Litter Box Problem

[skittles]

WHENEVER MY CAT USES THE LITTER BOX SHE NEVER COVERS IT UP WHEN SHE IS THROUGH.SHE THINKS SHE IS COVERING UP, BECAUSE SHE SCRATCHES THE WALL BESIDE THE LITTER BOX LIKE SHE IS TRYING TO COVER IT UP.I HAVE TO COVER IT UP MYSELF EVERY TIME WITH A POOPER SCOOPER. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

DONNA

 

[hissy]

Hi Donna,

Some cats just don't cover up their mess. They more than likely did not stay with the momcat long enough to learn good litterbox manners. That is usually the case. You can just buy a covered litter box and realize your cat won't be covering his feces and keep the box scooped out a lot so he doesn't step in his waste and track it everywhere.

 

[rapunzel47]

Yup! That was our Nibs. I don't think he covered for himself once in all his 15+ years. And I gather from his first human that she got him waaaaay too young, because the "breeder" was anxious to get the kittens on their way (hope THAT one's not still in business!)

Amusing side note: when Suzy came on the scene (by which time Nibs was about 14, and she was just kitten) she would follow him into the box and cover for him. She did it with the most distasteful look on her face -- the feline equivalent of "Men! Can't they learn to put the seat down??"

 

[kitkatz]

Graycie was abandoned at 4 weeks so he never learned litter box manners and doesn't cover up either, just scatches the wall so side of the box. Shadow will go and cover it up before she goes!

 

[hockeygrrl75]

Originally posted by kitkatz
Graycie was abandoned at 4 weeks so he never learned litter box manners and doesn't cover up either, just scatches the wall so side of the box. Shadow will go and cover it up before she goes!

Leo does the same thing, scratch the side of the covered box. He also does that around his food bowl. I wasnt his first "mom" so I dont know how he was when he was a kitten. I wonder if that is why. Hmmm.

 

[sweets]

My vet told me that if a cat is scratching on the side of the box or on the floor around it instead of in the litter, its because he doesn't like the feel of the litter. She suggested trying something smaller in size, like the clumping litters.

 

[georgiagirl8]

My cats used to do that with the big litter. The kind I use now is almost like sand. They really seem to like it better. Stinkie and Rat are the only two cats that ever use it - and sometimes they would rather go out. The others always want out when they have to go. When they do use it, they don't try scratching the wall or the box anymore since changing litter and they cover it up more often. Stinkie usually doesn't even try to cover his up though. He does when he's outside, but not in the house - even though he seems to like this litter better. He probably was taken away from his mother too soon, because I got him at an animal shelter when he was a very small kitten. He had very poor litter box habits at that time. When he used it, it got all over him (that's where his name came from

).