Litterbox Door Question

I have a cat that is almost 3 months old. I have a litter box that has a swinging door. I removed the door for the first few days, and he has used it without problems. Today, I attempted to put the door on, and he didn't go the entire day.

So I decide to show him the ropes, and I put him inside. I think this confused him because he came out with both legs soaked in his own urine.

How should I go about teaching how to go in and out? And did he urinate himself out of fear or confusion? Is it normal for a litter trained kitty to pee himself?

Anyway, I'm keeping the doors off until further notice.

I also have a box with the swinging door. Both my cats are now adults but would not go into the box. I put Sweetie in the box and she didn't seem to know how to get out. Anyway, I took the door off and they both use the covered box without a problem. Juno gets in the box turns around a few times and pees on the side which can be a cleaning problem. Someone else on this site advised to use vegetable oil on the side where she pees cuz it helps the litter come off in clumps better. At least they use the box. The door will stay off.

Originally Posted by deljo

I also have a box with the swinging door. Both my cats are now adults but would not go into the box. I put Sweetie in the box and she didn't seem to know how to get out. Anyway, I took the door off and they both use the covered box without a problem. Juno gets in the box turns around a few times and pees on the side which can be a cleaning problem. Someone else on this site advised to use vegetable oil on the side where she pees cuz it helps the litter come off in clumps better. At least they use the box. The door will stay off.

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Is this something you buy at the pet store? Persi uses the litter box and not one grain of sand ever comes out. (That is because he just goes, and then leaves.) Alley gets in there and digs all the way to the bottom, with sand flying out through the door like a dog was digging. Sand is all over the place since we got Alley. It does not sound very promising from what you say but I would like to try it, anyway. I am sure Persi would use it but I do not know about Alley.

I took the door off the covered box, they like to stick their heads out so it would just be in the way.

I just don't understand why we're making their lives so hard... going in the box is not natural to begin with, then we go and put a cover on the thing so the smell is trapped in there with them, and now ... doors? Give them a break and take off the lids and the doors and allow them some freedom and comfort and dignity! If a little litter gets out, so keep a larger tray or upsidedown box lid underneath to catch it, etc. Don't put them through so much just to be able to 'go', and do consider some of the peepee problems other people have that could develop if we give them too much of a hassle.

I would say the door is unnecessary. In my experience most cats don't care for covered boxes, sure they're more "private", but they also hold in the smell and make it easier for someone to trap you in the box.

Does it really make that much difference if the little swinging door is on it? He obviously isn't comfortable with it if he peed on himself. Put a nice big mat down under the box and most of the kicked out litter will stay there.

I have a door on my litter box and none of my cats have ever had a problem with it. Jaffa was only 8 weeks when I brought him home with his brother, so I took the hood off the tray. After a couple of weeks I tried it with the hood on, not realising the door came off, and both he and his brother figured out how to use the door straight away. Mosi was 14 weeks when I brought him home and had used a cat door at the breeders to get to an outdoor enclosure, but not on a litter tray. I used 2 trays for a short while so that I could have the usual one with the door and one with a ood but no door. He used the one with the door straight away. Some cats take to cat doors straight away while others take a bit longer to get the hang of it and a few just never like them or learn how to use them. I'd take the door off for a few weeks then when he's a bit bigger and he's happily using the box attach the door again but prop it open. Then gradually lower the door so that he has to make more of an effort to open it himself. That may be all it takes but if he still doesn't like it then I'd just get rid of the door altogether. If you want to have the door on don't give up yet, but I agree with the other posters that if he clearly just doesn't like it then let him have the box without a door. It may just be that he's a bit puzzled by it and doesn't know how to open it rather than he doesn't like it.

An enclosed litter box doesn't need to smell - not if you clean it regularly as should be done with any litter box.