Female bengal not using litterbox. Marking her territory??

[bengaldude]

Greetings everyone,

First time poster here and I'm hoping I can get some feedback on a problem I've been having with my bengal cat.

I adopted her about four months ago from Great Lakes Bengal Rescue. Took her to the vet, got a clean bill of health, everything was going well.

Until she started pooping on the floor......

Initially I thought it might just be a new-home thing. Then maybe a litterbox thing (I'm now on my 3rd litterbox) maybe a litter brand thing? nope, not that either. The foster mom who had her before me swears she was fine at her house and had no issues.

Now, here's what I think it might be. I live in a duplex (upper) and the residents downstairs have 3 outdoor cats, meaning they routinely roam both the hallway and outside, where my cat can see and smell them.

I took my kitty's perch away from the window about a month ago, but regardless, she knows they're out there.

I've read before that female cats can do this to mark their territory. Is that what she's doing? And if so, is there anyway to get her to stop? I'll be moving in about six months, but I'm not sure if the habits she's developed now will carry over to my new house, even if there are no additional cats there.

Thanks very much for any advice,

 

[kai bengals]

Neither females nor male bengals use fecal matter to mark territory. Urine is the secretion of choice for that.

Your litter box may not be large enough. Some bengals like to stand to defecate.

I would suggest you try a large rubbermaid container, so she has plenty of room to turn around, stand, etc.

If that fails, call Janet from GLBR and ask for advice.

 

[gingersmom]

You may want to try two litterboxes side by side - my bengals prefer to use one for peeing in and one for pooing in.

 

[bengaldude]

Hmmm, I'll try the larger litter box. I did notice that she looks a bit cramped in there. I did try having the two litterboxes already as well.

Any other advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[white cat lover]

I would start analyzing the litterbox. Go for something basic, with no lid/cover - some cats don't like them. If the box isn't big enough for her to easily fit in & turn around - then it's too small & could be the issue. I've used Rubbermaid tubs, or under bed storage tubs for litterboxes, much cheaper than buying an actual box & bigger!

 

[goldenkitty45]

Try a larger, deeper one, a covered one or a wider one. Hope things improve. Its frustrating trying to figure out our cats sometimes

 

[bengaldude]

Hmmm, well, I picked up a large Rubbermaid container this weekend, but I haven't had any luck yet in converting her. I suspect she's probably in a habit now and it could be hard to break.

 

[fuzzmom]

Start at the beginning with Litterbox 101. Confine her to a single small room, like a spare bedroom or even a large bathroom (as long as it has a window for light to come in), or any room that will not allow her to smell or hear the other cats. Put out 2 litterboxes. Rule of thumb is that for every cat you have use 1 litterbox plus 1. So if you have 2 cats you would use 2 litterboxes plus 1 more.

Bengals really need very large and deep litterboxes. Those Rubbermaid sweater containers work well. Put Cat Attract Litter in both, either as a 1-2 inch layer on top of your current litter or as the only litter. Put the boxes in a corner where she will feel safe using them. What type of litter are you using? Keep her in the room without access to any of the other rooms for at least 2 weeks. Make certain you clean the soiled areas using an enzyme cleaner to remove all traces of scent.

If you need further help, you can ask for assistance at the Bengal Cat Rescue group. There are many knowledgeable people there who can give you more ideas.