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kitten not using cat box...HELP PLEASE

post #1 of 10
10/27/11 at 10:28pm
Thread Starter 
My kitten is 5 weeks old and has 2 cat boxes available and she goes under the entertainment center to pee and poo. This is brand new carpet!!! She has used it before, why isn't she using it now. Please help!!!
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post #2 of 10
10/27/11 at 10:40pm
Think hard- has anything changed- routine or items around the house. Has the litter tray been cleaned or something. Has someone cleaned the carpet- it might be chemicals used to clean the carpet that give the kitten the wrong idea.
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post #3 of 10
10/28/11 at 2:04am
At 5 weeks old kittens have usually just realized that litter box exists, that doesn't mean they'll learn to use it all the time immediately. It can take a while until she gets the hang of it properly even if she's used it before.
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post #4 of 10
10/28/11 at 2:14am
Think of her as a human baby. At 5 weeks she should still be with her Mother but sometimes it can't always be like this.

Like humans who train their toddler to use the potty this is what the kittens Mother would usually do, but she hasn't got her so you have to be the surrogate.

Like you would a child with a potty, keep placing her on the litter every hour so she gets used to it, especially if you see her squat, and gently take her paw and scrape the litter a couple of times so she knows what to do.

Whatever you do don't shout or scold her because she's still learning and it'll make her scared of you
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post #5 of 10
10/28/11 at 8:09am
Thread Starter 
Sorry for the mistake, she is 5 months old. The litter box is cleaned often (we have 5 cats in the house, one is her sister). The carpet is brand new. She was using the box until about 2 weeks ago when she started going poo under the TV stand, then over last weekend, the bed they slept in was pee'd in and now she is peeing under the stand. I plan to call our vet this morning.
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post #6 of 10
10/28/11 at 8:44am
I was just having a similar problem. Think about any changes that may seem insignificant to you -- furniture rearrangements, different litter, different diet, new animal/human in the house (even visitors), things blocking her favorite hideout spots. Are your litterboxes spread out enough to where one cat can't guard them all? Has your routine changed?

Some cats are super-sensitive to change and resist it. However, it never hurts to be sure with a vet visit. Hope everything gets resolved quickly!
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post #7 of 10
10/28/11 at 11:52am
Thread Starter 
Took her to the vet. Poor thing has a bad UTI and is on antibiotics. Thanks everyone.
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post #8 of 10
10/28/11 at 11:59am
Aww, poor little thing - glad you took her in, and hope she feel better soon!

Things you've probably already heard, but:

Clean any mistake areas with a good enzyme cleaner.

Maybe add a brand new box or two - she may associate the old boxes with the discomfort she was in (I've had a UTI - believe me, if I thought the bathroom was responsible for my discomfort, I wouldn't go in there either!)

You might try either Kitten Attract or Cat Attract litter in at least one box - my boy had box issues, and I swear by Cat Attract - designed by a vet just for cats with avoidance issues. You can get it at Petsmart - there's a little booklet (with coupons!) and guidance on litter box issues in every bag.
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post #9 of 10
10/28/11 at 1:45pm
Aww, poor baby. If it's any consolation, a medical problem will be far easier to treat than a behavioral/environmental one.

Lots of love and healing for your kitty!
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post #10 of 10
10/28/11 at 5:11pm
I would say bring the cat to a veterinarian you trust. But if the kitten gets a "clean bill of health", then I would suggest you keep the kitten in a dog crate with food, water, litter box and so on when not directly supervised. If you do not want to do that, then keep the kitten in a small room with tile. Like a bathroom. Keep a litter box, food, and water in that room.

In my humble opinion, despite this being such a young kitten, you do NOT want to allow this kitten to urinate and defecate in inappropriate area's. Since you could encourage this as a behavior pattern. Not something you want to try and change latter in life.
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