Kitten meowing before going potty

Sorry if this isn't the right place for this! I couldn't decide between this section and "pregnant cat and kitten care"

Before reading this... Kitten IS already scheduled for a vet appointment next week (far away, I know, but the best we can do).

Now I've noticed that before she goes potty she meows a bit. The first two times it was before she went piddle... both those times were outside of the litter box (but that MIGHT be because we're still litter training her). Those meows are just kind of like the ones she does when she's talking to me.

Now I was just in the bathroom with her hoping she'd go number 2 because she hadn't since the day we brought her home (1 1/2 days ago). She went to go piddle and didn't meow at all. But then she starts meowing, a bit louder like when she can't see me and is looking for me even though I was right next to her! She squatted, meowed, got up and scratched around in the box, squatted, kept scratching around... it went on like this for a little bit and then she poo'd. It was awfully dark so I'm already worried she might be a little dehydrated (even though we're feeding her on wet and has pee'd PLENTY already).

Why would she meow like this before going? Something she's used to doing? Or do you think she's in pain?

I'll keep you updated with what the vet says!

To this day, my Tumbles will "announce" prior to his pooping in the litterbox! I don't know why, but he does it, every single morning! I'd keep an eye on her to make sure she's not constipated. It could be that her stools are a tad too hard and it hurts to poop. Depending on her age, you may still need to help stimulate her to go.

You can kinda see if the poo is too big or very dark or soft, but in and of itself a little mewing from a kitten wouldn't alarm me. He's a little better now, but especially when smaller Wesley wouldn't shut up and would announce every thought that occurred to him.

She might have a UTI. That's how mine acted when they were in pain from an infection. The repeated scratching and turning around also indicates that the little one might be having difficulty eliminating and straining at pooping, too.
Can you get her to pee in an empty pan? If yes, then look for crystals in her urine. If your vet is close-by, you can take in a urine sample (and a fecal, if you can get it) before the appointment. That would tell you if there was a UTI or not.
I get a plastic syringe from the pharmacy (vet would have these, too), and suck up the urine that way. Put it in a sterile cup.

That said, I do have one furrie who proudly announces his successful trips to the litter pan.

We have two that announce that they're entering the litter box. One of them will even say something after he's finished sometimes.

This has been the usual routine for these two.

I'm glad you have a vet appointment.

Wet food is great - keep up the good diet - maybe the food doesn't have very much waste and the kitty doesn't need to go #2 that often -?

There are a lot of factors - but, if she shows signs of distress, goes on the outside of the litter box more - I'd try to get an earlier appointment - but, then, that's just me.

Let us know, hope she's okay!

heh My boy is an announcer too! I can always tell when he is about to leave a dookie in the box cuz he is very vocal about it. Then when he is done he prances out to let me check his bum for yuckies (I trained him to do the bum check though).

One of my boys squeals before going, which used to scare me because his squeals sound like a dog whimpering. That's just his way of talking , and he has done this since he was a kitten.

Another one of my guys always LOUDLY announces when he's finished with his bathroom venture (usually in the middle of the night )

Yeah, Ritz sometimes announces her intent beforehand too. I do watch her, especially when she is doing #2, to check on consistency, etc.
The litter box is in the kitchen. I swear she holds it until I'm fixing my own dinner; yeah, thanks for sharing....

my jericho has been vocal since we brought him home a year ago, and i always thought it was weird that he talked before, while, and after pottying. i figured he may be having a hard time with the kitten chow after being weened from his mom but he still does it and acts fine otherwise so ive come to realize hes jsut vocal about his potty time. almost a warning to not go over that way because hes doing his business and wants his privacy lol

My kitten (now 9 weeks old) will sometimes meow before going potty too. I thought maybe he was hurting, but eventually he does go. I feed him wet & dry food. Any updates?

Originally Posted by Ritz

Yeah, Ritz sometimes announces her intent beforehand too. I do watch her, especially when she is doing #2, to check on consistency, etc.
The litter box is in the kitchen. I swear she holds it until I'm fixing my own dinner; yeah, thanks for sharing....

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Mine too! I swear they hold #2 until I'm home from work!

My kitten Genesis does that evertime she goes potty. And I was so worried at first...but then I realised she just meows when she goes potty. Its kinda funny tho cuz like others have said one the cat is in the act they are quiet...but before hand all u hear is meow meow meow...

please find a new location for ur litter box. you wouldnt cook ur food in the bathroom, would u?

WW reyes said:

please find a new location for ur litter box. you wouldnt cook ur food in the bathroom, would u?

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The best place for a litterbox is

1. Where the cat(s) will use it.

2. Where there's room.

Litterbox placement is a personal issue.  People can have a variety of reasons for where they place their boxes.  Many people (myself included) do have one in the kitchen.  In some cases that is because multiple boxes are desired/needed and one goes in the kitchen for lack of other options.  In some cases the kitchen and bathroom are the only rooms without carpet and so the logical places for boxes for that reason. It is important to keep in mind, too, that not everyone has a house with a basement.  Many people here are working with studio apartments or small one bedrooms. In those cases 'good' places for a box are far less obvious than they would be for a person lucky enough to have a three level house with a  basement, 2-4 bathrooms, etc.

I am not concerned about the placement of the box in the kitchen, personally. I've had no bad effects from it and my grandmother, who always had a cat or two and lived past ninety in good health, always kept a box there. That is obviously just an anecdote, but on the other hand I've never heard any research suggesting any problems might come from keeping  a box in the kitchen- and I read A LOT about cats..

You are entitled to your personal preference but it is just that. Why try to essentially shame people about where they put their litterboxes?

I apologize for "necro-ing" this thread, but I just wanted to add to it and also say THANK YOU to the others who have posted that yes, it appears to be normal about a cat/kitten "announcing" before/during/after using the litter box.

I have a 7 month-old Tortie who still has the most adorable little kitten meow she had when I brought her home (it's only deepened slightly, compared to the high pitched little "mew" that my silver tabby had when she was a kitten that turned into a deep, commanding, "pay attention to me NOW" kind of meow), and she's currently meowing up a storm.

She's been in and out of the litter box three times this morning, scratching around, coming back out, looking at me and meowing...

My tabby did this too, when she was a kitten, but not to this extent. So, naturally, I became worried. I massaged her rump a bit, but all that did was make her want to squirm or play. I changed out the litter, but all she did was sniff around. No, she just likes to talk. A LOT.

I live on a boat. The only place to put the litter box is in a nook just under the forward berth. I learned early on to shift my position and have my head all the way forward, rather than up near the bulkhead and, subsequently, directly over said litter box. Yeah...being awakened in the middle of the night by kitty surprises left unburied is not a pleasant thing.

So now, enter the Tortie. Meow? Meow? Meow? Meow? (I assume it's a question because it starts deeper and ends with an increasing higher scale.)

"What? You can go potty."

Meow? Meow? Meow? Meow?

"Go potty! You're a big girl now, you can go by yourself!"

Meow? Meow? Meow? Meow?

"What? Do you want attention? You want to play? No? You're going into the litter box now...okay, you can go."

Meow? Meow? *scratch around a bit, then come back out* Meow? Meow?

And this is how it goes in my boat about three times a day. Meanwhile, the tabby is just sitting on her kitty shelf, looking out at the world, and bearing a look on her face that can only be described as "Oh, shut the heck up already and poop."

I monitor their water intake, and there are no issues. Their fecal matter isn't too large, nor segmented, nor too soft (stinky, yes, and I swear the Tabby leaves them sitting there proudly on the surface just out of spite), and I alternate between their usual dry and an occasional "gooshy food" as a sort of "treat", especially on warmer days to ensure they have enough liquid. Even with all of this care, it's Meow? Meow? Meow? Meow?

That endearing kitten voice I mentioned? It can quickly become like nails on a chalkboard when you have a lot of stuff to do on the computer that demands your concentration. Ah, the joys of parenthood...

Anyway, the point to all of this is that yes, I was concerned, but I found this site first and saw that a LOT of people are experiencing the same issues, so that made me feel better. I figured it was the case - not a UTI but just a kitty quirk. My tabby grew out of her phase rather quickly. The Tortie? Not so much yet, hence the initial concern.

I guess it's just "grin and bear it" time for awhile, and if it continues, then it's just learning how to become "mommy"-deaf. :-D

My 5 months old kitten cry a lot before going potty.  This is an ongoing issue ever since I adopted two months ago. 
#2 is worse than #1 when she need to go. She had a health check up and she is fine according to the vet. Her diet is 2/3 of wet and 1/3 of dry food. Her stool is not hard. She eats and plays well. Cat litterbox is in the bathroom. She seems hard time doing her business and seeking for places to do other than litter-box. Her unusual and non-stop cry make me worry that it might be something wrong with her health that vet doesn't know. Does anyone has or heard of this issue? Please advise. 

Just to share kitty meowing before and after doing their "business" is fine so long nothing abnormal about their waste and/or they are not seen having some difficulties. Guess their scratching to and fro are normal too. Mine 8 months old will meow loudly before and after pee or poo. He is on 100% wet food. About 4 times pee and one poo daily. Poo is formed, smell acceptable and semi moist. He does his business in the bathroom, pee on pee pad and poo beside on the floor. He did not use litter box & litter due to one episode of instense diarrhoea that made him associate the bad experience with the litter box.

Just to share kitty meowing before and after doing their "business" is fine so long nothing abnormal about their waste and/or they are not seen having some difficulties. Guess their scratching to and fro are normal too. Mine 8 months old will meow loudly before and after pee or poo. He is on 100% wet food. About 4 times pee and one poo daily. Poo is formed, smell acceptable and semi moist. He does his business in the bathroom, pee on pee pad and poo beside on the floor. He did not use litter box & litter due to one episode of instense diarrhoea that made him associate the bad experience with the litter box.