Please Help

[Alimnic]

I found my cat when he was a day old. When I was stimulating him to go to the bathroom, I made the mistake of setting him back down into his box which was full of towels. Now...3 years later, he will NOT use the litter box to urinate. He uses the it to poop, but refuses to use it pee. I am at my wits end. I use puppy pads right now because he likes the feeling and he thinks it’s carpet. But I NEED him to use the litter box. He has ruined all my rugs, carpeting and flooring. I need tips on how to retrain him. I can’t keep living in a house that smells like pee!!

Sorry for the misspellings. I do not know how to edit the post.

 

[saladflambe]

OK, here is what I'd recommend:

First - take him to the vet to rule out a UTI; so many litter box issues are caused by a UTI.

Second - is he declawed? I have seen that cause litter box issues as well due to painful bone fragments left behind in the paws.

Once medical reasons have been ruled out (or even while you're waiting to rule them out), I suggest the following:

Confine him to a bathroom. Remove all towels/rugs/linens/anything resembling the texture you're talking about.

Put his litterbox in there with them and fill it with Cat Attract litter.

Keep him quarantined to just that bathroom for at least a week. He should, by instinct, use the litter vs. the bare floor.

Meanwhile, throw out anything he's peed on in the past and treat your carpets with a microbial cleaner like Nature's Miracle. I mean REALLY treat them - rent a steam cleaner/hire someone to clean.

You will then gradually increase the space that he is allowed in: from 1 bathroom to a bedroom/office/laundry room, etc. increasing the space only as he uses the boxes (I'd put 2 boxes in the bedroom/office/laundry room once you move to that level). Keep the boxes super clean - scoop 2x per day; use Cat Attract litter.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Thanks rescuing and saving your kitty's life. Sorry, though, that he has litter box avoidance issues.

Does he, or did he, ever pee in the litter box?

How many litter boxes do you have? Some cats are quirky and want one for pee and one for poop.

Also, is he neutered?

 

[susanm9006]

You can try lining his litterbox with a puppy pad and once he is using it for both pee and poo then start adding litter a tiny bit at a time every few days.

 

[Alimnic]

OK, here is what I'd recommend:

First - take him to the vet to rule out a UTI; so many litter box issues are caused by a UTI.

Second - is he declawed? I have seen that cause litter box issues as well due to painful bone fragments left behind in the paws.

Once medical reasons have been ruled out (or even while you're waiting to rule them out), I suggest the following:

Confine him to a bathroom. Remove all towels/rugs/linens/anything resembling the texture you're talking about.

Put his litterbox in there with them and fill it with Cat Attract litter.

Keep him quarantined to just that bathroom for at least a week. He should, by instinct, use the litter vs. the bare floor.

Meanwhile, throw out anything he's peed on in the past and treat your carpets with a microbial cleaner like Nature's Miracle. I mean REALLY treat them - rent a steam cleaner/hire someone to clean.

You will then gradually increase the space that he is allowed in: from 1 bathroom to a bedroom/office/laundry room, etc. increasing the space only as he uses the boxes (I'd put 2 boxes in the bedroom/office/laundry room once you move to that level). Keep the boxes super clean - scoop 2x per day; use Cat Attract litter.

I will try this!! He is declawed but he uses the litter box to poop in.

 

[Alimnic]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Thanks rescuing and saving your kitty's life. Sorry, though, that he has litter box avoidance issues.

Does he, or did he, ever pee in the litter box?

How many litter boxes do you have? Some cats are quirky and want one for pee and one for poop.

Also, is he neutered?

I have 3 litter boxes and only uses them to poop. He is neutered and has been fit about 3 years. I have one more cat who has so issues with the box.

 

[Alimnic]

You can try lining his litterbox with a puppy pad and once he is using it for both pee and poo then start adding litter a tiny bit at a time every few days.

This is a good idea. I will try this!!!

 

[rubysmama]

You can try lining his litterbox with a puppy pad and once he is using it for both pee and poo then start adding litter a tiny bit at a time every few days.

That is a really good idea.

This is a good idea. I will try this!!!

Fingers crossed that it works.