Cat pooping problem

Last week, I got two cats. Kittens, one around 10-11 weeks old, the other 8-9 weeks old. I got the older one a week ago last Saturday, and things went fine. Then the second one came up and I got her last Thursday. She didn't seem to have any problems using the box that the first one had been using, and she was clearly litter box trained. I did set up a second box for all of a day, but they seemed to start getting along pretty quickly, so I ditched it.
At some point later Sunday, I noticed that the younger one seems to have developed loose stool, and along with this she has stopped covering it up. Then, last night, she crapped on my bed.
So what should I do here? I'm going to be talking to the vet I got the cats from tonight, so I'm going to bring it all up, but I'd like to get as much input as possible. I can't have a cat who is going to do her business somewhere besides the box. Is sharing the box causing this? Is it just that she's likely become ill? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Hi
I have the same problem! Got two kittens, female, approx 2 months old from SPCA, were fine with litter box for first few days, since then one of them uses it most of the time but does pee and poop here and there other times (including the bed, carpet, laminate floor etc) It is a nightmare, watching her backside all the time so we don't miss "accidents" and washing and cleaning all the time, getting to the end of my tether with it all I can tell you! They are off to the vet today for a check up and (hopefully) some help, will let you know what he says and maybe you could let us know what your vet says. It's very hard, she is a cutie but we cannot live like this, you have my sympathy!!!

Cat experts say you should have one litter box for each cat, plust one, and not all in the same place, scooped twice per day. An eight-week-old kitten is just an infant, and may not be able to find the one litter box in the house, may not be able to get in it easily, may be harassed by the previous occupant, or may just not like the smell. All of those are possible explanations for your problems.

Originally Posted by wspatterson

Last week, I got two cats. Kittens, one around 10-11 weeks old, the other 8-9 weeks old. I got the older one a week ago last Saturday, and things went fine. Then the second one came up and I got her last Thursday. She didn't seem to have any problems using the box that the first one had been using, and she was clearly litter box trained. I did set up a second box for all of a day, but they seemed to start getting along pretty quickly, so I ditched it.
At some point later Sunday, I noticed that the younger one seems to have developed loose stool, and along with this she has stopped covering it up. Then, last night, she crapped on my bed.
So what should I do here? I'm going to be talking to the vet I got the cats from tonight, so I'm going to bring it all up, but I'd like to get as much input as possible. I can't have a cat who is going to do her business somewhere besides the box. Is sharing the box causing this? Is it just that she's likely become ill? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

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The loose stool could be from diet. did you switch to a new diet? feeding cow's milk? (many cat's can't digest it and will have loose stools as a result). I assume they've been dewormed and all that (before the Vet gave them to you)?

I would get another box. I know with 5 now older cats......they often use one box for pooping, the other for peeing............(i have 6 boxes, by the way).

I'd try getting another box........but do you think they're having any problem getting into the boxes? They're awfully small/young. Most normal sized litterboxes require quite a step to get over the edge........could that be a problem here? You might be better off, at least for the small one, to instead use like a rectangular rubbermaid storage container, the kind you put cookies in...........it's about 16 inches by 8-10 inches.....you know, the kind you might store baking in. the sides might just be less steep for a tiny kitten.

They're not having difficulty getting into the box I originally got them. It's a small box, and both are still using it. I did get a second box this morning, but they both just used the old box a few minutes ago. One right after the other.
I know they've gone through dietary changes, and I'm not giving them milk. Just dry kitten food mixed with some can and then of course water.
When I got the first one, she was still being treated for worms. By the time Thursday night rolled around, though, she was done. And I made sure to totally clean the box before the new kitten arrived.
I guess I'll just try the second box and see what the vet says.
Thanks for the input.

Hi
Well we brought ours to the vet and he said the "problem" one had a tummy bug and that it may have been something her mother and rest of litter had. He put her on sensitive cat food for four days and antibiotic drops twice a day for ten days, after one day she had already improved, small pee accident this morning but that's been all for two and a half days which is a huge improvement!

I got the second box, things went okay for two days and then when I got home today, she'd done it again.
So, not sure what to do at this point.

And she tried to do it a third time. This time in front of me. And it seemed to me that she deliberately made the climb into my bed to do it. She still has some seriously loose stool. The vet is checking that out soon.
I managed to grab her and get her to her box, so there was minimal pooping. And after she got over the shock of being moved, she just used to box.
So, is anyone near eastern Nebraska and want a very cute kitten that is possibly a bit of a challenge? She's been through a lot in her short life, and I want to see her have a good life, but if she's just going to keep pooping on my bed and can't keep her.

Please give the little kitten a chance! She's been through a lot in her short life--left her mama and her litter mates, got a new kitty friend, went to a new home, etc. The others have great suggestions--try everything you can before you give her up. Have you tried using the exact same litter her previous family used? There are also litter attractants that can be added to the box to make using them more enticing for cats and kittens. We've used them with great success.

Just remember, your kitten is an infant, and it just takes time for them to settle in. Good luck.

Do you have a bathroom you can keep said kitten and all supplies food water litterbox in until she gets a bit older? You really can't expect the kitten at that age to seek out the box every time. Just like you wouldn't expect a 2 year old potty training to TELL you when they have to potty---you would ASK them!

More boxes, less space, way more patience! Or perhaps you are right a new home is the best bet.

Leslie

I'm not giving up on her yet. It's been a long time since I've had a cat, even longer since I've had a kitten. I'm just feeling frustrated and a little overwhelmed with this unexpected behavior. I was going to keep her confined to the bathroom when I was out of the apartment, but obviously I'm going to have to do that a little more for a little while. I just need to balance her time in there with some out of the bathroom time. I don't want to just pack her away, after all. And the other one is a major handful. Very intent on getting into everything she shouldn't be.
I don't know anything, really, about the history of either of them. The one with the pooping issue was found with her littermates. The rest had frozen to death, and she almost died. The vet had to revive her. We don't know what happened to her mother.
The other just showed up someplace one day, matted all to heck and infested with worms. For two days straight, she apparently pooped out grasshopper parts. No idea where she came from or what happened to her mom and littermates.
I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed with their kitten craziness.

Is it possible that a cat being sick would make the cat poop places besides the box? My problem cat is still using the box, and hasn't even once peed outside of the box. I've also noticed that her behavior in general seems to have changed at about the same time that this problem started. Unfortunately, the vet hasn't been able to get me in until this Wednesday.