Cat scared of litter box

[CarmiesMom]

Hi guys I have a question recently I have noticed my yearling intact female AdoraBelle or Dora for short has been pottying in inappropriate places namely the floor or a cardboard box or today a chair anywhere that's not the litterbox she's got an appointment to be spayed next month as it's their first opening anyway I put her in the litterbox and she ran out just as fast as she could like she was scared now our home dose have 6 other cats which is why it took me a couple weeks to notice this issue as she's the quiet one most content to be doing her own thing usually hanging out in a high shelf or window area I rescued her last year when she was dumped on my door step and obviously knew nothing of the road or outside and was nearly run-over. my other yearling Butterscotch was a similar rescue only his mother was feral and he was a month before her anyway his personality is a total opposite he has to get on you or close to you to be content.

I noticed her behaviour a few days ago my grandfather for whom I was a live-in caregiver for passed in April leaving me the house and I started working outside the home in late June we ended up moving the favored potty box because we were given an upright freezer and that was the only place to put it because it's an old house and lacks plug-ins.

Anyway I put a new potty box in a separate room where she likes to hang out and noticed when I went to clean it this week their wasn't much to scoop.

Any ideas why she's suddenly scared of the litter boxes I've tried putting her in three separate ones and the other cats pretty much avoid her room no one's a bully about the litter boxes and we have plenty to go around as I said she likes to hang out in my room and put her a box in there which the other cats go to rarely they respect her boundaries and she gets along with all but the second eldest male and the eldest female who are a lot like her and prefer to do their own thing.

eldest female usually hangs out on the fridge to look out the kitchen window and second eldest male likes to be near the AC as he had long hair. The eldest male adores her as dose the youngest the second eldest female is usually hanging out in the spare bathroom which has a shelf built in next to the shower that's empty except for towels which she likes to sleep on, the second youngest female adores all the other cats and is two also a rescue.

anyway theirs been nothing as far as I can see that would cause her litter box fear can anyone give me advise? I'm nearly caught up on my bills and can take her in to the vet on the 5thwhen I'm paid again but anything you can tell me any tips would help.


In The pictures you will see her with our eldest male who thinks he's Dad to all those under 5 years of age he's 8. He adores Dora.


 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Nice pics!!! I don't know if her being intact could be playing a role here or not. But she could also have a UTI - litter box avoidance can be very common in cats with a UTI.

Is she using the litter box to poop? If so, then she isn't really scared of the box, but perhaps bothered by the pain she might feel when she pees in the litter box. Most cats associate the pain they feel with the box and not their bodies. If she will pee in a cardboard box, give her one to use - either with litter or with puppy pee pads.

Most vets will allow you to bring in a cat without an appt. so a vet or vet tech can draw urine from the bladder to test for an infection. That way you are not paying for a vet visit too. Call your vet and see if they will let you do this and get her in now for a urinalysis.

 

[CarmiesMom]

I would Gladly take her in but I can't Till our vet gets back from Vacation on Friday. I called got a recording. small office no techs just his wife who's a veterinary assistant. She's not pooping in the box either she popped on a chair this morning right after breakfast is how I noticed it was more than just inappropriate peeing. And figured it might be something else. I'm hoping it's something simple like a UTI and antibiotics can take care of it because of she won't use a box I'm gonna have to re-home her. I can't let her potty on the furniture. From what I can tell the peeing& pooping outside the box, it's been going on sence around the time we got the big freezer and I started working. As I went looking and found a cardboard box under my bed filled with poop and she's the only one in my room most of the time.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It is possible she is reacting to the recent changes - placing her box somewhere else and you not being home as much. Or perhaps she wants her old litter box back? Didn't you say she got a new one? She may not want to use that, so if you can give her the old one back, I would try that. Otherwise, try keeping the cardboard box for her to use instead of the litter box. Either add litter to it, or puppy pee pads. Of course, the latter would make for easier clean up given you are using a cardboard box. Since it also could be somehow connected to her not being spayed, you might want to do what you can to save up for that as soon as you can.

Rehoming a cat with litter box issues - unless you find someone who is aware of the issue and is willing to work with her to resolve her problems - may very well end up with her being euthanized. Most cats aren't easily re-homed when something like this is going on.

 

[CarmiesMom]

It is possible she is reacting to the recent changes - placing her box somewhere else and you not being home as much. Or perhaps she wants her old litter box back? Didn't you say she got a new one? She may not want to use that, so if you can give her the old one back, I would try that. Otherwise, try keeping the cardboard box for her to use instead of the litter box. Either add litter to it, or puppy pee pads. Of course, the latter would make for easier clean up given you are using a cardboard box. Since it also could be somehow connected to her not being spayed, you might want to do what you can to save up for that as soon as you can.

Rehoming a cat with litter box issues - unless you find someone who is aware of the issue and is willing to work with her to resolve her problems - may very well end up with her being euthanized. Most cats aren't easily re-homed when something like this is going on.

Thank you for the advise she is to be spayed on the 19th of August and I will in the meantime do a puppy pad in a box and have her looked at as soon as the vet gets back from vacation I can barrow the money from my mom on the 1st to get her in and we can usually get in on under 48 hours as hell have been gone a week I think we should be seen by next Wednesday at the latest and thank you for the advise.

 

[susanm9006]

I don’t think you can assume she is afraid of her litter box. It is possible that the fear reaction when you put her in the box isn’t due to the box but rather her reaction to you putting her in it. Being picked up and set somewhere certainly can make a cat react fearfully. Unless you have changed her actual box or the litter in it being in heat or having some kind of infection is a more likely culprit.

 

[daftcat75]

Just to echo the others, I always recommend a vet visit for inappropriate elimination to rule out health reasons before going too far down the behavioral rabbit hole. But I hear you. You’re caught in a holding pattern until your vet returns.

The only times my late Krista (avatar kitty) went outside the box were:
1. Peed outside the box for months! I tried everything! Then I had to take her to the vet for some other reason and I mentioned it. The vet popped open her mouth and said, “she’s been peeing your walls as a cry for help. She’s got painful tooth resorption.” He extracted the painful teeth and she stopped peeing the walls.
2. She started pooping outside the box a few years later when she had GI lymphoma. Back then it wasn’t yet well-managed. Dumb me was using one of her trigger foods to disguise her medicine. Her poops were multi-round affairs. The first poop always made the box. But the more times she had to return to the box, the less likely she would. When we switched from pred pills to transdermal, the tuna flakes I was wrapping her pills in left her diet and she finally achieved remission. Her poops became one and done affairs; always in a box.
3. She started peeing anywhere and everywhere when she had a bladder infection. Sadly, this infection would prove too much for her cancer and steroid weakened body and immune system. I’m sure had she been in better shape, her litterbox habits would have returned with a treatment for the infection.

The point here is that in each of those cases, there was a health reason behind her litterbox aversion.

While you are waiting for the vet to return, you may as well try different things.

Are her litterboxes uncovered? If not, I would remove the covers. Litterbox covers make litterboxes as appealing and as unpleasant as a porta-potty (plastic outhouse.)

I would also pick up a number of disposable litterboxes. Spread them around and give her both public and private options. I have read somewhere that some cats prefer to have their litterbox in a socially significant space. Some cats want privacy. And others want to know you have their back and you’re keeping a lookout for any predators.

You can try different materials like soil, newspaper, or different kinds of litters.

You can try Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract (which has a money back guarantee if it doesn’t work for her.) It is a blend of clay litter and herbs that somehow draws cats to use the litter box. Obviously this won’t work if there’s a health reason. But with the money back guarantee, it doesn’t hurt to try it.

Finally, as exhausting as it is, make sure you are cleaning up any pee spots with an enzyme cleaner like Nature’s Miracle so that her own scent doesn’t keep bringing her back to the same spot.

Let us know what the vet says when he returns and you can get her in.

 

[CarmiesMom]

Just to echo the others, I always recommend a vet visit for inappropriate elimination to rule out health reasons before going too far down the behavioral rabbit hole. But I hear you. You’re caught in a holding pattern until your vet returns.

The only times my late Krista (avatar kitty) went outside the box were:
1. Peed outside the box for months! I tried everything! Then I had to take her to the vet for some other reason and I mentioned it. The vet popped open her mouth and said, “she’s been peeing your walls as a cry for help. She’s got painful tooth resorption.” He extracted the painful teeth and she stopped peeing the walls.
2. She started pooping outside the box a few years later when she had GI lymphoma. Back then it wasn’t yet well-managed. Dumb me was using one of her trigger foods to disguise her medicine. Her poops were multi-round affairs. The first poop always made the box. But the more times she had to return to the box, the less likely she would. When we switched from pred pills to transdermal, the tuna flakes I was wrapping her pills in left her diet and she finally achieved remission. Her poops became one and done affairs; always in a box.
3. She started peeing anywhere and everywhere when she had a bladder infection. Sadly, this infection would prove too much for her cancer and steroid weakened body and immune system. I’m sure had she been in better shape, her litterbox habits would have returned with a treatment for the infection.

The point here is that in each of those cases, there was a health reason behind her litterbox aversion.

While you are waiting for the vet to return, you may as well try different things.

Are her litterboxes uncovered? If not, I would remove the covers. Litterbox covers make litterboxes as appealing and as unpleasant as a porta-potty (plastic outhouse.)

I would also pick up a number of disposable litterboxes. Spread them around and give her both public and private options. I have read somewhere that some cats prefer to have their litterbox in a socially significant space. Some cats want privacy. And others want to know you have their back and you’re keeping a lookout for any predators.

You can try different materials like soil, newspaper, or different kinds of litters.

You can try Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract (which has a money back guarantee if it doesn’t work for her.) It is a blend of clay litter and herbs that somehow draws cats to use the litter box. Obviously this won’t work if there’s a health reason. But with the money back guarantee, it doesn’t hurt to try it.

Finally, as exhausting as it is, make sure you are cleaning up any pee spots with an enzyme cleaner like Nature’s Miracle so that her own scent doesn’t keep bringing her back to the same spot.

Let us know what the vet says when he returns and you can get her in.

Thank you this has actually given me some things to bring up at the vet besides standard UTI questions and the disposable litter boxes sound like a good idea they may however end up cardboard flats with puppy pads but ya know small town (pop 5,000) so do what I can we have one store that sells things like that it's a farm supply store as the local pet shop is closed because they are relocating across town to a bigger building and won't do a reopening for two weeks at least while they get everything done. But thanks for the advice will definitely try shredded news print and dirt.

I've tried three different litters lately and most of the cats prefer freshstep unscented.

I tried the pine and corn based litter a few years ago and eldest cat Mignon age 8 is very allergic to corn we think he ended up with a URI after using it less than a week.

My brother suggested Equine pine or pine shavings for like mulch and bedding so i may give that a shot as it's cheep.

what my cats won't use is cheep Hy-Vee brand litter, they will use tidy cats but I have to change it every three days in all boxes or eldest will poop at front door, they don't mind Arm &Hammer but youngest male likes to dig threw it to bottom of box this why we have 2 covered and 6 uncovered litter boxes scattered around plus a separate uncovered litterbox in my room where Dora spends most of her time. So thank you for the suggestions and things to bring up with my vet.

honestly I may crate her the next few nights to check for any blood in her urine. Which is how I found out when second eldest female Marie had a UTI she was crated overnight because she and her brother & litter mate second eldest male weren't getting along at night and he's huge and she's docile so it was easier to put her in the pet carrier over night. Anyway thank you all so much and as soon as he's back from vacation we will make an appointment.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello
Just in case, there might be something here that helps;
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles

21 Organizations That Help Pay Vet Bills!

 

[sunny578]

Wondering where all your litter boxes are and how many you have? Is the big freezer close to any of her favorite spots?

 

[CarmiesMom]

Wondering where all your litter boxes are and how many you have? Is the big freezer close to any of her favorite spots?

The litter boxes are in various areas 5 of them are in a non working bathroom three in the shower that no longer functions thanks to my cousin "fixing" it, and one on either side of the toilet, 1 in the working bathroom 1 in the utility room, 1 by the computer desk, 1 on the back porch just off the kitchen and finally the one in my bedroom so 10 in all. the big freezer was placed where one litter box used to be In a back hall area between the utility room and working bathroom at the end of the hall is just enough room for the freezer used to be the litter box and an old hat stand/coat rack tree thing which was thrown out because it fell apart when moved, that litterbox was relocated to the back porch. Our house is small an awkwardly shapped it was built in stages and haphazardly as needed and was changed back and forth from single family to two apartments several times sence the 1920's with the last change done by my grandparents when they bought it in the 80s it became my house officially when my grandfather passed.

 

[Furballsmom]

the big freezer was placed where one litter box used to be

I see, this, and you going back to work occurred at the same time she started missing the boxes?

 

[CarmiesMom]

I see, this, and you going back to work occurred at the same time she started missing the boxes?

Yes pretty much at the same time maybe a week different but close.

 

[Furballsmom]

Do you think she'd respond to any calming products?

 

[CarmiesMom]

All I can do is try. it's worth a shot I never thought of it but I do have some calming spray leftover in the utility room closet from when they were doing road work last year I'll find it and see if it helps thanks.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[sunny578]

Ok! Wondering if you could put her favorite box closer to the new freezer, or if she's afraid of it? Also wondering if you have lots of high up places for the cats to jump to, and if you have lots of scratching options?

Please keep us posted!

 

[CarmiesMom]

Okay seems I forgot to update yes we have scratching posts and high places china hutch computer cabinet top of the fridge top of new upright freezer (how they get their is a mystery) old unused cabinets in utility room (was a kitchen way back when the house was 2 appts.) And tall windows with wide frames they like to lounge in and a cat tree that reaches nearly to the ceiling several scratching posts as well as cat tree no room for it closer to new freezer it's at the end of a narrowish hallway . Anyway we took her to the vet who gave her two weeks of antibiotics said she had a high fever and abscess on her butt said to bring her back if she didn't improve as it was possible she could have FELV but thankfully she improved with the antibiotics the next course is another worm treatment for all 6 and flea treatments again. He wants to see her again Tuesday as it's been a month sence she finished her antibiotics, at this point he'll tell me if he thinks we need to do blood work to check for FELV as I've been worried about it and he said at this point he'll have a better idea of weather or not the blood work is necessary as I don't have a lot of extra money and the pet insurance is out of my reach due to a dispute with the cable company saying I owe them $800 after I canceled their services unfortunately this has put my credit down the drain and everything depends on your credit score. Anyway I will update Tuesday or Wednesday and let you know the final outcome for Dora.

 

[Furballsmom]

I don't know if I posted this for you, in case not and in case there's anything that might possibly be of help;
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat’s Life – TheCatSite Articles