Kitten pooping on the bed!!

Hi, my mum has a problem with one of her kittens, she just keeps pooping everywhere. Places like kitchen and bathroom sinks, in the bath, on the sofa and more annoyingly, on her bed! At first my mum didn't know who it was until she caught Amber doing it. She will tell her off and remove her and put her in the liter box but now shes just running off to another 'naughty' place right after or will just continue right in front of my mum. Amber is about 2 months old ish, can't quite remember. They are due to be neutered soon. They have been to the vet quite frequently for vaccinations and Amber has had a weepy eye so has been on antibiotics for it. Apart from that both kittens are healthy. She also has an older cat who isn't the friendliest towards them but they just ignore him. The kittens, especailly Amber often goes outside and does a lot of her toilet business outside now. They can come and go as they please. My mum took away one litter box as it wasn't being used but still has one left. She makes sure its cleaned daily at least.

Why is Amber deliberately pooping in these places? Is it a phase she's going through? My mum's getting fed up of changing her bed covers daily!!

Thanks, Claire

She is doing this because she is only 2 months old. That is just 8 weeks, she should still be with her mother to learn all these things like how to use the box and socialization and just how to be a cat. An 8 week old kitten should not have free run of your entire home. She should be confined to a small space, a bedroom, bathroom, laundry room or even a large dog crate. Think of it as though you took the diapers off a toddler and can't understand why he forgets where the toilet is or how to use it on his own.

Originally Posted by Jen

She is doing this because she is only 2 months old. That is just 8 weeks, she should still be with her mother to learn all these things like how to use the box and socialization and just how to be a cat. An 8 week old kitten should not have free run of your entire home. She should be confined to a small space, a bedroom, bathroom, laundry room or even a large dog crate.

Click to expand...

Ditto, I couldn't agree more.

I don't necessarily agree with 'just because she is 8 weeks old' that is why she is doing this; I haver rescued several 6 week, and sometimes younger kittens, and have never had this kind of problem; I think this is a behavioral issue linked to the cat that doesn't like her...I am guessing that older cat may have chased her out of the litter pan once or twice...either 'purposely' or on accident. I am thinking more litter pans, so that this kitty can have more options to potty is the solution here; Perhaps confining her to a single room with the pan, food, water, etc, so that she doesn't get chased, or anything, and becomes comfortable using the 'real toilet' again may also make a big difference too.

While I agree that the kitty should have stayed with mom longer, perhaps that was not an option, if they were rescues, or abandoned, or the mom died...Our Martha Mae was barely 8 weeks when we rescued her, and we brought her home; confined her for a few days, then let her out showed her the pans, food, water, etc, and we never had a lick of trouble; we had two 'older' kitties at the time too; one didn't like her, but didn't chase her, the other was a about 8 months at the time, so they bonded really quickly. This is how I have introduced everyone of my young rescues and have never had potty issues like the OP is discussing.

I completely agree with everything that Jen said. Kittens often have trouble "holding it in" for long periods of time and furthermore, lots of times they become so engrossed in playing and exploring that they can't make it to the litter box in time. That's why your mother should be ADDING litter boxes, not taking them away. She can't expect the kitten to toilet appropriately when it sounds like she isn't doing enough to make it easier for the kitten. With three cats in the house there should be at least 3 litter boxes.

Does Amber use the litter box for urine? If so, Amber may be one of those cats (it's not unusual) who do not like to urinate and defecate in the same box. Or she might not want to use a box if another cat has recently used it. Some cats are very particular about litter box conditions. Also, where is the litter box located? It should not be in a high traffic area, nor should it be in a noisy area. It also shouldn't be possible for one cat to intimidate another by cutting off access to the box.*** That's why having multiple boxes is recommended.

Another reason why Amber is "deliberately" not using the litter box is because she's been allowed (unwisely, in my personal opinion) to use the outdoors for a bathroom. Using the litter box consistently is not being reinforced.

Lastly, has your mother used an enzymatic cleaner to thoroughly clean every place where Amber has gone? If not, Amber will invariably be drawn back to those spots because she can tell by smell that she's gone there before, so in her mind it must be OK for her to go there again. Your mother really needs to liberally use a product like Nature’s Miracle.

I would recommend confining Amber into a small room with food, water and at least one litter box, like Jen said.*** Once she has demonstrated that she uses the litter box consistently, then she can be trusted to have access to the rest of the house. Also there is a product called Dr. Elsey’s Kitten Attract litter. The website states that it “contains a kitten-specific natural herbal attractant that piques a kitten’s curiosity to use the litter box.” Many people have used this product with great success, so I would think it would be worth trying.

*** ETA: I only discovered that faith's_mom also mentioned these things after I finished composing my post and actually posted it.

Thanks for the replies everyone, although I made a rather big mistake, they are 6 months old, not 2. I really don't know why I thought they were that young so I'm really sorry if I offended anyone. I agree a much younger kitten shouldnt be allowed to free roam and they weren't. She has only just started to allow them out the house as they found how to work the cat flap. Thats what I meant by they now come and go as they please.

Up until about 2 weeks ago, they were toileting no problem. And because they were going outside and one of the boxes wasn't being used at all, thats why my mum took one away. I will tell her to put it back as it could be tied in around the time of it going.

Yes Amber is urinating in the box, just not pooping anymore. My mum has still seen her poop outside. I guess it is possible that the older cat, Pepsi did spook her although he doesn't really show any interest in them. He plays with them occasionally though.

I don't know the stuff my mum uses to clean but she knows that if it still smells then the cats will use it again. Whatever she uses worked on the carpet but it doesn't on the bed and bath/sinks.

Thanks, and I'm sorry again for the misleading info in my op.

If they are 6 months that is a different story of course. I do think it might be a behavioral thing or territorial. Are they spayed? That is the most important thing if they are being allowed outside. They WILL become pregnant rather quickly if not. Spaying will also help with territorial issues.

I would try adding another litterbox, there should be one per cat plus one more.