How to get a cat to cover their poop?

Some cats just can't be bothered. I have one of those, and then I have another cat who's so fastidious that he uses every single piece of litter in a 10 mile radius to cover his poop. He also goes around and covers poop from the other cats if their job isn't to his satisfaction. It's pretty hilarious. 

I don't think you'll have any luck convincing your guy that covering poop is the feline way, especially if he's an only cat (for some reason, only cats have this tendency more often. My cat that doesn't bury his bombs was an only cat for many years).

To prevent him from stepping in it, you might have to scoop more frequently, or get a couple more litter boxes. 

As kittens, I used greenies treats and praise to teach them their new cat door to the littercloset and litterboxes, and for Wesley just moved his paw in the motions since he didn't bury at first and gave him headrubs for a good job when he was done.   I think its instinctual anyway, but at the very least my interference didn't seem stressful as to this day they still sometimes meow at me to follow them and watch them go potty... Ugh.  

One of my cats never covers hers. But she never steps on it. Maybe the litterbox is not the right size for your cat?

One of mine never covers hers either, unless I tell her to. She goes back to it and then covers it up. 

When I first got my kitten he didn't really cover it. So when he would get out of the litter box, I would put him back in, move his paws to cover the poop a bit, and then he would usually get the hint a finish covering it. Then, I would give him a treat and a cuddle. Now he does it every time. I'm not sure how this would work with an older cat though 

how do you "tell her to" do it? i have 2 cats, one is a boy who covers all the time; the other, the girl, never covers and then scratches on the wooden floor just outside the littler box. i have provided two little boxes - she just uses the one. and then she comes to meow that she's finished and i get up and clean it. i DO clean several times a day. the girl is rather skittish but affectionate - i don't know how to encourage her to cover. any suggestions? 

An alpha personality cat (top cat) will not cover their poop.  It's one of their ways of showing who is top cat.  My Piper does not cover her own but will cover the others.  Poor King Arthur, as smart as he is, he doesn't have good paw eye coordination... He tries and tries so hard, but just can't cover it!!  I have to do it or Piper has to for him... Not for lack of trying but the poor boy will be in there for hours trying if I don't say "Good boy, King Arthur!  Such a good boy!"  He is happy with this praise and finally leaves the box and just lets me do it for him!  Piper does it when I am not around to do so! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ketzels 

how do you "tell her to" do it? i have 2 cats, one is a boy who covers all the time; the other, the girl, never covers and then scratches on the wooden floor just outside the littler box. i have provided two little boxes - she just uses the one. and then she comes to meow that she's finished and i get up and clean it. i DO clean several times a day. the girl is rather skittish but affectionate - i don't know how to encourage her to cover. any suggestions? 

The scratching on the floor outside the box indicates, to me, that the box is too small. Try a larger box and see how she does. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sugarcatmom 

 then I have another cat who's so fastidious that he uses every single piece of litter in a 10 mile radius to cover his poop. He also goes around and covers poop from the other cats if their job isn't to his satisfaction. It's pretty hilarious. 

 

That made me LOL!

My new kitten does such a great job that he buries it  and then digs it up again in his thoroughness. (is that even a word?)

Have you tried to "help" him by doing the motions? Perhaps letting him smell the before and after? Then give treats as other's have suggested.

It's worth a try.

ok i think the pooh box is adequate but i shall try try to find a larger 'mess'....... on the other hand, the vertical pooh pot is utilised by the male cat. i clean once or two times per day and that seems OK. 

i was wondeRING if this is some kind of competition!  question?:'    - i would love to get a red schaunzer .... /

What kind of litter are you using?  I used that feline pine stuff, and my cats didnt cover their poop.  Then I switched to a scoopable litter, and they started covering.  When I found my cat she was an adult, and, im assuming, had never used a litter box (she was a stray). When I would try to show her to use the litter box, she would spread all four legs out and not let me put her directly in the box, like I was dropping her in hot lava or something.  Finally, I took her paw and scratched at the litter with it. She had been holding it for a whole day up until that point, and immediatly got in and went.  Its like it finally clicked.  My point is, maybe you just need to show your cat how to cover. 

hi, i am using Feline Fresh - it is a pine litter and is wonderful for controlling odour. i tried the arm and hammer andit was SO perfumed plus the cats didn't like it. i scoop at least twice a day. 'Boy' has no problem but 'Luna' is fussy and will only "go" at the sides of the box and then stratches outside the box on my flooring. she nevers covers yet she comes to 'tell me' she has done something. she seems to have to report to me if she has eaten, has pooped or peed or whatever. i get up immediately and clean.

they're not feral; i got them from a pet rescue store, supposedly brother and sister and they've been really good in all other respects.

when you say, i should 'show' my cat to cover? how is that to be done? she's already about 4-5 now (i adopted them as 'used' so i don't really know their birthdates'

?

Bandit never buries. I posted about this awhile back- I just do it for him.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/237579/litter-issues-burying

There is my original post! I got some good advice there

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ketzels 

 

when you say, i should 'show' my cat to cover? how is that to be done? she's already about 4-5 now (i adopted them as 'used' so i don't really know their birthdates'

?

I would just take your cats paw in your hand and use it to cover the poop. Maybe try it a few times.  I dont know if it will work, just a suggestion.

i appreciate your suggestion - i hadn't thought of that; i didn't know larger boxes were available.

However, there's been a change for the better - miss kitty now covers! why? because i'm putting in a LOT of litter, so there's more depth. i think that Boy is a competitive factor because he uses both litter boxes - the original one (which she uses) and the high-top one. that would also explain why she defecates only near the very edge of the box, whereas he goes all over both boxes.

Hobo sometimes does not cover his. Don't know why, but I scoop enough that I am not to worried about it.