Cat Refuses To Use Litter.

[JennyRose]

Hey there,

I have a two year old female, a two year old male cat, and a one year old cat. They are all fixed and get along wonderfully.

**A little back story**
Twinkie (my two year old) was originally an outside cat. I had found her living under my friends family home with her sister. I took her home and my male cat took to her right away. Being an outdoor cat I thought she would have trouble with adjusting to living in a home but it was a smooth transition. My male cat taught her how to use the litter and she had no problem using it.**

Fast-forward two years and my partner and I are finding that she is flatly refusing to use the litters. We have three litters that we clean every second day. We have been using the same litter since she was a kitten. She has even gone as far as to poop in our kitchen. When this problem first came about I brought her to the vet right away and the vet told me it was a behavior issue and gave me an oral medication to give her. However giving her this medication made her aggressive toward my partner and I, she was scared of us, and she was aggressive with the other cats as well. I've called my vet about this numerous times and they continue to tell me that it is a behavior issue. Nothing in our household has changed (we are getting ready to move in January) but this problem has been on-going for a year now. We never punish her when she uses the floor as her toilet; but because she uses directly outside of the litters, its causing our other cats to act out. I don't think its healthy for the other two cats to be subjected to this either.

I don't know where to turn anymore. I'm afraid that I will have to give her up to the SPCA which is not something that I want to do. I love her dearly and I am trying everything I can to correct this situation but nothing seems to work. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Try to clean the litter boxes twice a day. Maybe there is a lingering smell or something that Twinkie does not like. Just guessing here. But my Bourbon also does not want to use the litter box when she deems it "dirty", even if I just scooped the clumps and all. What she does is go find another spot in the house, usually the toilet floor (thank God!), and poops / pees there, unless I clean the box immediately.

 

[Maria Bayote]

Also, make an experiment: Try to use a different brand of litter.

I hope it works in the end for you and for Twinkie. It really is sad when one has to give up a cat because of behavioral issues.

 

[Jem]

Did her litter avoidance start around the same time as bringing your one year old into the mix? You mention this has been going on about a year...
How many litter boxes do you have in the house? She may have been OK sharing with your male but now that there is a third kitty in the mix (male or female???) she may not want share or it's too much "scent" for her.
Does she have any other "stress" behaviors? scared of one of the other cats? hides? show aggression?
When your vet said it was just behavioral, did they at least do a urine-analysis? What tests were performed?

 

[Kflowers]

clean the litter boxes twice a day, it makes more of a difference than you'd think.

Look for stressors.

Get a new vet.

 

[Timmer]

So your vet didn't do any blood work or other tests? Just said it was behavioral?
It might be, but I don't think it's right to just say that. Often times when a cat goes outside the box it's because they don't feel well. It's the only way they have of telling us "I don't feel good" other than throwing up and the obvious.
And yes, I would scoop every day. And I think that's a good idea what someone else said about trying a different litter. Couldn't hurt.

 

[jen]

1) Add another box, 1 per cat plus 1 more, change up the litter in half of them, use different kinds, use a covered and an uncovered box.

2) Bloodwork! I agree with Timmer that it was kind of ignorant of your vet to just say its behavioral and prescribe meds without bloodwork or a urine/fecal check even. Find a different vet.