Young cats "forgetting" to use litter box...

Hi,

I've searched around on the forum a bit and found a few similar threads, but nothing exactly describing my situation, hence the new post. Apologies if this has been answered somewhere else.

(Also, this is a bit of an essay, but the situation is bothering me so I thought I'd give quite a bit of details).

We have two kittens just about to turn one year old. They were indoor cats for a little over six months, then we started introducing them to the garden, which they've obviously loved. At the beginning they were just going out for one hour or two, then coming back in and we'd close the door.

We got a cat flap installed (petporte) so they started going out more and more, but we kept them in at night.

The routine we decided to settle in recently is:

- They stay in during the day while we're at work

- We open the catflap and let them out to enjoy the summer evenings as soon as we come back

- The cat flap is then set to "entry only mode" meaning the next time they come in, they stay in for the night. Sometimes one of them stays out after we've gone to bed, sometimes they're both back in by 10pm.

- During the weekend, if we're around all day they can just be out all day until the evening where the same applies

Twice it now happened that for a few days, despite only going out for those few hours in the evenings they've managed to leave the litterbox untouched (for something like 3 days). Almost like they hold it in until we come back from work, run out to do their business, stay out and go again before coming back in for the night.

This is fine, except that on occasions where we came back from work a bit later, instead of using the litter box after having seen they weren't going to bet let out, they just went to the toilet in the kitchen (right next to their food bowls - silly kitties).

If I remind them where the litter is and put them in it, then keep them inside for a day, they seem ok with going back to using it.

I can't believe 3 days without using the litter is enough for them to "forget" where it is - yes, it's a bit out of the way for obvious reasons, but it's in a room they do visit. And even after spending a week in a cattery last time, they didn't have any problems remembering where the litter was.

Is it that they just much prefer going outside to do their business, and when they realised it wasn't happening they just showed their discontent? I don't mind them preferring outside, but how can I make sure that when they can't go outside, they still fall back to the litter instead of just going anywhere they please?

Also, out of all the possible places, why right next to the food and water bowls???

OK this is gross, but it may help: maybe keep a turd or two in the litterbox at all times.

I have no idea why they would do it near their food bowls. To be obvious?

Are the food and water bowls near the cat door? Maybe they were holding it, and could not any longer. I would advise moving the cat box closer to the cat door. I know you want to keep it out of the way, but that's not working is it? You also said they are hardly using it, so it shouldn't be too stinky.

Cat attract litter is another option. If you are against moving the box.

Just a wild guess....could being outside and smelling other animals make them more territorial?  Could they be marking the food bowls as "theirs" since peeing and pooping can be marking behaviors?

Thanks for the replies and the suggestions.

Food bowls are a few yards away from the door, just separated by a sideboard.

Interesting point about them becoming territorial - I hadn't seen it under that angle.

Tonight was another development: we come home, found no "incidents" (woohoo), yet the litter was untouched, which is always a bit strange since we were away for almost 11hrs.

As soon as we come home, they both went straight to the cat flap. I didn't open it, instead I took them to the litter box. And sure enough... Pims did a #1, and Tia a #2.

So it's really like they were just waiting for us to let them outside to do their business, and it's only when we denied them and "forced" them to use the litter box that they did.

Which obviously isn't great, since we won't always be around to take them to where they're supposed to go

We'll try and leave something in the litter to make it clearer it's where they need to go - it's covered so it doesn't smell too bad despite the heat.

I'll also look into the cat attract litter, although I'm afraid changing the litter brand might just make the problem worse.

Thanks again!

Don't straight out change the litter. Get another litter box and put new litter in that OR add this stuff to the current litter


which is the active ingredient in the cat attract litter.

Yes, exactly. Cat attract is expensive. Add cat attract to your litter. Since you have 2 cats I'd get at least 1 more litter box and use your current litter in both + 20% cat attract.

Also, Some cats don't like to share a litter box, and some like 1 for pee and 1 for poop.

t's covered so it doesn't smell too bad despite the heat.

Click to expand...

So, it's a covered litter box?  My mind said "ding" when I read that.  It could just be that they developed a liking for going out in the open and not being cramped into a closed space.  I'd remove the cover and see what happens.  Good luck.

Good point txcatmom, I've removed the flap already, but I'll try taking off the lid entirely.

Better to have to sweep bits of litter around the box than to have a bigger mess to clean...

Well, I left it for a bit just to make sure, but looks like txcatmom nailed it. We removed the lid and no accidents since then, even when they have to use the litter box after several days going outside.

Thanks a lot!