Like to watch me scoop

Recently Calvin, what i call my arial and more inquisitive cat has decided its really cool when i empty his litter box, and his brothers. He's really getting in the way and is now even trying to step into it while i'm scooping, getting dust and particals in his hair. I have avoided scowlding him or even trying to deture him because,.. its his box i'm the invader and i dont want him to think box = bad experience.


Suggestions?

Maybe close the door while you scoop? You're right. . .you never want kitty to associate the sand box with anything negative

I don't know why he is doing this though. . .I read that sometimes kitties leave poops uncovered to advertise that it is their territory. Conversely, they cover up particularly in the presence of a more dominant cat (or you). So maybe he's feeling insecure that you might be exposing his "stuff" when you scoop, and feels vulnerable? You don't say how old he is. .. if he's a kitten maybe he thinks you're playing.

2.5 months and he's definatly alpha, i considered closing the door but this is also said to be a no-no (blocking access to thier litter box)

Though now that they are trained fairly well (two "accedents" that were probably more protests that thier boxs needed cleaned")


Interesting that you point that out though because Hobbes always coveres his droppings where Calvin sometimes does and sometimes does not. Also Hobbes at first was hard to train because I tried single box first, and evidently he didnt want to share. On retrospect this is probably due to Calvins' domination. Hobbes will go in only his box, where Calvin goes in who's ever box he sees first.

Forgot to add, that they are brothers and have never been seperated, they do tussle and sometimes it gets a bit rough, but i've never seen either of them stop wagging thier tails, or try to get away from the other. And though the play fighting is lopsided, they do change roles from time to time. My wife questioned the vet on thier tussles and he gave her and myself a list of warning signs to watch for if we think thier "learning survival skills" gets out of hand. This is just additional information, and it seemed pertanent with the new insight from you're post

I'm gonna try letting calvin get in the box and just stand there until he gets bored, maybe he'll figure out that i'm just making everything fresh again.

WOW my wife just thumped me on the head, they are 4.5 months old not 2.5


I didnt count the time before we had them :embarrased

my kitten Leo (male) who is 8 months now, always does this, he watches, sits under me while I scoop, and plays (kinda try to catch litter as if it were falling out of the box, but there is nothing there, and he will also go in and pee or poop while I am there too sometimes, and suprisingly doesn't cover (only pee, poop he always covers) during this time, but all other times he covers (when I am not scooping).
he has done this since he was 2 months old, and I always thought it is just a facsination or curious or play something....
he also figure out after I scoop I go in the hallway to throw it down the shooter, and he follows me to run around in the hallway each time...

cats are funny sometimes!

Yea, Isis does the same. She hears me cleaning out the litter box and she is all over the litter box and me. And she always pees halfways through it. I just chalked it up to kitten fascination of everything.

all my cats find this interesting

Trent went through a phase with that. I think it was more of a "What are you doing to MY box?????" thing than anything else. He knew it was HIS and why was I in it anyway? Of course, he also "claims" it as his as soon as I am done scooping whether he was watching or not.

I think this behaviour with their litter box is just a 'cat thing.' Mine has done this from about the age of 3 months. No matter how quiet I try to bbe she seems to always hear me & comes running to "supervixe. As the litter is falling from the bag or box she usually likes to stick a paw into that stream of litter. She partricularely likes to do this with one called Odor Locier. Of course the minute she caN get in there she has to do a pee or poop whether she really needs to or not. I guess she doesn't like the idea of the box not having her smell

My cats are like that too, especially the younger ones, and when Im done changing the litter they cant wait to be the first ones to use it. Its kind of funny.

Thanks all, you've put my concerns to rest

Both Rocky and Fluffy love to watch me clean out their little boxes..Rocky is the one who always goes and does his business immediatley after I clean it out.Fluff does sometimes but she just sits and watches me...I usually don't have a problem with it,but when I am scooping their "stuff" in the bag that goes to the trash, Fluffy thinks it is her toy and attacks it! she attacks just about anything that moves....

Oh, Timon and pepe just Love to watch and step in the Littel box while Im cleaning it! its a cat thing, I agree with what the others said.

another thing he just loves to do: is to "go" right after I finish cleaning. As if to make fun of me !!
Dont worry about it! its funny more then anything...

My cats do the same, especially the two males.
When I start to clean out the first litter box, either Buddy or Chivu (it varies) immediately occupies the second box, making me wait before I can clean it.

When both boxes are clean, they start a "who's on first" session.
Usually Buddy gets in first, but Chivu joins him before he can do his business, thus forcing Buddy out.

Last night, Chivu pooped in the first box, while I was still cleaning out the 2nd box.
Before he had time to cover it up, I had scooped it out.
It was really funny to see him search the box for his poop.
I know this is teasing him, so i don't do it too often, but sometimes I just can't resist

BTW sometimes I do close the door to have some piece and quiet. Healthy cats should be able to go without their litter box for 5 minutes without having an "accident"

As a rule, my cat don't pay any attention to me.

I have had cats in the past that have watched me clean the boxes, but
these two just sleep.

My Oscar cat loves to watch me scoop too! And as soon as I dump a little of the new litter in he jumps in and starts rolling around in it before I'm finished refilling. Either that, or he will jump in as soon as I'm finished and force himself to pee even if he just did. I think it's a territory thing. I find it amusing!

My kitten is the same way! She gets very curious when I am cleaning her litter box and tries to chase the scoop around.