Still battling the "defecating outside the box" problem

[dkperez]

Unfortunately, ours is a "domestic short-hair", so I don't think long fur is the problem.  But what a BIZARRE thing to discover!  After 2 years...

In our case, we've now had two nights of USING THE LITTER BOX!!!!!!!  I don't know why she DIDN'T, and I don't know why she STARTED...  With two boxes in the bathroom, she urinated in the box with the shredded paper the last two nights, AND DEFECATED IN THE BOX WITH THE SWHEAT SCOOP...

SO, today I added some Swheat Scoop in with the shredded paper, and we'll see if she still urinates in that box...  If so, after a few days we'll add a little more litter, and so on...

One problem we have is that I'm now using Cat Attract again.  I don't smell it a lot, but my wife HATES THE STUFF...  She can smell it and absolutely hates the smell.

Anyhow, do you guys think the cat has some kind of thing about wanting to use a SEPARATE box for each function? 

 

[dkperez]

Well, I'm REALLY reluctant to think we're making progress, but it's now been SIX DAYS with Brownie using the litter box!  AND, we believe she used one of the other boxes last night before being confined for the night!  This is SIGNIFICANT in that up until now, for the last year, she DEFINITELY wasn't using the boxes in the laundry room...  She'd go right in FRONT of the box........

SO, we're both hoping mightily that she's turned the corner...

We're going to continue the overnight confinement for another week.  If she absolutely, consistently uses the boxes, we'll not confine her overnight and see how it goes.....

As always, I'm looking for other ideas, or even thoughts on whether we should continue confinement, let her out earlier, or whatever y'all think would help... 

BTW:  I'm using the cat attract in the two boxes in the confinement bathroom, and the box she used in the laundry room...  I don't smell it much, but my wife STILL ABSOLUTELY HATES THE STUFF!  She thinks it stinks, so if there's something that'll work the same way but DOESN'T have an odor, let me know...

 

[otto]

Thanks for the update. I hope the swheat scoop is the answer, and you can soon wean out the cat attract, for you wife's sake. I know you guys have really been struggling with this a long long time.

Yes, many cats prefer separate litter boxes for each function. It may be an instinctual survival behavior. Spread out the smells, to confuse the predator. Or it may be, some cats are just that fastidious. :lol3:

 

[filomali]

Now that you mentioned it, my problematic cat (that's Tomcat, the boy) uses one litter box to poop, and the other litter box to pee.

We use regular litter in both boxes. This is after trying different litters including the Cat Attract, which didn't do anything for us except being expensive.

Why don't you just keep one box with shredded paper and the other with swheat scoop if that what's been working.

 

[naturalfoodie]

Hi~ we're having same problem- adopted stray kitten will not use box other than for urination. Pity. We'll get there eventually. Just started crating her.

Just want to recommend a great litter my two other cats just love. I got the idea when I was using World's Best Cat Litter (aptly named) and was then laid off and could no longer justify such a ridiculous expense. I didn't want to return to litter with dangerous chemicals which made my cats sick with UTI's & to which I was allergic.
I decided to find an affordable replacement for WBCL and I did!
Simple. Inexpensive. Safe. Edible-made from corn (important as cats lick clean their paws). Cheap really. I've tried several brands from different Feed & Grain stores and the one my kitties seem to like the best is the Blue Seal Egg Maker Crumbles- not pellets, but the crumbles as they clump for easy scooping, also good with Litter Maid automated cat pan.

BTW- Best version of Littermaid-& only one I'd spend money on as of 7/12- is the updated version Litter Maid LME series (the bigger LME 9250 & 9000 my Faves as I have 2 boy cats who use it). Can find more affordable units through eBay.

Other feed makers have chicken feed similar to the Blue Ribbon- you may prefer another brand. I wasn't fond of one I tried (sorry can't remember which) and the Agway brand was a little messier. This is such a great way to go for litter! $13-$15 for 50lbs! Big difference from WBCL at about $50 for 50lbs!!! Though if money is no object- go for the World's Best Cat Litter- it really is.

FYI for food my kitties get Wellness canned food- fave is Turkey formula (did Not like fish formulae)- ask for case price discount- and for crunchies they get small portions of Solid Gold brand Indigo Moon. They also have treats of fresh fish, lamb, beef, & turkey.
Happy Kitties.
Now if only the little one will poop in her pan!
PS
Best, safest, cheapest anti-flea treatment I've found is Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth. Super cheap through eBay or Amazon, especially if you buy 5-10 lbs at a time. (Amazon has a little red puffer applicator for around $13 which is a big help too.) Great stuff. Must be Food Grade! (Not the stuff used in pools.) Treats/kills fleas & other parasites- safe for animals & humans when applied correctly.
Good Luck!

 

[otto]

HI Welcome to TCS! You have to be careful with using corn feed for litter. Make sure it is the antibiotic free kind.

Your kitten may avoid pooping in the auto-litter box if the mechanism to clean starts up before she is finished pooping. I suggest you give her a plain box, too.

I've read a lot of great things about (food grade) Diatomaceous Earth, thanks for the first hand testimony!

 

[graill]

Posting is wierd on these forums, unless i preview first it doesnt post or double posts. Anyway.

The PooP problem is an easy one. You mentioned your cat was previously declawed, this is your problem. Over time a cats paws will get more sensitive and even become painful to them. Not many shops carry the ultra fine or fine litter so you may need to special order it. The ultra fine or fine sand litter will solve your problem, after all, there is a reason your cat stopped using the box in the first place, it is because something on thier body began to bother or hurt them. With declawed cats it is usally the front paws being sensitive.

Cats are obsessively neat grooming animals, the same goes for their toilet habits, they bury the item until little to no scent is left as they do not want the smell around. This is in part to keeping predators away and keeping the smell away from the area they live in, both natural habits.

The finer sand will not hurt the front paws as much or not at all as the rougher, rock type litter does to declawed cats. As for kittens, start with fine and slowly incorporate the regular stuff, easy peasy.

Note: Declawing a cat is a convienience for a human and is NEVER the right thing to do. It injures the cat, making the front paws overly sensitive and causing these problems later in life if not immeadiately once it has been done. If you do not want your furniture shredded, take a few months to train your cat properly or simply buy a goldfish.

 

[dkperez]

First, I can't say there's NEVER been a Littermaid that moved while a cat was in it, but it'd require a LOT of things to fail.  We have several of them, both old and new (we too like the new LME units), and both cats happily use them to urinate. 

Second, Skyy, our other cat that wasn't declawed when we rescued her, isn't declawed.  Brownie, who WAS ALREADY declawed when we rescued her (both came from the same place at the same time), has never shown any paw sensitivity.  Even though we have used very fine litter (which NEITHER cat liked), she's never shown any reluctance to use a Littermaid for urinating.

AND, for the last few weeks, Brownie has also been defecating in the one that's upstairs...

Here's where we are at the MOMENT...  Brownie is still confined to the bathroom at night.  There was a large Littermaid in the bathroom along with a regular box containing Swheat Scoop and cat attract.

Upon the recommendations here and from our vet, we moved the Littermaid back to the hallway (wanted to have at least one box on every floor), and tried a box with Swheat Scoop and one with shredded papers in the bathroom...  Naturally, she urinated in the shredded paper INSTEAD of the litter.  BUT, she defecated in the Swheat Scoop ALMOST all the time.

We gradually, over a period of a week or so, mixed Swheat Scoop with the shredded papers.  Again, she MOSTLY used the boxes.  A couple times a week she'd go on the floor next to the box.  The next recommendation was to remove the second box from the bathroom.  We did, and she FINALLY, seemed to figure out it wouldn't hurt to use the box. 

So, once AGAIN, for the last week or so she's CONSISTENTLY been using the box in the bathroom OR the Littermaid in the hallway.  Yes, even though there are SEVERAL boxes downstairs, Brownie goes all the way UPSTAIRS and defecates in the Littermaid in the hallway!

We have a Littermaid downstairs in the laundry room AND a regular box with Swheat Scoop.  AND, a Littermaid in the kitchen.  AND a huge Littermaid in my office along with a regular box with Swheat Scoop.

At THIS POINT, Brownie's gone SIX days consistently using a box in the upstairs bathroom at night and/or the Littermaid in the upstairs hallway.  I'm reluctant to tamper with success, so if she wants to go all the way up there rather than using the box 3 feet away, I don't care...

If she makes it another week, we'll release her from confinement at night...

The good news is, with the Cisapride, we've reduced and finally stopped the Miralax in the broth on the wet food.  And, since the cats now get the Royal Canin Digestive food, NEITHER seems very interested in eating the wet i/d. 

As far as your kitten, do you have a small place where you can confine the kitten when you're gone and/or at night.  Our place has a comfy cat bed, food, water, toys, and a litter box with litter she likes.  It SEEMS TO BE WORKING...

I'm FAR from being the expert some of the folks in here are, but your kitten may just want a box she doesn't have to share - confining her separately may help with that.  She MAY not like the litter - you may want to try some others (we went through 8 or 9 litters when we were testing)...  Have you had the kitten into the vet for a thorough exam? 

 

[catlover422]

First, isolating the cat from everything will create far more problems psychologically for the cat. Ive had the same problem with a cat that is doing the same thing peeing and pooping outside the box. She does her thing in our dining area carpet.  (no eating at that table for us)  She's a 4 month old kitten and has been in 3 different homes in  4 months and stayed under our bed for the first 2 weeks except when we slept.  Im quite convinced that the move to us was too stressful as we also have another cat.  Nothing is working.  But, I came across an idea from a vet that seems like it would work.  The vet said to put the cat in a room with food water and the litter box by itself for a period of time. eventually the cat will go in the box, and strange as it sounds try putting the poop you pick up from the floor and put it in the litterbox when she/he is isolated for training. And keep putting the cat in the litter box everyday with a bit of the cats own poop. I recommend that so your cat can get used to the smell of what should be in the litter box. I was told it could take 3 weeks but its worth it.  I could never get rid of this kitten after seeing her little face.  Id be terrified to adopt her out because someone with little patience would be likely to abuse her and I could not bear that.  I make sure I pet this cat as much as possible even though shes still very skittish after 3 months in my house. BTW, Urine Gone was a total waste, but you also have to get rid of the total urine/feces smell from the carpet or floor because its also the cats marking.  Let me know how it turns out.  Good luck to both of us.

 

[pizzagal]

Hi all

Reading this thread because I am going through the exact same problem.  I have two cats, three litter boxes.  One cat continues to pee outside the box and poo outside the box.  My other cat is fine.

She has had her feces examined and everything is normal.  Vet said there was a little protein in her urine.  Next steps would be blood work and ultrasound.  This has been going on for 6 months now.  I am at the end of my rope.  No changes in our household.  No changes in food.  Though, I do feed both cats hard food, and once a month they get canned.  I am changing this to more canned food as I know they get water from it which is good for their kidneys.

Vet has no idea what is going on.  I clean cat litter daily.  I have since placed one litter box upstairs in our bedrooms to see if she wants something closer to her rather than going in our basement.  She has not used this litter box yet.

Any comments you have are appreciated.

 

[ck2d]

You say you clean the litter daily, but how often do you take all the litter out and wash the box? It could be that there is scent stuck to the box underneath the litter that is off putting. I currently have 8 cats (2 adults and 6 kittens) and washing out the boxes is key to keep them from straying.

Another idea - maybe a bigger box? It could be an alignment problem, where all 4 feet are in the box but the back end of the cat is hanging over the edge.

 

[pizzagal]

I use the silica crystals for litter.  And have for years.....They last about a month and a half before I have to totally clean and disinfect the box.  I have 3 litter boxes of different sizes and heights.  They each had lids on them but I have since removed them to make it easier for the cats to get in and out.  My one cat will go on the floor even though I have just totally cleaned the box.