Litter Problems...

[JenaMarie]

Me and my sister both have cats, I have a female and she has a male cat, and they each have their own litter pan. They both have the automatic scooping litter pans. My cat is obsessive about covering up after herself, she will spend several minutes in the litter pan, scratching and covering up. My sisters cat, however, won't cover up at all, which prevents the automatic scooper from picking anything up. My sister got her cat from someone who was going to give him to a shelter so my sister doesn't know if he was ever "taught" to cover up or not. When I got my cat, I also picked up a Kitten for Dummies book and it said to put the kitten in the litter pan and using their paw, do the scratching motion with their paw, I tried doing that several times with my sisters cat but he hasn't picked up on it.
I recently changed the cat litter from Tidy Cat Clumping Litter to Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal which seemed to help with the clumping and the strong smell that comes from the male cats litter pan, but it's starting to not clump as much and there is a slight smell again. The male cat will pee so much and because he doesn't cover up, it will cause the litter to firm to the bottom of the litter pan and he doesn't want to use it anymore, then he will go to my cats litter pan and do the same thing to it, but my cat doesn't like a dirty litter pan and will refuse to use it. She won't even go in the same room as his litter pan is in.
Any suggestions on how we can get him to cover up and possible litter that will clump so that it can be scooped by the automatic litter pan and help prevent the smell from over taking the house? Thank you for any tips and suggestions!

 

[Brian007]

First things first, are they both neutered? An unneutered male's pee will be highly stinky. And, they should both be neutered, regardless. How old are they both? His tomcat pee stench will gradually lessen if he's been recently neutered.

Does your sister's cat pee an abnormally large quantity or is she just not emptying his tray often enough? I don't know much about self-scooping trays but I'm assuming they can only sift and not actually take out pee sodden litter out to the rubbish bin. I think, in either case, his litter needs changing more frequently than it is at present. And, he should possibly be vet checked for a UTI (pee infection) and for kidney function (diabetes) if he's peeing more than normal.

Hopefully, someone with experience of using your litter tray system will come along to comment and suggest litter recommendations. However, if your sister's cat is a naturally heavy pee-er, and she is not willing to change his litter more frequently, then she may have to abandon the self-scoop in favour of a manual scooping tray, and deal with the clumps on at least a daily basis. Also, just because her cat is not your own it doesn't mean that you can't lend a hand in keeping his tray clean, especially if it bothers you and your cat.

As for his not covering up, some cats just don't. You can try to show him how to do it yourself, and praise and reward him with a treat should he make the slightest hint of effort. Rewarding him will encourage him to do it again if he were to cover up. But, if he's a stubborn so-and-so, who refuses point blank to cover then I'd probably recommend that you and your sister invest in a third litter tray for them to share, and to share in the duties of cleaning all three trays. As long as no one is peeing or pooing outside the box (at this stage), you're doing well. And with a bit more attention to regularly de-clumping and changing litters yourselves, you should avoid outwith the box behaviour in the future.

 

[Columbine]

Hi, and welcome to TCS

Brian007 made some great suggestions already I have the (somewhat dubious ) pleasure of owning a cat that never covers after herself. Some cats really just don't, for whatever reason. In my girl's case, it's not for lack of trying - she'll spend ages scratching away, sniffing, scratching some more etc....but she never seems to manage to hit the litter She hits the air, the sides of the box, the front of it, and even the floor outside...you name it, she hits it, except for the litter itself The best I can say is that she tries, bless her

I know automatic boxes can be wonderful for owners, but they just don't suit every cat. You might be better off accepting that, and switching to regular boxes you scoop yourself. It'll likely be quicker than cleaning the mess from unburied pee out of the automatic boxes, in any case

Is your boy neutered? Male pee shouldn't smell any stronger than female pee, so long as the male has been fixed.

With clumping litter, the idea is that the pee should never touch the bottom of the box. You achieve this by keeping the litter deep enough to absorb things before it hits the bottom. A tip I got from a fellow member here is to put a layer of baking soda on the base of the tray, before adding the litter. This really does seem to help with things getting stuck to the base of the tray, and is such an easy thing to do.

Something else that can help enormously is to have bigger boxes too. The bigger the better, really, just so long as you can find the space. A couple of extra boxes can also be helpful, especially with very fastidious kitties. I know more boxes means more work, but it's worth it to have happy cats
The Litterbox: What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know
How To Choose The Best Automatic Litterbox For You And Your Cat

 

[Brian007]

Yes, the bigger the box the better. And, Columbine 's suggestion of putting a layer of bicarbonate of soda (BOS) in the bottom is really useful, as it not only absorbs moisture but practically eats smells. You can mix it in to the litter too; it is a neutral substance and won't effect your cats in any negative way. You could also leave a bowl/mug/receptacle half filled with BOS nearby his tray too for extra airborne odour-eating.

 

[JenaMarie]

First things first, are they both neutered? An unneutered male's pee will be highly stinky. And, they should both be neutered, regardless. How old are they both? His tomcat pee stench will gradually lessen if he's been recently neutered.

Does your sister's cat pee an abnormally large quantity or is she just not emptying his tray often enough? I don't know much about self-scooping trays but I'm assuming they can only sift and not actually take out pee sodden litter out to the rubbish bin. I think, in either case, his litter needs changing more frequently than it is at present. And, he should possibly be vet checked for a UTI (pee infection) and for kidney function (diabetes) if he's peeing more than normal.

Hopefully, someone with experience of using your litter tray system will come along to comment and suggest litter recommendations. However, if your sister's cat is a naturally heavy pee-er, and she is not willing to change his litter more frequently, then she may have to abandon the self-scoop in favour of a manual scooping tray, and deal with the clumps on at least a daily basis. Also, just because her cat is not your own it doesn't mean that you can't lend a hand in keeping his tray clean, especially if it bothers you and your cat.

As for his not covering up, some cats just don't. You can try to show him how to do it yourself, and praise and reward him with a treat should he make the slightest hint of effort. Rewarding him will encourage him to do it again if he were to cover up. But, if he's a stubborn so-and-so, who refuses point blank to cover then I'd probably recommend that you and your sister invest in a third litter tray for them to share, and to share in the duties of cleaning all three trays. As long as no one is peeing or pooing outside the box (at this stage), you're doing well. And with a bit more attention to regularly de-clumping and changing litters yourselves, you should avoid outwith the box behaviour in the future.

Yes, they are both fixed. My cat is 13 years old and has been fixed since she was 4 months old, my sisters cat is 5 years old and he was fixed before she rescued him. He has always peed a lot and he has been to the vet but they say that nothing is wrong with him.

I actually fully take care of both cats and both dogs that we have. Anything that they need, I make sure that they have. The vet actually recommended the automatic scooping litter pan because when the male cat had a normal litter box, he refused to use it, he was pooping on the floor beside it even though I scooped it several times a day, I changed the litter out completely once a week and I went from scrubbing the litter pan once a month to once a week as recommended by the vet. With the automatic box, he will use it.

We used to have a third litter box but it always sat there unused. My cat refuses to use a litter pan in another location. I can switch litter pans out and she doesn't care what she uses as long as it's in that same spot. I have no idea why my sisters cat never went to the third litter pan, he will only use his own and my cats litter pan.

 

[JenaMarie]

Hi, and welcome to TCS

Brian007 made some great suggestions already I have the (somewhat dubious ) pleasure of owning a cat that never covers after herself. Some cats really just don't, for whatever reason. In my girl's case, it's not for lack of trying - she'll spend ages scratching away, sniffing, scratching some more etc....but she never seems to manage to hit the litter She hits the air, the sides of the box, the front of it, and even the floor outside...you name it, she hits it, except for the litter itself The best I can say is that she tries, bless her

I know automatic boxes can be wonderful for owners, but they just don't suit every cat. You might be better off accepting that, and switching to regular boxes you scoop yourself. It'll likely be quicker than cleaning the mess from unburied pee out of the automatic boxes, in any case

Is your boy neutered? Male pee shouldn't smell any stronger than female pee, so long as the male has been fixed.

With clumping litter, the idea is that the pee should never touch the bottom of the box. You achieve this by keeping the litter deep enough to absorb things before it hits the bottom. A tip I got from a fellow member here is to put a layer of baking soda on the base of the tray, before adding the litter. This really does seem to help with things getting stuck to the base of the tray, and is such an easy thing to do.

Something else that can help enormously is to have bigger boxes too. The bigger the better, really, just so long as you can find the space. A couple of extra boxes can also be helpful, especially with very fastidious kitties. I know more boxes means more work, but it's worth it to have happy cats
The Litterbox: What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know
How To Choose The Best Automatic Litterbox For You And Your Cat

Thank you for the welcome!

I will try the baking soda trick, I have used baking soda on top of the litter before but never on the bottom of the litter pan!
Yes, he has been neutered for years. My sister rescued him when he was 1 year old and he was already neutered.

 

[Brian007]

Hmmmm.

Does he drink a lot? It might sound strange but maybe he should drink more (and pee even more) to keep his urine fresher and with fewer (natural) smell inducing bacteria. It concerns me that his pee smells so strong. Has it always smelled this bad/has he always peed so much? I know you said he's been vet checked but did he have a urinalysis?

What do you clean the trays with? The plastic that they're made from might have become porous and trap bad smelling bacteria in wee nooks and crannies that you can't easily reach. How old is his tray? Maybe he should have a brand new one, and clean it with an enzyme cleaner first then with bicarbonate of soda to finish before you fill the tray with a shallow layer of BOS. BOS will definitely help to deodorise and reduce bacteria. But it can't stop his pee smelling bad from its source, so to speak.

What's his name? And what's your girl called? You are doing a sterling job at looking after your extended furfamily. Well done on being so conscientious, it seems very unfair that you should be left with this lingering stink.

What flooring is underneath the tray? Are you sure there isn't any pee (old as well as new) imbedded in the floor or on the walls surrounding the tray? It's ever so difficult hunting down cat pee with just the nose but a uv torch lights it up in big, bold, flashing colours. Well, I'm exaggerating slightly, but a uv torch might be worth the investment (they're very cheap) as any pee will show up clearly under it.

As for litter, have you tried writing to the manufacturer of the self-scooping trays and asking for their recommendation? You could word it in such a way as to point a wee bit of blame in their direction (pardon the pun) and see what they say.

But, using BOS to clean everything, line the tray, and mix with the litter will certainly help. Making sure he drinks lots will also help. And, getting his pee thoroughly investigated again by your vet wouldn't not help.

 

[raina21]

If you dont mind my asking? What kind of self scooping litterbox do you have?

I use one (litter robot open air) and it has been very helpful with my picky cat's litter problems (one of my cats wouldnt use the litter if there was even a hint of pee/poo in the litter).

 

[Columbine]

Well, it sounds like your boy is certainly hard to please! Some cats are just ultra-fussy about boxes

As he's putting your sister's cat off by using her box too, is there any way you could give her an extra box right next to her current one? That would mean she at least has a better chance of having somewhere she approves of to go.

You say you've just switched litters. Was your old one any better at clumping, even with your boy's uncovered peed? If so, you might be better switching back, but mixing in the baking soda yourself to get the odour control benefits of the Arm & Hammer one. Check out reviews for other clumping litters too (both here and on places like Chewy and Amazon). There might be a litter that's extra-good at clumping that you haven't tried. It sounds like you need an ultra fast clumping one, but I'm not sure what that would be (I'm in the UK, and we have different litter brands here).

Whilst you're working on resolving this issue, puppy pee pads in front of the boxes are great for cats who go outside the box (or go in the box but somehow miss, as I've had in the past ). They won't encourage anyone to use them (cats or dogs - I have both too, and have never had issues with dogs using the pee pads instead of going outside), but they make clean-up SO much easier, and protect your floors too

I agree that a vet check is a good idea too - just to make sure there's nothing going on health-wise that's causing or exacerbating the issue.