or mat at the doorway would help keep stray litter contained but be a big enough change for your cat. Or if you want something under the box itself, you could try a different texture-- if your current one is rough, like a welcome mat, you could try a yoga mat or another smoother rubber mat as a substitute.

But it does sound like perhaps the box is the problem.