Peeing On Self While In Litter Box

[messycatpee]

What is says on the tin.

I have a very sweet boy who is about three years old. Recently adopted.

He is the gentlest most accommodating cat you've ever met, and he has never once gone outside the litter box.

HOWEVER, whenever he goes pee, he digs to the very bottom of the box makes a little well, then squats in it. By the time he gets out, he has urine on his back feet and around his bottom. I end up having to clean him up with a wash cloth, which he hates, but I don't know what else to do.

He is not a long haired cat, so that isn't a factor here.

Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Let him do his businees.

 

[messycatpee]

Let him do his businees.

You mean let him track pee all over the house?

 

[crystal dawn]

My boy used to do the same thing and required cleaning up after until he grew out of it. Perhaps putting a puppy pad outside the box would help as itll absorb the pee off his feet reducing the amount tracked. I would say put one in the box under the litter but he would likely shred it digging.

 

[messycatpee]

My boy used to do the same thing and required cleaning up after until he grew out of it. Perhaps putting a puppy pad outside the box would help as itll absorb the pee off his feet reducing the amount tracked. I would say put one in the box under the litter but he would likely shred it digging.

Thanks! This is a really helpful suggestion. I hadn't though about using puppy pads. I'll pick some up.

 

[Flybynight]

M messycatpee
What type of litter and how deep do you fill the box?
Wood pellet litter in a good quality sieving tray may work better for you.

 

[tabbytom]

Any advice you could offer would be much appreciated.

One thing is that it could be the litter is too shallow. A litter box should have at least 4" of litter. By the time they dig deep, there'll still be litter left at the bottom. If the litter is not deep enough, that may be the reason why your dig right to the bottom.

The other thing is if he pees like once a day, that's a lot of pee to release and if the litter is not soaking up the pee fast enough, it'll form a puddle and definitely soak the butt or overflow and that's why the hind legs get soaked in.

My boy is a short hair kitty and many times if he has a full bladder, he'll soak one of his hind leg and his bottom is wet. I always wait for him to pee and catch him when he finish so that I can clean his leg and butt and of course, he does not like it. I do this only if I'm at home and see him peeing. I have no choice when I'm out.
I have 4" of litter but sometimes he holds his pee for the whole day, then this will happen. Other than that, it's ok but occasionally he still wet his butt and without soaking his legs but he'll drip some pee in the litterbox while covering his pee.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Sorry. No. I was thinking he would clean himself up. Perhaps not.

 

[messycatpee]

Thanks for all of the great advice/thoughts about this issue.

He had two of the 4 inch litter boxes from moderna, and I just decided to purchase this 8 inch deep one on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086DH7635/?tag=thecatsite

I hope the deeper litter box with more litter can resolve this issue. I tried not to overfill his smaller boxes because he is such an aggressive digger that I'd have to vacuum up piles of litter and vacuum the baseboards every time he went to the bathroom. I think that 2-3 inches of litter is too little, and he was able to dig all the way to the bottom and create little wells of pee.

He is not good at cleaning himself up. I actually first noticed this issue when he decided to visit me straight from the litter box and left three giant wet pee spots on my couch. It still smells awful even after using enzyme cleaners.

I haven't thought about trying a sieving litter box, but might in the future. He really likes unscented clay (which stinks, but is heavier and probably more fun to dig in), and I really like grass seed (which is the best at covering smells imho, but is light and tracks a lot). I also bought some puppy pads. I am going to try putting them in the bottom of his pan just to see what happens.

In any case, we're on this journey together. I'll let you know where we end up.