I have 3 cats in the house that will not use the litterbox. It started with the oldest, misty. Misty is an 8 year old spayed female that we found in a drainage pipe as a kitten. She used a litter box fine until she was about 3 years old when I brought home a puppy. She then started peeing on only my things. anything I left laying around she would pee on but would leave other peoples things alone. We had her checked for a UTI but she didn't have one. I just had to make sure anything of mine was kept up. Then we found 3 kittens 4 years ago, 2 boys, one girl. one boy and the girl stayed outside the other came inside a lot and he used the litterbox perfectly but passed away this past fall. Since getting these 3 Misty started peeing everywhere in the house. The female, Angel, has started coming indoors this winter. she has never known to use a litter box so has been peeing and pooping everywhere. We try to keep her outside but she runsw in everytime a door is opened. We are hoping to get her to stay outside now that the weather should be warming up soon. And lastly we got a kitten 1.5 years ago. she used a litterbox when she was a kitten. She stayed in a crate until she was litterbox trained. Now she too pees everywhere in the house. So we have 3 cats in the house that will not use a litterbox now. We have 3 litterboxes in the house right now. We have tried different litters. We are thinking about taking the carpet out of the room they pee in the most and putting in tile. Also thinking that over my spring break next week, I will confine the cats to one room and try to get them to start using the litterbox. would this work? and how long would they need to be confined to this room? When I let them out will they just continue to pee everywhere again? Any help is greatly appreciated! Sorry this is so long, I just really need this problem fixed!
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Cats not using litterbox
- Thread starter lauren751
- Start Date
I don't claim to be an expert, but I've had good success rewarding both kitties in our house with a treat whenever either of them uses the box. It's gotten to the point where they run to the box, hop in, and do some business, just to get their favorite treats.
How are you cleaning the spots? If you don't clean with a good enzyme cleaner, this will happen over and over again.
The first thing I would do, is make sure they each have their own litter box, +1. If you have 3 kitties, you should have 4 litter boxes. Try sterilite or rubbermaid bins - they work great, and are very affordable.
You also need to either call the carpet cleaners, or rent a cleaner machine at the supermarket. You need to deep clean your carpet with an ENZYME cleaner. This is imperative.
Tell the cleaners that you need that, or if you rent the machine, make sure to get the proper cleaning solution.
I am afraid you will need to do those things if you want to get rid of the problem.
If they were not peeing everywhere, you could do spot treatments for that, but so I am afraid it is too late.
Good Luck!
The first thing I would do, is make sure they each have their own litter box, +1. If you have 3 kitties, you should have 4 litter boxes. Try sterilite or rubbermaid bins - they work great, and are very affordable.
You also need to either call the carpet cleaners, or rent a cleaner machine at the supermarket. You need to deep clean your carpet with an ENZYME cleaner. This is imperative.
Tell the cleaners that you need that, or if you rent the machine, make sure to get the proper cleaning solution.
I am afraid you will need to do those things if you want to get rid of the problem.
If they were not peeing everywhere, you could do spot treatments for that, but so I am afraid it is too late.
Good Luck!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
We use a cleaning machine to clean the carpet, I'm not sure what solution we use though I'll have to ask my mom. I'm actually away at college and when I come home I see how bad it is getting. We have to wash blankets all the time and pillows are always being replaced because they pee on the couches. I think I will just throw out all our litterboxes and buy new ones this weekend so they are new and clean smelling. I also heard about cat attract litter that I might try, does this work? Can litterboxes be in the same room if they are spread apart or do they need to be scattered around the house? We have a problem with the dogs getting into the litterboxes so we had made a cat door into a room for the litterboxes. When we got more cats we put them in our 2 laundry rooms as well, but the dogs were a problem. Could the dogs getting into the boxes make the cats not want to use them?
Cat Attract seems to help... As far as placing them close to each other, I don't think it is a problem...
Make sure that the cleaning solution is an enzymatic one....
Good luck!
Make sure that the cleaning solution is an enzymatic one....
Good luck!
If you buy the cat attract litter (which worked for me!), there's a booklet inside that goes over litter box issues pretty well, such as cleaning, number and location of boxes, etc. I do have two boxes in one room, but there's a few feet separation between them. For some reason, one is much more popular than the other.
Also, steam cleaning may actually set the smell and stain in...my shelter adivsed using one of the rental carpet cleaners and just plain old cool water. I think it worked...I've also used Nature's Miracle and Zero Odor, which I've been pleased with. Good luck - I know it's a frustrating situation.
Also, steam cleaning may actually set the smell and stain in...my shelter adivsed using one of the rental carpet cleaners and just plain old cool water. I think it worked...I've also used Nature's Miracle and Zero Odor, which I've been pleased with. Good luck - I know it's a frustrating situation.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Thanks for all the help! I'm having trouble getting my family to listen to me on how to get them to stop doing this. They just seem to think they arent going to use the litterbox no matter what we do, which I don't understand why they don't want to even try to stop it. I'm not home enough to do much. Next year I do hope to get an apartment at school and I would like to take my cat with me then. She was supposed to be an inside cat so I could take her to school with me when I got an apartment, but they kept letting her outside so now I'm not sure if I will be able to take her. I really just don't understand why this is being so difficult. I hope I can get this all fixed soon, I just need them to help out with it. We have had these cats so long, we can't just get rid of them and we can't live with cats peeing all over the house. Can this cat attract litter be purchased at Petco? I would like to try this. I did get more litterboxes and got them all cleaned. They have been getting used, but I have also witnessed one of the cats peeing on the floor right in front of me still.
Around me, Cat Attract (either the litter or the additive) is available only at Petsmart. You can order it on the web, but maybe just try the additive at first then - the shipping charges may be a killer on bags of litter.
I feel for you - but I'm worried about them letting her out - I'm a fan of indoor kitties being safer.
Good luck!
I feel for you - but I'm worried about them letting her out - I'm a fan of indoor kitties being safer.
Good luck!
It is available at Petco.com, so probably it is available at Petco.
BTW There is no problem for you to take your now inside/outside cat to live with you in an apartment. They adjust very easily to and inside only life; you shouldn't have a problem.
Tell your family you don't need a steam cleaner. They need a black light like this: http://blacklightshop.com/bl6.html to use at night to find all the places the cats have peed.
You don't need to buy the cat attract litter - it is expensive and doesn't clump very well. I recommend the Cat Attract additive - sprinkle a bunch on top of the litter you currently use. We don't follow the instructions - it would be too expensive. Less than they recommend seems to work just fine: http://www.entirelypets.com/catattract.html
And then buy an enzyme cleaner. They are not all made equal, and this one is fantastic: http://www.nokout.com/odorelim/pets/
Sounds like they'll need a few gallons of it. You pour it on the spot - if a carpet, SOAK it all the way to the floor boards. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Soak up the excess. Let it air dry. We cover the area with aluminum foil - we just set it on there for the couple of days it takes to dry. This also helps discourage kitty from peeing there again.
If they've peed on couches or sofas, you MUST soak them completely in the area the cats have peed. Cover that area of the mattress with a towel and make the bed. Sofas and Mattresses may take a couple of rounds with the enzyme cleaner.
Any clothes, towels or bedding that have been peed on should also be washed with the enzyme cleaner. Add it to the laundry like you would fabric softener.
While the house is being cleaned of cat pee, it may be a good idea to put the kitties in one room - have one more litter box than cats, and scoop them every day. Make sure kitties don't get bored and are played with. This will also help to retrain them to use the litter box while the rest of the house is being cleaned of all pee smell.
I would also take at least one cat to the vet. It IS possible they've all got a Urinary tract infection or a bladder infection. The number one reason cats pee outside of the box is illness.
Laurie
You don't need to buy the cat attract litter - it is expensive and doesn't clump very well. I recommend the Cat Attract additive - sprinkle a bunch on top of the litter you currently use. We don't follow the instructions - it would be too expensive. Less than they recommend seems to work just fine: http://www.entirelypets.com/catattract.html
And then buy an enzyme cleaner. They are not all made equal, and this one is fantastic: http://www.nokout.com/odorelim/pets/
Sounds like they'll need a few gallons of it. You pour it on the spot - if a carpet, SOAK it all the way to the floor boards. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Soak up the excess. Let it air dry. We cover the area with aluminum foil - we just set it on there for the couple of days it takes to dry. This also helps discourage kitty from peeing there again.
If they've peed on couches or sofas, you MUST soak them completely in the area the cats have peed. Cover that area of the mattress with a towel and make the bed. Sofas and Mattresses may take a couple of rounds with the enzyme cleaner.
Any clothes, towels or bedding that have been peed on should also be washed with the enzyme cleaner. Add it to the laundry like you would fabric softener.
While the house is being cleaned of cat pee, it may be a good idea to put the kitties in one room - have one more litter box than cats, and scoop them every day. Make sure kitties don't get bored and are played with. This will also help to retrain them to use the litter box while the rest of the house is being cleaned of all pee smell.
I would also take at least one cat to the vet. It IS possible they've all got a Urinary tract infection or a bladder infection. The number one reason cats pee outside of the box is illness.
Laurie
