View Full Version : My cat won't use the litter box!
alycutie09
Nov 5, 2006, 04:09 PM
HELP Help
My 6 month old outside/inside kitten won't use her litter box
She pees and poos on my furniture and blankets and wood flooring.
I tried to teach her but it didn't help.
PLEASE HELP I AM DESPIRET:eek:
:eek:
:eek: :confused:
:confused:
:confused:
Watch her, catch her in action.
Pick her up, smack her (not so hard obviously there's so much a little kitty can take), yell NOOOO at her, then take her to her litter box...
Try that eventutally she may learn?
She is neutuered?
tre_cani
Nov 6, 2006, 09:19 AM
HELP Help
my 6 month old outside/inside kitten won't use her litter box
she pees and poos on my furniture and blankets and wood flooring.
i tried to teach her but it didn't help.
PLEASE HELP I AM DESPIRET:eek:
:eek:
:eek: :confused:
:confused:
:confused:
There's no need to 'smack' the kitten, but catching her in the act and squirting her with water seems to deter most cats without harming them.
Has she ever used the litter box? Perhaps it is in a place that is inconvenient for her or she has not been properly introduced to the box and it's location? Try placing her in it and scratching her front paws in the litter.
At 6 months old and goes outside she is old enough to get pregnant and should be spayed ASAP.
alycutie09
Nov 6, 2006, 03:00 PM
Yes she is spayed
And I have tried the paw thing
And it didn't work
DJ 'H'
Nov 6, 2006, 03:09 PM
Some cats simply don't take to litter boxes as quickly as others do - it does sound like she has a bit of a problem... I suggest taking her to the vets for a general health check... it could be pshycological or it could be she has a problem in that department and can't quite make it to the litter box in time. The vets are the experts and a health check won't hurt. Besides if you have not already done so you must make sure that she gets her jabs and is de-wormed and de-fleaed
doggie_poopie
Nov 6, 2006, 05:33 PM
Okay, first DO NOT EVER HIT AN ANIMAL!!
Second, get her spayed. Cats can go into heat as early as 4 months and have their first litter at 6 months.
Third, she is still young enough to retrain her. Many people give up way too early and then have to keep dealing with a non litter box user. Take the necessary time and retrain her right. She needs to be kept in a floor cage, laundry room, or another small area for AT LEAST a MONTH!! If you ever take her out she MUST be under constant supervision. If she goes potty outside the litterbox, firmly tell her NO and take her to her litterbox. I wouldn't let her out of the area if she goes straight away to an inappropriate place. Also go to www.ddfl.org. The behavioral area has great tips.
While keeping her pinned up may seem harsh, it is better that booting her outside or surrendering her to shelter that will only kill her!
lilfyre
Nov 6, 2006, 05:49 PM
It is hard to train an indoor-outdoor cat to use the litter box. When they are outside, they can go wherever they want. When they enter your home, they will repeat this behavior inside; a cat should almost instinctively use a litter box. You might want to start over if you can. Try bringing kitty in for a few days. Lock the kitty in a small room if you have it, with just a water bowl and feed bowl and the litter box. A laundry room or bathroom is a great room for this. In a smaller room, kitty will almost be forced to have to use the box. Thing you may want to do it switch litters, trying different ones until you find something that kitty prefers. Place kitty in the litter box from time to time. It may sound cruel in to lock kitty in a small room, but pottying in the wrong places is the number one reason cats end up in shelter. Try keeping kitty in for a few days, so he gets the hang of inside, hopefully this will work for you. I run a animal rescue and we have had several kitty that have done this, this almost always works for me and the kitty, but notice I said almost.
I have listed two links below that may be of some help to you.
Urinating Outside of the Litter Box (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1310&articleid=158)
Litter Box Training: The Basics (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1313&articleid=3288)
Good luck with your kitty I do wish you the best (O:
WOW I shouldn't have used the smack word.
I don't harm animals, I love animals esp cats, I have 2.
I mean just a small small smack, just a touch to make them realise you are angry, but yes a squirty bottle of water does do the trick.
alycutie09
Nov 7, 2006, 06:16 PM
She Is Spayed And I Wouldn't Hit An Animal Either
But My Vet Told Us How We Should Teach Our Cat And She Learned
But Thank You For All The Tips On How To Teach Her
i wont to be a vet
Jul 2, 2007, 12:14 AM
HELP Help
my 6 month old outside/inside kitten won't use her litter box
she pees and poos on my furniture and blankets and wood flooring.
i tried to teach her but it didn't help.
PLEASE HELP I AM DESPIRET:eek:
:eek:
:eek: :confused:
:confused:
:confused:
Well she could have a medical problem or maybe you should put her with the litter box and close the door(best place laundry) and stay outside for about 10 minutes and see if she has used the litter box.
Lluv I won't to be a vet.
airbats-goku
Jul 5, 2007, 08:03 PM
I give mine a firm but not hard tap with one finger. I have watched the mother of my kittens do this to correct them and it works well. The tap of her paws could be no harder than the tap of my finger.
bushg
Jul 6, 2007, 08:02 PM
I would make her stay in until she got the hang of the litter box. Outside she can pee &poo everywhere so she is likely confused. Also make sure you scoop the litter box daily. At least once per week I would wash it completely and rinse with vinegar diluted with water. She would be confined to one room unless I was able to keep an eye on her. I am not one for squirting a cat with water but you may have to resort to drastic measures but you may have to do this if you catch her in action. I have never had a momma with kittens so I have no clue on how she would handle this. Is your cat spayed? Problems can occur like this with unspayed kittens marking, tenderness from being in heat and also UtI's. But it is probably just confusion as to where she should go at.
stlouisarmygirl
Jul 9, 2008, 02:04 PM
When I get a cat I put the litter box in a room uncarpeted and close the door with food and water overnight. That will make them almost have to use the box because they are shut in the room and its like their den. Kind of like kennel training a dog.
katie1996
Jul 15, 2008, 09:22 AM
HELP Help
my 6 month old outside/inside kitten won't use her litter box
she pees and poos on my furniture and blankets and wood flooring.
i tried to teach her but it didn't help.
PLEASE HELP I AM DESPIRET:eek:
:eek:
:eek: :confused:
:confused:
:confused:
Keep her in one room with tiles in-(possibly) which you don't mind her peeing or pooing on. Put the litter tray in the middle and praise her to go in quietly. That worked with my 9 week old kitten!!
CuteCourtney173
Jul 21, 2009, 09:38 AM
HELP Help
my 6 month old outside/inside kitten won't use her litter box
she pees and poos on my furniture and blankets and wood flooring.
i tried to teach her but it didn't help.
PLEASE HELP I AM DESPIRET:eek:
:eek:
:eek: :confused:
:confused:
:confused:
Yea same here my cat is 3 1/2 months old and half the time she goes in her litter box and the other half she would its weird and we have to lock her in the londry room cause thts wear her litter box and I don't want to do that anymore cause I feel bad
I JUST Don't WHAT TO DO!!