Can cats like the litterbox too much??

I just adopted a cat from the SPCA about a month and a half ago, and she is great. Genever's 1 and a half years old, and according to the vet last month, completely healthy. I've had cats before when i lived in Pennsylvania and this one is totally different than any cat I've ever had. We have a litterbox with a hood because my boyfriend was concerned with litter getting all over the place (she tracks it out anyway but we just vacuum more). Now, to the point- when she goes, whether it's #1 or #2, she is in there forever! Digging to China, then scratching the walls, then digging, scratching, etc. We've got a smallish apt. so the box is in the bedroom, and this behavior keeps us awake at night for a half hour at times! I don't know what to do because I'm glad she uses the box and I don't want to mess that up, but... give it a rest already, G! Would it screw her up if I moved the box to the living room at night? Anyone have any other suggestions? Thanks..

If you move the box, I recommend doing it permanently. It might confuse your cat if it's constantly changing spots. Also, when you do move it, show her where it is (around here, picking them up and setting them in the litter tends to work). Also, make sure the litter has been used so she can find it by smell if she forgets where it's been moved to.

I discovered I was putting to much litter in the box and that is why it was being kicked out... Now I have less litter in the box and I scoop every morning and I don't have litter kicked out of the box. Maybe less litter would cut down on her scratching time also. It's worth a try.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure where else i'd put the litterbox permanently, and i don't want to confuse my cat by moving it at night then moving it back in the morning.... I will try less litter in the box though and see what happens. I just don't know what's so much fun in there!

Some cats are diggers or have to be very thorough after going. It's simply how some cats are. This behavior may lessen with time and age.

But you know what? I look at it this way, if you can hear the cat in the box you know they're using it.

My newest addition is the same way. We got her from a barn when she was 6 weeks old, and she's been a crazy digger ever since (she's now nearly 1.5yrs old). Sometimes I swear she digs for over 30 minutes, she is in there so long. The other cats will even go up to the litter box and watch her as if they're wondering what on earth she's doing . We've just kind of accustomised ourselves to it by now. You could always try ear plugs

Lucky is the same way, while Bugsy is in and out... Lucky sometimes even supervises Bugsy going to the box, and if he doesn't do a good job burying, she jumps in and does it for him!

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Lucky is the same way, while Bugsy is in and out... Lucky sometimes even supervises Bugsy going to the box, and if he doesn't do a good job burying, she jumps in and does it for him!

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Lucky is a beautiful girl and a good mama to Bugsy. That is so funny.

Sometimes a lid isn't always a good thing. She could also be digging forever trying to get comfortable because she's all crammed in there with the lid on. What if you move the box to the living room, remove the lid and put up a screen around the box...either an L shaped screen or a U shaped screen. Could that be an option? Also, you could by a litter box mat that traps some or most of the litter as she steps out on to it...some are washable.

my cat Nipper has this problem, he gets in, does his business, then he will scratch and scratch and scratch the litter the sides whatever, and he will keep scratching until finally i yell "ENOUGH! and then he will come running out. The best part is with all the scratching he doesnt even cover up his poo!

Originally Posted by Poppy0109

Sometimes a lid isn't always a good thing. She could also be digging forever trying to get comfortable because she's all crammed in there with the lid on. What if you move the box to the living room, remove the lid and put up a screen around the box...either an L shaped screen or a U shaped screen. Could that be an option? Also, you could by a litter box mat that traps some or most of the litter as she steps out on to it...some are washable.

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I left the hood off yesterday after scooping to see if that'd make a difference. Not really. I didn't see her so went in the bedroom and there she was, scratching away, and she actually didn't care that i was there so i just hung out on the bed to see how long she'd be in there and couldn't help but laugh out loud. Scratching forever BEFORE even pooping! Then scratching forever again after. Didn't look like a lot of litter flew out of the box though, just when she jumped out, as usual. So I put the hood back on then. Silly kitty.

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

I left the hood off yesterday after scooping to see if that'd make a difference. Not really. I didn't see her so went in the bedroom and there she was, scratching away, and she actually didn't care that i was there so i just hung out on the bed to see how long she'd be in there and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Scratching forever BEFORE even pooping! Then scratching forever again after. Didn't look like a lot of litter flew out of the box though, just when she jumped out, as usual. So I put the hood back on then. Silly kitty.

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I guess she's digging for gold then.

Maybe because is the only known "territory " she's familiar and comfortable with for now?
On another note, my friend's cat use to take naps in the litter box. It was more of a bed than a toilet for her. She was outside so she went in the grass and planters, slept in the litter box... talk about weird.

Sorry it's an old subject, but I have to bring this up again. Genever is still the Little Prospector, which BF and I have grown to accept... almost doesn't even wake us up anymore. Until recently. I swear she is just going in there to scratch the walls and the litter and the walls and jumping out again, without going! Of course, because of all the digging/scratching she does in there it's hard to tell really how many times she really goes, she breaks apart pee and poo clumps, but I can just tell she's not doing anything other than playing in there.

So I pose the question/theory to you all- Is it a boredom thing? It's mostly when we're sleeping, at night and also mornings on weekends (i do like to sleep in... ) so maybe since we're not paying attention to her that's all she can think of to do? "Yeah, screw all the toys, I'm gonna scratch on the litter box walls for a minute, maybe run around the apartment, and then come back and scratch for another minute!!"