My British shorthair (f) getting covered in pee after using the litter tray.

[Lizzielou981]

My kitten - we just got a week ago is a British shorthair x exotic (female) and is 5 months old. We were excited about getting her however, recently I’ve been disappointed. Whenever she uses the litter tray she gets covered in her own pee on her bum, legs and reproductive areas and getting it all over the house and becoming very frustrating. It appears to be she is squatting too low and getting covered but we’re unsure.

We spoke to the breeder who we got her off and this is something she was not doing when he had her just when we got her. We’ve changed her litter box and the litter being used to see maybe if that was an issue but she is still doing it. We have also then trimmed around the areas to hopefully, stop pee getting on there. We have also added more and less litter to see if that’s an issue but nothing is working and we don’t understand it why. We’ve booked a vets appointment but nothing seems to make sense. I’ve had 7 female cats in my life and none have ever done this before. Is it us, have we done something wrong or do other people have experience with this behaviour or any ways to deal with this because I am at my wits end.

 

[di and bob]

She MAY be squatting lower (or standing up) because she is still scared. It may straighten out in time. Try to observe her when she goes and see what is going on so you can tell the vet. Maybe call the previous people and switch to what they were using in litter, she may be more comfortable with it. I really have never heard of this except in cats with a urinary tract infection. She may be holding it too long, or even can't control it. Is she spayed? Please tell us what helps!

 

[Lizzielou981]

Ok we’ll keep an eye on it! And we called the previous people and they recommended the pellet litter which is what we are using now and exactly the same litterbox they had but shes still weeing all over herself. That’s what we thought at first because she held in her wee for ages, about 24 hours so maybe it did something? And no she’s not spayed yet c that be something effecting her?

 

[di and bob]

I was thinking maybe she had been spayed and they did somethig. Maybe they could check her insides out when they do. I would start with a vet check and rule out a UTI. Holding it too long could affect the spray, etc. Maybe encourage her to go into it more often. Kittens often hold it too long, they have too.much to explore!

 

[Pjg8r]

How many boxes do you have? Does she jump out of the box just after she pees - maybe she isn’t finished?

 

[Lizzielou981]

I was thinking maybe she had been spayed and they did somethig. Maybe they could check her insides out when they do. I would start with a vet check and rule out a UTI. Holding it too long could affect the spray, etc. Maybe encourage her to go into it more often. Kittens often hold it too long, they have too.much to explore!

no nothing yet, I’ve seen some that say it could be an issue because she hasn’t been spayed. But then why would it occur just now and not before we got her with the breeder? May just have to pop her in the litter box once she wakes up

 

[Lizzielou981]

How many boxes do you have? Does she jump out of the box just after she pees - maybe she isn’t finished?

We have one big one at the moment as we weren’t sure what to get her due to her size etc. And no she digs for a while and the comes out she likes to bury her wee.

 

[di and bob]

Get two boxes it couldn't hurt. maybe try two different kinds of litter two, especially if you already have some. If you put her in the box don't force her to stay, you don't want her thinking it is some kind of punishment. It almost sounds like she is leaving before she is done. Whether because it hurts or for some other reason. I know one of my cats takes a LONG time to pee. The two others not so long. Does she go pretty often? It could honestly be from the stress of being in a new home, but it wouldn't hurt to rule out a UTI. She was comfortable in her old home, and could just be too stressed to stay in the box and finish. Cats are VERY good at hiding stress.