kitten peeing and pooing out of litter box

Help! I am a new (first time) cat owner and our new kitten has decided that using the litter box is optional. She likes to urinate and defecate right behind the bed (not so accessable for cleaning!). When we first got her she used the box everytime and was good as gold. But this new problem started a little under a week ago (we got her Nov. 11 and she's 14 weeks old). We're using wood pellets as litter (as recommended by the breeder) and I've changed the litter twice (the problem started just after I changed the box the first time - coincidence?). We scoop any poop immediately. We've tried pepper behind the bed to try and dissuade her but I just found a fresh poop back there so while she doesn't like the smell, it doesn't stop her. My hubby and I are going nuts with this. We could understand if she was doing this from the beginning and as we haven't changed anything since we got her we can't figure this out. We live in a one floor condo, her box is in the master bathroom which we make sure she always has access to. The bathroom is large but we don't want to confine her to it as we feel guilty. She gets positively reinforced with treats when she uses the box. She's good as gold about everything else. Any suggestions/advice would be most appreciated. We're desperate to stop this.

I would wonder if she just doesn't like the litter.

From your information, your baby is not sick, she is eating, drinking, playing, etc., is that correct?

Perhaps you would be willing to try a different litter and see if that makes a difference? The other thing of course would be to move the box to where she is going, but I don't think that might be a welcomed idea. LOL

Hi, thanks, yes, she eats like a pig and drinks lots, she's active and playful and wonderful other than the litter thing. I'll try a new litter tomorrow, I just tried to coax her in with a treat and she all but refused. I just don't understand how she can suddenly dislike it (she was using it at the breeders). I'm just not sure what litter to use. I don't want anything dusty (for her lungs and mine!).

Normally I would use a clumping litter, but she's only 14 weeks old, clumping litter is really not all that great for kittens, there is some concern about them ingesting some when they lick their paws and things.

I use Exquisicat super clumping, I don't know if you might want to start out with a non-clumping litter first, and then as she gets older, go to the clumping.

Perhaps she's too busy playing to make it to the box in time? She's still very young so you will probably need more than one box, some cats like to poop in one and pee in the other.

Just out of curiosity, what breed is she?

often this is actually a sign that the kitty is sick. I think it would be best to first have her checked out by your vet.

Have a read of this thread as well and hopefully it will give you some ideas on what to try

Welcome to TCS btw

Originally Posted by missymotus

Perhaps she's too busy playing to make it to the box in time? She's still very young so you will probably need more than one box, some cats like to poop in one and pee in the other.

Just out of curiosity, what breed is she?

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She's a Peterbald. It's a hairless breed.

She was at the Vet last week for her third booster etc. and she checked out perfect. I realize these things can come on quick but she will use the box (especially in the morning and late at night when coaxed in and if I sit next to her). When she's playing in the living room with us, it's actually closer for her to turn left to the bathroom than right to the bed and then crawl under it. So I don't think it's too much of a time thing.

Originally Posted by peterbaldmommy

She's a Peterbald. It's a hairless breed.

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Oh I should have read your username

BTW, pepper isn't going to stop her smelling it. You'll need an enzyme cleaner specifically for getting those kinds of odours out.

I would add another box, one for peeing and one for pooping. That doesn't necessarily mean pee and poo in both boxes occationally too. Also if the box you have is covered, have the other one uncovered. She may prefer one over the other.

May also want to look into testing her for a UTI. If the litterbox problems don't solve it. When she starts going into heat, unless she is spayed already, she could spray too. It is not as likely in females but I had one who did it. I didn't know and I waited until 5 months. Sprayed all over the place.

The thought of the pepper was just to try and dissuade her from going back there (sneezing etc.). I'll also be in search of a cleanser to get rid of the pee/and poo smells. And out of curiousity, wouldn't a UTI just invoke the urination as defecation is a completely different system physiologically speaking. So why would she be defecating too??

euh, you say it started after you cleaned it out the first time? Could it be that the lack of her own smell makes her pick a spot that she finds more interesting? Cleaning out a box too often can also have its drawbacks. You say that you scoop out all of it immediately. Then i would not start to clean the box even more. Some cats needs a reminder of where the box is, and in that case their indicator is their own smell. You can mimic their smell by cleaning the box with bleach ( yes i know it is toxic to cats, but not if you rinse it out really thoroughly). It has ingredients that reminds them of urine. For that reason also, do NOT clean with bleach, especially not the spot she soiled. It ll draw her back.

Also, it seems to me that the kitty is not happy with the placement of the box. Try maybe a different spot, somewhere in the center of the house, away from food and water, and sleeping spots, possibly near the area where she spends the most of her time, like the living. When you do move the box, let her know by putting her in it, right after.