I Freaking Hate My Cat, Please Help!!

[Nw10120]

You could try to show your cat how to cover his poo yourself a few times, and praise him verbally and with treats if he attempts it himself. My cat, Dudley, doesn't always cover his poo, but he does sometimes, and partially does at others - I can't work out what the different levels of cover mean, so I just let him get on with it. He shares the litter with Parker, who often goes in after and covers it up for him! Anyway, try to scoop it out as soon as you spot it.

As for smell, I concur that his food does not agree with him. My two have delicate tummies and so they get food specifically for digestive health. Wet food = instant diarrhoea and a stench that could raise the dead. So, they don't get it often and I'm prepared for it when they do.

Maybe give him some furball treats/paste/food for a while (forever) to see if that helps with his poo stench, also.

I think C calicosrspecial 's ideas super helpful and I recommend you commence immediately.

Can you ask your sister to shut the basement door? Explain just how distressing it is for you to have him go in there. Maybe get a door wedge to wedge the basement door shut.

Bribe him with catnip, silvervine matatabi, and valerian. All of which make the majority of cats very happy and chilled. He'll thank you for them.

Possibly try a Feliway synthetic cat pheromone plug-in diffuser for a month to see if it settles him.

And, as others have suggested, get him vet checked.

I wish you well.

I’ve tried showing him, it doesn’t help he just gets aggravated and runs away. As for my sister I’ve asked a million times and she doesn’t care there’s no stopping her. For some reason he doesn’t care for catnip and I’ll try the infuser, Thanks.

 

[calicosrspecial]

I have seen that before. I wonder if he smells it in the air and is trying to cover it.

Anyone else have any ideas?

I honestly do not think that it is because he doesn't care enough. My instinct says it is a territorial thing but not everything lines up to support that instinct. It really is detective work. We will do everything we can to improve this. The posters on this thread are superstars. We will figure it out.

We'll see how he reacts to the efforts to build his confidence and the results from his vet visit. It sadly does take time and we'll see how he responds to our efforts.

 

[jackie.o]

My cat is a huge asshole. He’s about a year old and I’ve never met anything so mean. He doesn’t listen to ANYTHING I say! My sister lives in the basement and leaves the door open all the time. My cat often runs down there and when I go to chase him and bring him back up he just runs away from me and tries to hit me and ducks away for no reason. I’ve been nothing but nice to him since day one and he used to not be so mean. Also a big problem is he doesn’t cover his poop in the litter box. Before anyone says “he doesn’t like the texture” or “type of litter” I’ve changed the litter a million times. He’s just lazy. The litter box is big as well. He used to cover it sometimes but now he doesn’t. Also whenever someone tries to pet him he ducks away and moves because he hates being touched. It’s so annoying because I’ve spent so much money and time on him yet he acts this way. I don’t know what to do at this point and I feel so mean but I’m just over it.

Hi there. I'm a new cat owner and was very nervous I'd be experiencing some of things you're dealing with, so I wanted to share some things that have seemed to work for me! For the smell, maybe try Arm & Hammer's litter deodorizer- it is very affordable (Arm & Hammer Litter Cat Litter Deodorizer Powder). My girl does cover her poop so far, but this deodorizer has a nice fresh scent that has not deterred her from using the litter box.

Have you found any toys or treats that he particularly likes? I found that while my kitty was nervous and standoffish at first, as soon as she realized that I was the one who would play laser pointer with her for an hour, she was ready to cuddle up with me and eat what I fed her. Maybe if you begin to have more things that he associates positively with you, he will behave more lovingly.

Let him come to you, and don't be surprised if he runs after the rooms you try to keep him from- my cat does this too! When she does this, instead of chasing, I clap my hands or click my tongue loudly, and she nearly always responds. I wish you luck and I hope this helps!

 

[orange&white]

Something I’ve noticed is after he uses the litter box, he swipes his paws in the air as if he’s covering it. He might think he covers it but he doesn’t care enough to like look and check.

Maybe the smell is making his eyes water too and he doesn't want to hang around long enough to "flush".

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Something I’ve noticed is after he uses the litter box, he swipes his paws in the air as if he’s covering it. He might think he covers it but he doesn’t care enough to like look and check.

My cats only cover maybe half the time. Noodles often beats on the side of the washing machine like a drum instead. I don't really stress over it because it doesn't cause odor issues like your having. We had an electric box at one point but have gone back to regular.

I agree with the others about changing his food. When Noodles gets too much fish we get odors that really reek! Of course she loves it. My girls don't tolerate beef wet food and Noodles can only have limited fish. I read labels a lot. I don't have an unlimited budget for foods; but I try to go for as much grain free can food as I can and then they get dry. Fancy Feast pates and Frskies are my 2 main wet brands. My girls are older so calories are most important for one. The nutrition forum should be able to help you look for options in your budget. And with how best to transition without upsetting his tummy.

I think adding a second box is a good idea if you can. One of my cats will pee in one box and walk right to the other to poo.

The only other thoughts I have is that hes at a sort of bratty teenage age. A lot of his behavior sounds normal to me. Cats haven't different personalities too. That doesn't mean you won't build a bond with him! Definitely play and associate yourself with good things. Others have given great advice already! Noodles is my grumpy cat. She smacks us just for walking by sometimes. I've always had to let her smell me before I pet her. Its just who she is. She also cuddles next to me on the couch. Lap time is sparse and random. Mooch is her littermate and I've had them since theywere about 11 weeks old. Mooch is my lap baby. Shes social and just so different from Noodles sometimes. I love them both for different reasons.

Don't give up on your furbaby yet! We are here to help!

 

[Brian007]

A cat's response mechanism to catnip is hereditary with around 1/3 of cats lacking the gene. I recommend trying some super strong, high quality dried catnip leaf/bud, or fresh plant, before abandoning the idea altogether. Silvervine matatabi works well in cats who lack the catnip gene, and can prove an even bigger hit. Google it.

I can't praise valerian highly enough and urge you to give it a go. I'm sure that folk on TCS get fed up of my banging on about it but I only do so because it works wonders.

Yeah, chasing cats is a big no no. They just become afraid of you and don't get it. Encouragement and reward are the way to go. Don't shout at or punish your cat but reward with cooing words and treats even the merest hint of him doing what you want. Cats like carrots, not sticks. And, remember, you can't herd cats - go at their pace, get down on all fours to their level, and give them high perches where they can be the King of the Castle and look down on you, their minion.

I agree that you should check to see if there are new tomcats outside in your area. They can cause behavioural problems without ever even seeing your cat. And, have a long hard think about anything new in your house, anything at all, no matter how small, especially smells. His standoffishness may be down to something as simple as a new perfume.

But you're going to have to regain his trust whatever, so be prepared to put in the (most enjoyable) effort.

 

[LTS3]

Right now I feed him this natural type of food by Purina because it’s budget friend( approx. $9-10 a bag), seems healthy and he seems to really like it. I’m afraid if I switch he won’t enjoy his new food as well.

Most of the Purina foods aren't very good quality which results in stinky poop. Try a higher quality brand. Can you add canned food to the diet? Canned foods are more digestible than dry food so there may be less poop smell. Some cats like cheap food but it's the equivalent of junky fast food and is super tasty (animal digest is the typical coating on dry food). It's not good for the health even if it is loaded with added vitamins and minerals to be a complete diet.

Some cats just never learn how to cover up their poop. You can try to show your cat but you also risk annoying the cat to the point where he refuses to use the litter box. Just keep at least 3 inches of litter in the box, make sure the room is well ventilated, and use some kind of odor aborber to help with any smell. I wouldn't use heavily scented air fresheners and the like around the litter box. Cats have super sensitive noses and might stop using the litter box. A charcoal type odor absorber will work.