About To Start Crate Training For My Extremely Litter Box Averse Cat

[sunny578]

Hello!

I've posted here before about Tiny, my happy, healthy yet extremely litter box averse cat. We have tried everything to get her back to using her litter box (or pee pad, or grass patch, or floor mat--we're flexible!) but nothing has worked. So, I got her a medium sized dog crate, filled the bottom with litter and am about to commence crate training tonight per this article:

http://www.ourcompanions.org/pdf/OC Crate Training for Your Cat.pdf

Has anyone out there had success with crate training? I feel such horrible dread about the whole process. She loves playing on the steps, sleeping on our bed, running up and down the hallway, going outside and hanging out in our backyard. . . I don't know how she and I are going to get through this next week/month of confinement! She hasn't used a box with litter in it for years (before giving up the box all together she was urinating in an empty litter box) so I'm so afraid that this isn't going to work. Tiny's litter box habits have been the source of so much stress for our family, and I would love to hear any success stories!

For all of you our there who's cats are using their box, express your gratitude daily! What an amazing gift! Having a cat who uses her box has seriously become my ultimate fantasy.

Thanks everyone

 

[sunny578]

Tiny urinated on her bed on day 1, so I had to take that out. Two more urinations on day 2--she seems to be going more frequently in the crate, but maybe a smaller amount? She doesn't seem too upset/anxious in there, but has started meowing. She isn't urinating in the same place either, but instead alternating sides of the crate. No #2 yet. She's been eating really well, so that's good! I had expected a hunger strike.

 

[Elfilou]

No expierence. But I'm very curious if it works so let us know how it goes!

 

[sunny578]

Thank you!

Day 3: She covered her #2 for the 1st time maybe ever!? She is urinating more frequently, and I'm not sure if that means she more comfortable urinating in there so doesn't hold it, or if she has just figured out that I let her out whenever she urinates so I can clean the crate. Re-reading The Cat Whisperer and starting to figure out what changes we need to make to our environment. Maybe the dogs are stressing her out more than I thought. Tiny enjoys sleeping with and playing with the dogs, but maybe feels stress over having to jump on the counter to eat or being vulnerable while going to the bathroom. We've tried dog free litter box areas before though, and they haven't worked. Maybe after this re-training they will. I still can't picture this working but am hopeful. It's absolutely amazing to see used litter though!

 

[Elfilou]

That's great! Keep it up Tiny! I am sure any changes you do try to make will be appreciated. Who knows! Doesn't hurt to try things here and there.

 

[sunny578]

Thank you Elfilou!! We ordered a new sturdier and taller cat tree and I'm excited!

Day 4: Tiny scratched at her urine once! She was watching me while she did it, almost as if she knew that's what I wanted to see. I really think she knows that when she goes to the b room I let her out. The last three times, she urinated in the same spot where she had been sleeping. She moved after she urinated, but this still makes me nervous. This is her typical behavior--urinate where she sleeps and then run away to find somewhere else to sleep. This weekend we are supposed to clean up the litter off the floor of the crate and add in a litter box. This will be the real test. I suppose if she goes on the floor of the crate, I could try adding an empty litter box in there too.

Ahhh Tiny. I wish we could use our words.

 

[Elfilou]

That's exciting! Can't wait to hear if she takes to it. Find the softest, most appealing, best amazing litter you can find!! Haha, JK. Fingers crossed!

 

[Ardina]

Good luck! I'm also following and hoping it all works out!

 

[sunny578]

Thank you!

Bad news--today was the beginning of week 2, and the day we were supposed to clean the litter up off the floor of the crate and add in a litter box, which we did. Tiny had a great day 5 and 6--she started covering her urine completely in the crate! But, today, instead of choosing the litter box, Tiny chose the floor of the crate.

What should I do? Hope tomorrow will be better? Not clean it up right away so maybe she starts to understand that it will be better for her if she goes in the box? Add in an empty litter box? Years ago she would urinate in an empty box, but in the crate, she's been enjoying covering her stuff with the litter, so it seems like that instinct is still there.

The litter pan is a new one with very short sides (2 inches?) But, there are still sides. The article recommended using a cookie sheet if you have a cat who doesn't like to step into the box. I guess I could try that. I suppose if her litter box is a cookie sheet for the rest of her life, that isn't the end of the world. My husband also made her a box that has one of its sides cut out, so I could put that one in next.

Ahh Tiny. This is going to be even more difficult than I thought. I know this isn't about me, but I am so tired of seeing puddles of urine

Thanks for listening.

 

[sunny578]

Ok, on second inspection, I discovered that Tiny had used the box for # 2! And, it wasn't as hard as her usual stools--maybe bc she's going more frequently? Not only that, but when I saw the urine I left for a few minutes, and when I came back, she had scooped some litter from the box onto the floor of the crate in an attempt to cover it up :-/ I just read in The Cat Whisperer that some cats don't like to use the same space for urine and #2, so maybe that's what happened today? Not sure how to fix this issue during the crate training period. Maybe put a second box in the crate? That will take up the whole crate though, and I think the purpose of this next step is to see if we can get Tiny to chose the litter box over the floor. I wish there was more info about crate/litter box retraining out there. I'm not sure how to proceed.

 

[LeiLana80]

some cats don't like to use the same space for urine and #2

I have no advice for you!

However!!!! My mom has mentioned multiple times that one of her cats will only poop in one box and pee in the other (they have two cats, so two litters anyway). So, maybe that IS a thing??

Good luck!!!!!!

 

[Cataria]

I wish you the best of luck with this! I really hope it works out for you!

I don't have any helpful advice, but I don't think it would hurt to just clean up the mess outside the box, maybe clean it with an enzyme cleaner, and keep going with the single box for another day or so to see if it happens again. Then meanwhile you can think about if/how to add a second box?

 

[Elfilou]

Sorry no help from me either but I can however confirm that once I added a second litter box, mine very clearly started peeing in one and pooping in the other. When I took one of them away a few months ago (cleaned it and smacked on putting it back for about a week) she was fine using just one box though.

Great improvement though!!

 

[Ardina]

Maybe you could put in a plastic divider into the box so it seems that there are two? Not sure if that would make each side too small though. Fingers crossed that something works!

 

[sunny578]

Thank you everyone!! I ended up putting two boxes in there for a couple of days, but when I noticed Tiny was using both boxes for both #1 and 2, I took one out and held my breath. But, no more crate floor accidents!!

This AM Tiny was out of the crate and loose in the room, and she chose to urinate in one of the room boxes!! I left her out and in the afternoon she chose a box again for urine!!! After watching her crouch on the floor, bed, couch, me etc for the last 1.5 years, it was so amazing to watch!! So now she has free run of the room. Hoping she chooses the box for her next #2!!

Do you all have a fav enzymatic cleaner? We've used nature's miracle in the past and the spots have still smelled like urine to me.

 

[sunny578]

Week 3: We are fast tracking our crate training b/c Tiny is doing really well and I don't want to cause any extra stress by restricting her freedom any more than necessary. Tiny is allowed out in the house when we are home and sort of paying attention to her! We put her back in the room when she eats and at night and when we leave, and she uses the litter box then. I will feel really confident when I see her head to one of her boxes when she's free in the house. We aren't there yet, but I am truly shocked by her progress. I did not think this was possible, and envisioned cleaning up urine for the next 10 years. I keep posting hoping this is searchable bc I found so little info on crate training for cats out there.

Thank You for your support!

 

[Ardina]

So glad to hear that she's making progress!

 

[sunny578]

Thank You!

Tiny has started walking herself to her litter box when not confined to her room!!!!! It's amazing!!!!! We installed one of those gates with a cat door, so now her room is extra secure! We'd tried a dog free room in our last house, but the house was so small, it maybe felt more like a trap than a sanctuary. Even more than that though, I think she just had too many months/years of bad habits under her belt and needed a total reset. Cleaning her litter box is now one of my favorite things to do. I still can't believe this worked. Thank you Tiny!

Thank you for the support!

 

[Ardina]

Yay!

 

[TamiBee]

I just started crate training my older cat, Miss Cleo, last night. She's been tried and convicted of "public urination" and it's been deemed that she must go into detention (confinement).....She has been avoiding the litter box for a very long time. I've done all the suggestions, such as get another box, change the litter, have multiple boxes, see if she has a surface issue. Nothing has worked so, I'm at the point where I'll try anything. Since I live in a small apartment, I purchased a cage to do the crate training in. It's a large cage Day one definitely has to be the hardest. Luckily, I work from home. She's gotten time out in the yard (IE the bathroom) many times today for the suggested 20 minutes. The hardest for me is the crying. It's so heart breaking. You can hear me throughout the day, calling over to her and talking to her. Basically telling her I love her and all will be okay. Personally, since she'll poop in the box but not pee regularly, I forwent the full bottom tray of litter and started with her small litter box in the cage. She hasn't peed outside the box all day so, I'm pretty proud of her. I'm hoping she can be on the fast track too! I want my baby out of confinement and sleeping with me. I wish you luck; we both need it!