cats not burying fecal matter-help

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My two cats are generally very good about using the litter box, except they have begun to not bury their feces. They will cover their pee though. It's extreemly frustrating to have the smell waft through the entire apartment(obviously).
I keep the litter box clean, have not changed it and have not had any major changes in the house lately. Can anyone help me?
 

donna

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I have a Sphynx who absolutely refuses to cover his poop too. I just go scoop it out as soon as he's done. Since I have 7 cats, I scoop twice a day this way there's no chance for any odor to start. I also mix a combination of scoopable cat little and fresh step non-scoopable together. It does help cut down on the odor.
 

swalker

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My Lily doesn't bury any of it. She does her deal and then will scratch on the floor outside of the litter box. I just try to remove the doodie as soon as she does it.
I think she kind of expects it!!
 

deb25

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My Joey was absent the day they passed out the burying gene too. He is a such a dope that he burys the area next to his poop, which has nothing in it. I guess the smell bugs Squirt, because I have caught him going into the box after Joey to bury for him! If that isn't brotherly love, I don't know what is!
 

twocats

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Hi, I don't mean to laugh at your expense and I'm not, but I just have to add this: My male Oreo uses the far corner in the box and doesn't normally cover it because he can't scratch litter towards it in the corner. Once in a while his royalness will not squat fast enough and it rests on the outer cover of the box.(Try scooping that up). He will, however, scratch on the outer cover after going in the box.

My Mony on the other hand, will do whatever it takes to cover it in her box. I've seen her move the litter from one end to the other in piles until she gets it covered.

Does this say something about the genes??? LOL

By the way - Mony HAS to go in the morning just as I am trying to clean their boxes so I have to wait and Oreo waits until I get home at night to use his box in the corner of the kitchen while I'm either a:cooking or b:eating. Gotta luv em.
 

chris

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My little girl Kiwi doesn't do it either. Well, once in a while she does, but mostly she just leaves it or doesn't cover it very well. We just scoop it up then.

Since she is outside a lot and goes to the bathroom out there, we only have to worry about her using the box in the winter.
 

gr8nurse

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Hi, if you get an answer on how to get a cat to cover his mess will you email me and let me know? I also have a cat-male-who will not cover his piles. He uselessly scratches the floor on the outside of his litter pan. He always poops right in front too! I usually have to scoop the poop as soon as he goes or the whole family is walking around grumbling and gagging. I think he-Baron-thinks it is funny. He will look at everyone like, what-My poop doesn't smell. The female we just had dumped on us and brought in due to her having babies is very prissy about it. Hence the name Prissy. She will cover imaginary piles just to make sure the job is done. Hope you get a solution, this drives me and my whole family nuts.

Kathy Xanders
 

deb25

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I actually find this one worse than the unburied poop. My older cat Squirt always stands half in/half out of the litter box when he pees. So the pee is always right in the front section of the box, and on the front wall of the box, making wahing the box often necessary. I guess he doesn't like to go all the way inside unless he has to. He never did this in the box without a lid, but then I had him spraying litter everywhere with his endless digging. (He was almost named Digger, because he spent his entire first night in my house digging in the litter box).
 

twocats

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Ok, heres a couple for you. I told you earlier about Oreo and scratching the outside of the box to cover his poo when its in the back of the box - well, he manages to pee in the front of the box and get that covered. Amazes me. My Mony wont even stand in her box to poop - she balances on the edge of the box, then gets off and gets over in it to cover it.

What's even more funny - one day after I finished vacuuming the floors, Mony went to one spot and tried to "bury" something on the carpet. Still haven't figured that one out yet, but it was funny to watch - especially since there was nothing there.
 

sandie

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I actually find that it is most common with cats who didnt spend time with mom or if mom didnt cover her mess. Cats seem to learn the covering from mom.
 

Anne

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About the cats who won't do their business inside the box, I just thought I'd mention that behaviorists say one of the most important things for a cat in his box is having an escape route.

I can't recall if I read this in Johnson-Bennett's book or another one, but it said that cats feel vulenrable while in the box and are afraid of becoming trapped in a corner with no escape route. I'm thinking maybe cats that stand on the edge of the box are bothered by this matter. Perhaps changing the location of the box so that they can see if someone approaches them and escape on time would be a solution?
 

deb25

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I had heard that before, Anne. It fits very well with Squirt's personality. He hates to be cornered. I think that is why he keeps his front half outside the door of the box when he goes. I read an article that suggested a box with a front and a back door, but I've never seen one of those on the market!

I think that is also why Squirt leaves the food dish if anyone alse comes in the room. He feels too vulnerable. I do not know how or when he developed these quirks. Might have been when Joey entered the household.
 

twocats

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Hi Anne; thanks for that bit of information but I don't think that is Mony's problem. Her litter box is in front of a bookcase in my dining room with nothing surrounding it. It might have something to do with her long hair?? Only guessing at this point. They are each like people, with their own foibles.

Oreo's box on the other hand is only one way in and the same way out. They will both share that one. I have no clue - I just accept them as they are.
 
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