She wont bury her feces!

My cat is an 11 year old female, indoor only cat. Lately she has been refusing bury her poop! She is going regularly, nothing unusual about it, she just wont bury it. When she first gets in her litter box she will dig and dig, throwing litter everywhere, then she goes poo and makes no attempt whatsoever to bury it.

I appreciate any insight anyone is willing to give. Thanks!!

Maybe her sense of smell is going downhill? I don't really know, I thought it was something they did to cover the smell so that predators couldn't find them or something like that. If she can't smell it anymore, maybe she thinks she doesn't have to bury it?

Just a guess.

Have you changed the type of litter you're using? Could be she doesn't like it.
Is her box kept clean? I recommend scooping more than twice per day; how would you feel if you had to use a dirty toilet, after all?
Sometimes, cats just "doo" this (pardon the pun). Try covering it for her with the scoop when she's just finished, if you can. Maybe this will help her to cover. Be patient and hopefully she will.

Hope this helps!

We scoop her box at least 3 times a day and she has been using the same brand of litter for years. When I catch her in the act I have my husband pick her up and bring her to the box and watch me bury it. I think all that does is annoy her! I dont know what to do! I have completely emptied and washed the litter box, I just really dont know what to try next. I am hoping it is just a phase. Should I change litter brands? Should I get clumping (the kind she uses now is non-clumping).

Thanks for all advice!

One of my cats doesn't cover her droppings after she uses the litter--I think she developed that habit after I got into the habit of scooping it right after she gets out of the litter box. I know it sounds weird, but when I walk over there she just finishes up and jumps out which leads me to believe that maybe she knows that I'm just about to clean it up for her so she doesn't bother covering it up. I like to stay on top of her litter scoopings especially after she drops some because she's especially stinky--but i love her!!!

Also, someone else I know has this same problem, they just got a new kitten and maybe their cat is rebelling against the newcommer?

My youngest Abby (9 years old) has never buried her business. She hates to get her paws dirty and doesn't even bother to dig before hand.

Chynna usually covers, but not always.

Puma, that sounds like it might be it. I do try to scoop right after so goes so maybe she just figures I will do it for her. She does go to some amazing lengths to be lazy in other ways, lol, so why not this too?!

I wish I knew the answer. Every now and then my kitty chooses not to bury her business.

After my cat Rags died, some friends decided I needed another cat,
so they went to the mall and brought one to me! It was so tiny, that
it actually didn't look right! I took her in and she grew, "Stash" is her name!
I started noticing her backing up to the stereo speakers and tee-teeing!
She would not tee-tee in the litterbox, but she would poop in the litterbox and she never would cover it up!
My aunt told me that she was probably taken away from her birth mama
too soon. she said they learn all of that from their mom! It made sense
to me until last summer whenever this tiny baby wondered up at my house,
same size as Stash when I got her. GiGi went straight to the litterbox and used it once I got her settled in the house. So who knows why cats do the things they do! Oh and GiGi, did cover it up perfectly, the first time! I was so inpressed!
My parents have Stash and she still doesn't cover her poop.
Monique

As long as she's using the pan and not having problems, then don't worry about whether she covers or not.

Some cats do, some don't and I've had cats like yours in the past. IMO its easier to pick out the poop when scooping if they don't cover

Only one of my cats didn't cover the litter. I just told myself "at least she is going in the litter box."

My cats cover up sometimes and sometimes not.

I have to say I love the title of this thread - it makes me laugh because it's so horror movie-ish (There's something about putting an exclamation point after any of our cats' wacky behaviors that sounds like a good horror movie for cats.) So thank you for the smile, because very little can make me smile right now.