Mucky Feral Kitten
Helen
December, she's now approx. 5 months - the first couple of weeks in a
cage, she always used her litter tray. The first few weeks loose, she
also continued using the litter tray. But the past few weeks, she has
stopped. She wets in the tray every time, but poops on the carpet next
to it. I have two other cats, with two large, covered trays between
them, cleaned every day. I have tried suggestions I found by searching
deja.com, but nothing is working so far. Tried foil - worked for a
couple of days, now she just scratches it to one side. Citrus oil seems
to work, but then she just goes in another room. The carpet is cleaned
thoroughly every day with biological washing powder, and orange oil
sprinkled down (she does this every night). I've run out of ideas - all
my other cats have been very clean, and I don't know what this ones
problem is...help pleeeease!
Helen
TWYLA JANE
intimidated by other cats while in the box for a long time. Worked for mine
Helen wrote in message <38A192A5...@ccms.ac.uknospam>...
Linda Saffell
changed during that period of time? If nothing, I'd take the kitten to a
vet. She may be trying to demonstrate to you that she needs medical
attention, not behavioral "fixes." This seems especially true if she was
using the litterbox fine the first few weeks. Play detective and see a
good vet.
Linda
Helen
> If she was doing fine but then stopped using the tray properly, what
> changed during that period of time? If nothing, I'd take the kitten to a
> vet. She may be trying to demonstrate to you that she needs medical
> attention, not behavioral "fixes." This seems especially true if she was
> using the litterbox fine the first few weeks. Play detective and see a
> good vet.
>
> Linda
The main thing was Christmas - we had people visiting, and the litter tray
was moved from its temporary position by the living room (close to where her
cage had been) back to the usual position (for the other cats) on the
upstairs landing. We made sure she knew where it was, and initially she used
it, but I think it was the general stress of strange people in the house
(both my brothers stayed for a week over Christmas). She hid for most of the
time they where there, although she always had safe access to her food and
the litter tray upstairs (its quiet and safe up there - all the cats tend to
hide out on the top floor). She just got out of a habit, and now I'm trying
to get her back into it.
Helen
Kat
my Demon-Cat was young he did the same thing, he poo-ed right beside the box
instead of inside, We would just scoop up the mess and put it *in* the box.
Then the next time he would use the box. But, everytime we cleaned out the
box so that there were *no* clumps in there, he would go beside the box
again. We figured that there was some weird kitty thought process that was
saying "hey, Mom just cleaned that, I'm not going to be the one to mess it
up again" <G> We just started leaving one little clump in the box every time
we cleaned it out, that way Demon knew what he was supposed to do in all
that nice clean sand <G>
I don't know why, but it worked.
Kat
--
Dogs have owners; CATS have staff!!
Helen wrote in message <38A2E490...@ccms.ac.uknospam>...
Linda Saffell
It sounds as though you made a change in the litterbox location too swiftly for
this kitten. If you move it back to either her "safe" space upstairs, or the
space close to where the cage had been (less appealing if her cage is not her
space anymore), and then very *gradually* move it back over a week or so, she
may be able to make the change more easily and acceptably, too.
Just a thought.
Linda
Helen
> Helen,
>
> It sounds as though you made a change in the litterbox location too swiftly for
> this kitten. If you move it back to either her "safe" space upstairs, or the
> space close to where the cage had been (less appealing if her cage is not her
> space anymore), and then very *gradually* move it back over a week or so, she
> may be able to make the change more easily and acceptably, too.
>
> Just a thought.
>
> Linda
She was using the tray at first, but then got progressively worse. I would try
moving the tray back down to the old position, but we are moving house on Tuesday,
so there doesn't seem much point now! Start from scratch in the new house. It could
get messy, as the previous owners had five cats and three dogs - all those strange
scents for our lot to cover up, and start marking their own new territory....have
to make sure the cleaner and de-odouriser are left unpacked!! I've asked around to
see if I could borrow a cage from someone - as a last resort, seeing as nothing
else is working, I have read that confining the kitten to a cage with just a bed
and litter tray will force them to use the tray, as she won't mess her bed. Its
usually overnight she goes, so I can lock her up at night until she is using the
tray reliably. Not looking forward to it though - she is VERY vocal :-(
Helen