Litter Box Frustrations and Confusion

[The_Baroness]

Shortly after getting Suva, it took us a few days to get her litter box trained. There was one accident where her box had too much pee in it (we went out to celebrate my husband's birthday) and when we got back she pooped on the carpet, but had no accidents after that. This morning we came in and her litter box was clean, but she peed and pooped outside it in two different spots. We heavily cleaned the areas this morning. We did a spray for accidents in the areas and vacuumed the litterbox room. She hasn't gone to the litter box since. She tried to keep going on the carpet (I've caught two pee stances in which I scooped her up and sat her in the litter box). After being placed in the litter box, she hops out and acts like she doesn't has to go. I have tried inducing her as well but she won't go for that either (she is 6 weeks at this point). She has been doing litterbox stuff well until today. I am slightly frustrated at this ordeal and get she doesn't know better fully. What is going on? Any tips?

 

[iPappy]

How long were you away when her box had too much pee in it? Could she have a UTI or cystitis? Is Suva declawed?
You might need to experiment with the box, and the litter itself. If the box is small, could you get a bigger one and maybe place the smaller box in any area she keeps going back to as a training aid? If the box is covered, could you uncover it? Is her litter scented, un-scented?

 

[The_Baroness]

How long were you away when her box had too much pee in it? Could she have a UTI or cystitis? Is Suva declawed?
You might need to experiment with the box, and the litter itself. If the box is small, could you get a bigger one and maybe place the smaller box in any area she keeps going back to as a training aid? If the box is covered, could you uncover it? Is her litter scented, un-scented?

She has used this litter and litterbox for about 2 weeks. She is not declawed. She is only about 6 weeks old. It is an uncovered box. The first incident was about 2 hours and had a ton of pee in different spots, but she went to it like normal after that.

The only thing I can think of is this morning she had a slight tumble down the stairs. She fell down a few, but I checked her over and she was fine. But I'm not sure if the pee incident this morning was before or after the stair tumbles.

 

[iPappy]

I missed the part where she's only 6 weeks! For some reason I read that as you've HAD her for 6 weeks She's probably still learning, Dr. Elsey makes a really good training litter that you could try. Did you use an enzymatic cleaner on her accidents?
I estimate Lila was about 5-6 weeks old when I found her, and she did have a few accidents. Regression is normal and usually short lived, just keep at it with her. A few times, I'd set Lila in the box when I knew she had to pee, and she'd go to leave, so I'd take two or three of my fingers and dig in the litter a little to attract her and she would start pawing at my hand, feel the litter, and started getting the idea.
If it continues, could you ask the vet about a urinalysis? Sometimes if they start having accidents, it's just from discomfort of having that infection or inflammation and can make them avoid the litter box because they associate it with that burning and annoying feeling of having to go all the time. When you caught her in the pee stances and you moved her to the box, had she produced any urine in the spot she was in when you moved her to the box?

 

[The_Baroness]

I missed the part where she's only 6 weeks! For some reason I read that as you've HAD her for 6 weeks She's probably still learning, Dr. Elsey makes a really good training litter that you could try. Did you use an enzymatic cleaner on her accidents?
I estimate Lila was about 5-6 weeks old when I found her, and she did have a few accidents. Regression is normal and usually short lived, just keep at it with her. A few times, I'd set Lila in the box when I knew she had to pee, and she'd go to leave, so I'd take two or three of my fingers and dig in the litter a little to attract her and she would start pawing at my hand, feel the litter, and started getting the idea.
If it continues, could you ask the vet about a urinalysis? Sometimes if they start having accidents, it's just from discomfort of having that infection or inflammation and can make them avoid the litter box because they associate it with that burning and annoying feeling of having to go all the time. When you caught her in the pee stances and you moved her to the box, had she produced any urine in the spot she was in when you moved her to the box?

I would catch her right before she started to pee and would place her in the litter box. At this point I could kind of care less of where she pees and just want her to pee. I can easily clean it up. Thank you for telling me about the regression. I never had issues with any other cats, but I also have never had a cat this young before either.

I just saw her try and pee and checked the spot and nothing happened. Talking to my husband about an emergency vet because I am worried. Like I said, she hasn't gone since this morning.

 

[iPappy]

Are you 100% sure she hasn't been able to pee since this morning, or is it possible she's snuck off somewhere and peed and you didn't catch it? Not being able to pee is not good and is an emergency, but I'm hopeful that it's just inflammation or infection (not uncommon in young animals) and she's squatting a lot but not producing anything most of the time, but is physically able to pass urine.

 

[The_Baroness]

We would be able to smell something if she had. I have also checked her spots she hides at. Each squat spot has been bone dry.

We are going to take her to a vet in the morning per my husband's request. She acts fine otherwise. Eating food, playing, being her normal self otherwise.

And she finally used the restroom. Peed and pooped in the litter box. I am crying from happiness and her poop smell.

 

[iPappy]

We would be able to smell something if she had. I have also checked her spots she hides at. Each squat spot has been bone dry.

We are going to take her to a vet in the morning per my husband's request. She acts fine otherwise. Eating food, playing, being her normal self otherwise.

And she finally used the restroom. Peed and pooped in the litter box. I am crying from happiness and her poop smell.

I have had a many times that pee or poop makes me so happy! I'm so glad she went and is otherwise acting normal. It's very scary when we worry about them!!!

 

[The_Baroness]

I can tell she feels so much better after using the bathroom she has the zoomies.

I have had a many times that pee or poop makes me so happy! I'm so glad she went and is otherwise acting normal. It's very scary when we worry about them!!!

Thank you so much I was on the verge of tears of panic.

 

[iPappy]

You're so welcome, I'm glad she's got a case of the zoomies and is feeling her best

 

[Furballsmom]

For future, since sometimes it's difficult to detect with your nose, you might get a black light

 

[Hellenww]

6 weeks is just a baby and don't have the best control. They could be in the middle of play and all of a sudden have to pee. Maybe they forget where the box is or it's just too far or they haven't completely learn their potty training.

Put boxes on every level of your home. Make sure to have one in the rooms she spends the most time in. When she is bigger and more mature you'll be able to remove some.

 

[The_Baroness]

6 weeks is just a baby and don't have the best control. They could be in the middle of play and all of a sudden have to pee. Maybe they forget where the box is or it's just too far or they haven't completely learn their potty training.

Put boxes on every level of your home. Make sure to have one in the rooms she spends the most time in. When she is bigger and more mature you'll be able to remove some.

Generally she stays closest to where the most people are. She is still young enough she forgets where her food bowl is if we are downstairs too long she peed and pooped within 5 inches of her litterbox with the incident I was concerned about. She went to the bathroom again this morning no problem.

 

[The_Baroness]

Well, sometime time this morning she peed in one of her play boxes (no litter) and pooped beside the litter box. Not entirely sure why. As both were in the same room.

 

[The_Baroness]

Game plan currently is to make her food a lot more moist (hubby said her poop was a bit sticky and tar like) and I plan to complete change to clean litter and clean the box before the new litter.

I have been adding a lot of milk replacement to her wet cat food (daily amount worth), but apparently that is not enough liquid. I get adding more water to her food would delude it more, but I don't want her to struggle with restroom visits.

 

[Furballsmom]

Let us know how things progress

 

[The_Baroness]

I caught her right before she peed on an extension cord (where the cords get plugged in) and moved her to the litter box. It made me realize we probably need to clean that area as well. I moved her food from the plastic container lids to a ceramic plate as well. It holds liquid better. For me currently, I would rather her pee and poo and know she can go to the bathroom and clean it up, than for her to be strained in some way and be completely litter boxes trained.

 

[The_Baroness]

Want to keep y'all updated. Suva is at the vet getting an x-ray. Her bladder is full of pee. She wants to pee but can't always. I am a nervous wreck. My husband would have come with me, but he had a possible work meeting and had to stay home. Luckily he is a phone call away.

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[The_Baroness]

She is blocked up with poo. Told to stop adding the kitten formula to the food and they are going to give her the tiniest amount of enema. I have to watch how much she pees and poos. Bringing her back at 7:30 am in the morning.