Cat won't go in litterbox if there's poop in it

chloekitty98

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The title almost sums it up...

Our kitty is a spayed female, about 2 years old. We adopted her about 6 months ago, and I bet I can guess why someone put her out.

She knows she's supposed to go in the litterbox, and she normally does, but if there's poop in it she'll just sniff at her box and go pee on the carpet instead. We live in an apartment, so this is especially a problem.

I try really hard to keep her box clean and scoop it at least once a day. Right now I'm not working, but my husband and I are moving soon and I'll be getting a job. What's going to happen when I'm not home all day to keep the box immaculate??

Another thing is that she doesn't always cover up her poop with litter. I think that could contribute to the problem. There's plenty of litter in there for her to cover it up, so I have no idea why she would cover it up sometimes and not others.

I'm hoping in our new apartment we'll have space for a second litterbox. Right now our apartment is small and I don't know where we'd fit a second one. I will try doing that after we move in a couple weeks.

Any other suggestions?? Just today I caught her as she started to squat on the floor.
 

robertm

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There are quite a number of cats who use one box for urine and a separate box for feces. It's not at all uncommon. Sounds like your cat might be one of them.

While acknowledging that your apartment is small, I would really find or make space for a second litterbox. First of all, it will only be for a couple of weeks, since you are in the process of moving. Secondly, it would either confirm or refute the notion that she is a "two-box cat", which I would think would be something that you'd want to know as soon as possible, before moving to a new place. Besides, assuming it does the trick, wouldn't it be much easier for you and your husband to deal with the inconvenient presence of a second litterbox, rather than the inconvenient messes on the carpet?

As far as keeping the box(es) immaculate while no one is home: If multiple regular boxes don't solve the problem, it sounds like you'd be a good candidate for an automatic litterbox, which cleans immediately after use.
 

weldrwomn

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IMO, a second litterbox would probably be your best bet. Also, maybe she doesn't realy like the litter. Have you tried other types of litter?
 

kkh

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My baby-cat often does a similar thing, too. She first steps up by the litterbox door, sniffs & looks into it, then turns around looking at me if there's poops in it, as if saying "pick it up, pleeze!" If I used feliway on the area she pees(she also has a marking problem) prior to that, then, she'd wander around by the litterbox few times but somehow gets in & pees, but if the day I used it was longer than, say 3 or 4 days, she would not get in, she just walks away. I noticed that she pees more in the litterbox for the first couple of days while feliway's working. My guess is: as soon as feliway wears off, she stops using litterbox if there's already poops in it. She pees elsewhere while I'm not watching


Do you use feliway in the area she pees? Adding to the 2nd litterbox, maybe you should consider that as well.
 

shanynne

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Trying a different type of cat litter might help. Personally I love Nature's Miracle. It clumps well and does a pretty good job of covering the scent and it's corn based, all natural and does not make little yellow tracking spots all over the house.

I also know that a lot of people also love World's Best.

I don't want to sound critical but you mentioned you try to scoop once a day. In my humble opinion, that's simply not enough. You need to scoop once in the morning and once in the evening.

You could also get, as has been suggested, one of those automatic litter boxes, but I don't know if you can use whatever litter you want with it. But it might work best for you.
 

pee-cleaner

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You sound like you could use a Llitter Robot. The box is always clean, and you'd only need one of them.
 

stephanietx

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First of all, rule out any medical conditions like a urinary tract infection. Secondly, clean the carpet where she's been peeing with an enzymatic cleaner. Thirdly, get a second box.
 

brokenheart

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Just chiming in on the second litter box or a self-cleaning one being a good idea. Be sure to scoop them when you guys leave in the morning and when you get home. She's really not being unreasonable - would you want to stand in poop, or near it?


Fortunately, I have guy cats and they don't seem to give a crap (pun intended) about the condition of their litter box. But I don't want them standing on poo and tracking it around, so I'm pretty good about scooping.
And the sometimes covering, sometimes not behavior is pretty common, I think.

Are you using a hooded litter box? That's what I use, and while awesome for cutting down on litter everywhere else, those can make it harder for them to avoid stepping in their own mess, I think.
 
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