Litter Box Issues

brotha j

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Meow all!

I have a pair of 4-week-old kittens, Misty & Meadow. They are both litter box trained.

However, Misty keeps doing #2 in front of the litter box. She has done this from time we brought her home from the Walmart parking lot. At first, we chaulked it up to her just learning how to use a litter box. But she has never grown out of it.

She does this everyday, on average. Sometimes it is once a day. Sometimes it is twice per day. Some days not at all.

As I mentioned before, she is trained. She does "use it" in the litter box. But for some reason she keeps leaving "it" in front of the box.

We currently have two litter boxes. One is covered an one is open. We've tried using just one open box and we've tried just using just the covered, still the same issue. As a matter of fact, she poops in front of both! As well, she will use both.

We are at our wits end about this! Can anyone offer any advice?
 

ldg

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Couple of thoughts. Firstly, the rule of thumb is the number of litter boxes you have should be the number of kitties you have plus one. Don't know if this alone will help, but it might.

She's using the litter box, so I guess placement isn't the issue, and the type of litter wouldn't appear to be an issue.

However - I don't know if you've used an enzyme cleaner to clean where she's pooped, but that is a must, or it will smell (to her) like a place to continue to go to the bathroom. Nature's Miracle is an enzyme cleaner - though there are many others - it just happens to be widely available at most supermarkets and pet stores. The area must be completely soaked with the stuff, and if it is on carpet, depending upon the humidity level in your home, it could take a few days to dry if done properly.

If she has diarrhea or is constipated (very dry poop), she may be associating the litter box with the pain. This is common, and would explain why she pees in there but doesn't poop in there. If she's constipated, you need to get her water consumption up. Because she's so young, I'd recommend some additional KMR. I don't know if you're feeding them wet food, but that will help. And cats usually love "moving" water, so consider purchasing a Drinkwell water fountain - that usually increases their water consumption. If she is really constipated, you may want to consult with a vet about a stool softener.

If it's none of the above, you can consider purchasing a product called "Cat Attract" that is added to the top of the litter to see if that helps encourage her going in the box for all her business.

If it were me, I'd use the enzyme cleaner, I'd add Cat Attract to the litter, and I'd add a third box. I'd also consider moving the location of the two boxes when adding the third box, using the enzyme cleaner, and adding the Cat Attract all at the same time. I'd lay aluminum foil down over the places I needed to use the enzyme cleaner - she won't poop on that. Perhaps moving everything around combined with the other elements will confuse her enough and provide enough stimulation to use the box for her poop.

I'd also consider picking her up and putting her in the box if you see her pooping in front of it, and when she completes pooping in the box, I'd praise her to high heaven. Cats respond really well to positive associations.

If none of the above works, if she's going directly in front of the box, I'd simply lay down newspaper around the box and flush her poops, toss the paper and put down fresh paper after she goes.

One last thing to consider - I know she's a small kitten, and the litter box may seem big - but is she a "mover?" Some cats kind of wander around while they poop. It may sound strange - but you may just need a bigger litter box. Some people use those rubber maid under-the-bed containers.

The most important thing to remember is that she's just 4 weeks old. She would still be learning stuff from her mum until she's about 12 weeks old. I think that training her to use the litter box for her poop may be important here - thus catching her about to poop or pooping and putting her gently in the box and praising her for going in the box or finishing in the box may be your best bet.

Laurie
 
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brotha j

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I look into the Nature's Miracle for cleaning the residue. I will also try to fint the Cat Attract.

She is NOT constipated or have diarhea.

We've picked her up and dropped her in the litter box when we've noticed...the signs. No change.

Have not gone to news paper, but I flush her poops, in fron of her, when I discover them. (she seeems facinated by the poop flushing though
)

We've tried large and small boxes. No change.

Thanks!

I will try the products.
The worst thing is that Misty, the pooper, is the cuddly one. I'd hate to have to take her to the shelter for such a trivial matter. But we have a four-year-old to think of.

Our daughter has had some weird ear infections lately. They may not be related, but it is NOT worth the risk.
 

jenniferd

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You said your kittens are four weeks old? That's really, really young.
To even be litter box trained, yet alone use it consistently. 4 weeks is a good age to start litter box training. You seem to expect kitten should know by 4 weeks already how to use it.
 

bonnie1965

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Hello again! What does Jasmine think of the kittens?

4 weeks really is very young. Less than a year in human terms. They must be very smart kittens to be doing so well. Please do not take a kitten so young away from its sibling and back to the shelter. I am sure she will learn. Mama cat would have taught her but she can learn with gentle training from you.

Do we get to see photos?
 

ldg

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Originally Posted by Brotha J

I look into the Nature's Miracle for cleaning the residue. I will also try to fint the Cat Attract.

She is NOT constipated or have diarhea.

We've picked her up and dropped her in the litter box when we've noticed...the signs. No change.

Have not gone to news paper, but I flush her poops, in fron of her, when I discover them. (she seeems facinated by the poop flushing though
)

We've tried large and small boxes. No change.

Thanks!

I will try the products.
The worst thing is that Misty, the pooper, is the cuddly one. I'd hate to have to take her to the shelter for such a trivial matter. But we have a four-year-old to think of.

Our daughter has had some weird ear infections lately. They may not be related, but it is NOT worth the risk.
Brotha J, it isn't scientifically or medically possible for your daughter's ear infection to be related to your little kitten leaving her poop outside the litter box.

I know cats have the reputation of automatically covering their elimination - thus using litter boxes when in a home - but this is actually something their mom teaches them to do. In the wild, kittens will live with mum until they're 12 weeks old. These poor babies didn't have mum teach them what to do when they go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, that is now in your hands.


At four, I'm sure your daughter knows not to touch kitty poop, so that really shouldn't be a problem.


Cats, like people, take time to learn things. How long does it take to potty train a child? It could take several weeks, but your kitty will learn! Praising kitty when she's in the litter box, or gently picking her up and putting her in the box when she's pooping - or if she's just pooped, lifting her gently and putting her in the box, putting her poop in the box, and taking her little paw and scooping litter over the poop and then praising her to high heaven and giving her a treat will help her learn. She may not be as smart as her sister, but please give it some time.


Laurie
 
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brotha j

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Originally Posted by jenniferd

You said your kittens are four weeks old? That's really, really young.
To even be litter box trained, yet alone use it consistently. 4 weeks is a good age to start litter box training. You seem to expect kitten should know by 4 weeks already how to use it.
Sorry guys,
I meant to say they are four months old.


We got them when they were four weeks old. They were already litter box trained when we got them.

Hope this UPDATED info helps.
 
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brotha j

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Here is a link to a picture of what they look like now.
(i'm not sure how big the file size is, so it's probably better just to link it)

Also, an update on Jasmine.
Her former daddy got better (we originally adopted her because he got real, real sick).
So we decided to make his year by giving him his cat back.
Job well done!
 

ldg

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I'm so glad to hear Jasmine's daddy got better.


So.... I'd go for adding another litterbox, using the cat attract litter or additive, and moving all the boxes, and covering the places she'd been going with aluminum foil and seeing if all of that together helps.


Laurie
 
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