Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and I hope you can help me.
I rescued a 2 yr old female Himalyan cat named Lanie in March. She had been found in a dumpster and brought to our local shelter. She had kittens 3 days after being found! I brought her home after her kittens were weaned. I already had 2 DSH - both females, and a retriever mix dog. She was terrified in the beginning and stayed under the bed in either my bedroom or my daughters. She would use the litter box to urinate in but I found poo under the bed. Things have most certainly improved for her since March. She does roam around the house now with no fear of the other animals, but she does not use the litter box . If I sequester her in the laundry room with no other animals, she will use the box, but I hate to coop her up in there. I'm wondering if she will ever learn to integrate with the other cats and share litter boxes. Here is the litter box situation. I have 3 boxes - one in the laundry room and 2 in the playroom. They are all in private locations. I have tried various types of litter - you might have thought I had a pet shop in my house! My latest one was Cat Attract. Lanie will poop and pee right next to the box but not in it. I NEVER see her going to the bathroom. She is very private and does her business when nobody is home or at night. My other 2 cats have been happy to use the boxes no matter where they were and what kind of litter I used.As I type this I'm realizing that maybe Lanie needs her own box that isn't used by any of the other cats? My DH is so frustrated and I try to clean up her messes before he notices. I too am weary of this problem. I'm open to any/all suggestions. Thank you!
ETA: all my cats are female and have been spayed.
I rescued a 2 yr old female Himalyan cat named Lanie in March. She had been found in a dumpster and brought to our local shelter. She had kittens 3 days after being found! I brought her home after her kittens were weaned. I already had 2 DSH - both females, and a retriever mix dog. She was terrified in the beginning and stayed under the bed in either my bedroom or my daughters. She would use the litter box to urinate in but I found poo under the bed. Things have most certainly improved for her since March. She does roam around the house now with no fear of the other animals, but she does not use the litter box . If I sequester her in the laundry room with no other animals, she will use the box, but I hate to coop her up in there. I'm wondering if she will ever learn to integrate with the other cats and share litter boxes. Here is the litter box situation. I have 3 boxes - one in the laundry room and 2 in the playroom. They are all in private locations. I have tried various types of litter - you might have thought I had a pet shop in my house! My latest one was Cat Attract. Lanie will poop and pee right next to the box but not in it. I NEVER see her going to the bathroom. She is very private and does her business when nobody is home or at night. My other 2 cats have been happy to use the boxes no matter where they were and what kind of litter I used.As I type this I'm realizing that maybe Lanie needs her own box that isn't used by any of the other cats? My DH is so frustrated and I try to clean up her messes before he notices. I too am weary of this problem. I'm open to any/all suggestions. Thank you!
ETA: all my cats are female and have been spayed.