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Sleeping in the litter tray

post #1 of 8
11/10/11 at 2:40pm
Thread Starter 

Trixie went in for her spay on Tuesday and had her post op check today. She did not like the vet we saw today, and we have been home over 4 hours and she is still mad at us for taking her to the 'horrible place'. but since we have been home and she wont come close to us she has been curling up in her litter tray across the room.

 

I have changed the litter so it is all clean and we have moved her bed closer to her (away from us) but she is still insisting on curling up in the tray. She has never done this before and I am just curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this after being spayed and if there is anything else I can do to try lure her out of the litter tray

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post #2 of 8
11/10/11 at 3:52pm
My new kitty, when we brought him home would lay in his litter tray. After doing some reading online, it sounded like they do it because it is their "secure" place, so you cat might be doing it just after the experience.

I put out some treats and wet food for him and that got him out of the box, then we just spent time petting him and playing with him. He did this for a few days, but with the combo of spending one on one time with him combined with Feliway, he was cured of it. smile.gif

Good luck!
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post #3 of 8
11/10/11 at 4:12pm
Your kitty is upset, and is curling up in a place that smells safe. Give her some time. Keep the environment calm. Give her things she likes to eat.. Coax her, talk to her, and tell her you love her. Sit by her litter box, that she is in, on the floor to do this.

Does your cat have huts or cubbies? Does she have a tree or vertical space to get off the floor? These things help a cat feel secure.

Robin
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post #4 of 8
11/11/11 at 3:06am
Thread Starter 

She has her carry case as a hut, and lots of hiding places around the room but at the moment she just seems to feel safest in the tray, she comes out to eat and when we talk to her but then she goes straight back in as soon as she has had enough. She really did not enjoy her post op check, the vet was rather rough prodding and poking at her and he just tipped her out of her case without letting me try coax her first, probably why she is now staying clear of it. She had a little wander this morning but as soon as one of us moved she went straight back in, hopefully she will forgive us soon, just want her to be happy again.

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post #5 of 8
11/11/11 at 4:35am
Wash the carrier well and air it, because it smells like vet now, and is no longer a safe space to her. Put a shirt you have worn, or your pillow case you have slept on, in it, so it smells like you..love and safety.

She'll recover from her trauma in time, poor little baby. smile.gif
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post #6 of 8
11/11/11 at 6:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cookietown View Post

Trixie went in for her spay on Tuesday and had her post op check today. She did not like the vet we saw today, and we have been home over 4 hours and she is still mad at us for taking her to the 'horrible place'. but since we have been home and she wont come close to us she has been curling up in her litter tray across the room.

 

I have changed the litter so it is all clean and we have moved her bed closer to her (away from us) but she is still insisting on curling up in the tray. She has never done this before and I am just curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this after being spayed and if there is anything else I can do to try lure her out of the litter tray



It is a behavior that indicates stress/discomfort/displeasure. Once your cat "calms down", the behavior should stop.

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post #7 of 8
11/11/11 at 7:37pm
Do you have another litter box elsewhere? I am just wondering if she is "using the box" or just laying in the box? Is the box hooded? If so, take the hood off and put a tent/or cat hideaway near that litter box to draw to another "safe" hiding place. Poor baby, she is just stressed out completely. Just keep watch that she is urinating and defecating normally. I am sure she will get over this once she recover's from the surgery and is pain-free. vibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gifvibes.gif
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post #8 of 8
11/12/11 at 5:49am
Thread Starter 

There is another litter tray that she has been using, she just curls up in the big one, and wont let my other cat in, and I have cleaned her hut and put in my top and my boyfriends jumper so it smells safe as well as talking to her all the time and stroking her soft spot, I'm reading a book at the moment and I have been reading aloud so she knows I'm here.

She is doing mush better today, sitting next to the litter tray instead of in it and having the occasional wander around the room, she has even had a go at grooming Pixie, which she hasn't done since we brought her home on Tuesday, slowly but surly I'm getting my happy kitty back :)

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