Are strays hard to litter train?

The stray cat I'm trying to adopt seems uninterested in his litter box when I pick him up and place him in there. He's getting neutered tomorrow so I hope that helps... anyone have good or bad experiences trying to do the same thing ?

Hi, all the cats that I've ever had were really easy to litter train.  I just had to pick them up and put them in the litter box.  They usually jump out right away, but now they know that it is there and what it is and go back to use it at their own leisure.  I do this when I move the litterbox too so that my cat knows where it is.  I wouldn't be worried about him seeming disinterested unless he goes on the ground or refuses to go for over a day.  How long have you had him?  Also, I have heard of other people putting a layer of dirt on top of the litter so that kitty knows that it is a bathroom since he might be used to dirt and not litter.

I've only had him in the garage for a few hours .. looks like he peed where he was hiding but this was before I placed him in the box. Hopefully he just knows now because I know my husband won't have much patience if he sprays in the house. Hopefully he doesn't want to spray after being neutered.

Since you've only had him for a few hours, he might be holding it in.  Sometimes cats do this in new or stressful environments.  I wouldn't worry yet.  I'm new to male cats but I've heard that neutering them usually stops spraying.  Anyways, since you're going to the vet soon you can always ask him/ her any lingering questions you have to get some peace of mind!  Good luck!  Keep us updated.  

Get some Dr. Elsey's Litter Attract.  It works so well.  I used it straight when I first brought in a stray/feral.  I tried mixing it with regular litter first, but he went on the floor.  As soon as I used full strength, he went right away.  Also some cats that are used to living outside need 2 litter boxes to start.  One for pee and one for poo. 

If he does have an accident, sop it up with a paper towel and bury the paper towel in the litter.  He will be attracted by his scent.  Same with the poo.  Just bury it in the litter box. 

His urine will be quite strong for awhile.  That is because he is not neutered and it will take a bit after  he is neutered for the scent to disappate.  Yet it will get better.

[if !supportLists]1.       [endif]Since he never used a litter box before, it can be a little confusing for him, and it will take some time for him to feel comfortable using it, but it’s not too late to train him.

Spayed cats or neutered can still spray, but normally won’t do it. 

Is there anyway you can soak up the puddles he has made with cat litter and then scrape that up and put that in the Litterbox? I have always had a soiled litter boxes to train a new cat. If it smells like a litter box he will use it immediately because he will smell what it's for. If you can't do that he will get it soon just keep putting him in there. If you can take his paw and dig the litter with it, it will help him to realize it's a place to bury as well.

At the recommendation here, I also used the Cat Attract and it worked like a charm. The first box I set up for him, I put some dirt from outside and then a thick layer of the litter. Now he uses any of the 4 litter boxes I have around the house, whether it is sprinkled on the top of the regular litter or just regular litter in the box.  The couple of accidents he had I sprayed that calm stuff (don't remember the name)-it mimics their pheromones, and he never went outside the box again. We noticed PetSmart carries it now, much less expensive then ordering it on Amazon and paying for shipping of this heavy bag.

She went in her litter box once and then I went to check on her an hour ago... and the weirdest thing.. there was a piece of poop in her food bowl on top of her food! Why would she do that? She let me brush her and absolutely loved it she even rolled over on her belly. She has curly belly hair

reen1118 said:

She went in her litter box once and then I went to check on her an hour ago... and the weirdest thing.. there was a piece of poop in her food bowl on top of her food! Why would she do that? She let me brush her and absolutely loved it she even rolled over on her belly. She has curly belly hair

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Its surely some sort of ownership marking.  Perhaps she smells scent of some other cat nearby.  Or even mices.   And she wants to  show of its HER food, not anybodys elses.

But yes, its  a little weird, not so common no.

Did she used the litter?   Most often they do, its more or lessinstinctive.  Its seldom its necessary to fall on plan B, and use tricks how to trick them into the litterbox.

There's definitely a mouse in my garage so maybe that's why!

reen1118 said:

There's definitely a mouse in my garage so maybe that's why!

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Have perhaps her food raised up on somtheing, where she can easily jump up, but no mices nor rats can climb up.

A little table on ONE pole would be perfect.  Rats can sometimes climb straight up, but not even they can go on the roof, ie on the down side of the table.

The same tip is useful in other such occasions, where you dont want rats nor dogs to eat the cats food.  So many times, caretakers of TNR:ed cat colonies do so.

We just took in 2 more feral cats about 2 weeks ago. One took to the litter box immediately. The other (we think it was the oldest) pooped a couple times right next to the box. Seeing that she lived 1-1/2 years outside, we decided to add some dried leaves and pine needles to the litter box. We also put the box up against a wall because she has Cerebellar Hypoplasia and it makes the whole box shake if not propped against something.

Both have been using the box without any accidents for over a week now!! So maybe try adding some leaves and such from your yard. It could also be that your cat was used to peeing in one area and pooping in another so a second box might be helpful.

PS that is great that you can pick him up!! Our two new ones won't even let us get within a couple of feet of them yet :-( It's going to take a lot longer with these two!!

Reading this, I feel very fortunate. I've had two strays (both young, 4-6 mos old) at different times, and they both found & used the litter box from the beginning!

A few years ago I acquired a 5-6 mo old feral, 3 days out of the colony, and set him up in a spare bathroom with a small litterbox, bed, food & water.  He didn't poop for several days, but when he finally did it was in the box.  He peed from the beginning in the box.  

What's more, none of these cats ever had an "accident".

Another cat I owned had been previously owned by two other people.  In his old age he became a little unreliable in his peeing.

So I guess I always felt strays/ferals were the fastidious ones!  Now I find out it was just luck!

When I brought in Midnight(feral baby 10weeks) I gave him dirt for the first few days. I took it from the place where I'd seen him go outside. Then, after a couple of days, I started putting in a little bit of litter to cover up his messes, until his box was all litter after a week. 

Matt(2yrold stray) didn't recognize the litter that I had when i brought him home, so I put out two littler boxes-one of the litter I liked, and one of cheap clay.

Helen(rescued from hoarding situation and being fostered by us) came with paper litter, but I caught her using the clay, so I gave her clay.

Happy to say she's been adopted today by a great couple+

reen1118 said:

Happy to say she's been adopted today by a great couple+

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That is such good news!  I hope she has a loving happy furever home!

Most of the ferals/strays I've taken in or am taking care of have learned to use the box. A couple I had to hold and grab his paw to show him that's where they go. Some find the box and learn on their own. I have one kitten that I am having trouble getting to use the box but he's currently sick so I clean up the mess and take him back to the box to show him.

He seems to like urinating and defecating on my couch. I have to keep spraying the couch down because of him urinating on the fabric. Thankfully a while back I put garbage bags over my cushions and he is only defecating on the cushions so it's easy to wipe off then sanitize. This one is stubborn so I'm hoping I can find a way to get him to finally use the box. I have two boxes set up at the moment and will look into another if needed. I keep the boxes cleaned but it's hard to keep up with these pooping machines. 

Any suggestions to litter train this lil guy. He's stubborn and will either go poo on the floor in a random location or near the litterbox or urinate and defecate on my couch, usually defecating on the garbage bags I put over my cushions and urinating on the fabric or garbage bags where it seeps down. I keep spraying the couch, I completely shampooed the thing already. :/

crazycatfellow said:

 
. I have one kitten that I am having trouble getting to use the box but he's currently sick so I clean up the mess and take him back to the box to show him.

He seems to like urinating and defecating on my couch. I have to keep spraying the couch down because of him urinating on the fabric. Thankfully a while back I put garbage bags over my cushions and he is only defecating on the cushions so it's easy to wipe off then sanitize. This one is stubborn so I'm hoping I can find a way to get him to finally use the box. I have two boxes set up at the moment and will look into another if needed. I keep the boxes cleaned but it's hard to keep up with these pooping machines. 

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What is he sick in?   My first reaction when I saw your post was, his mistrating of the eliminating is because of him being sick.   Quite a few sick cats dont manage to use the litterbox properly.  Compare with sick humans, who often do on themselves in the trousers.

What is his background, is he supposed to know how to use the litter, or is he newly taken from outside?

If he is from outside, try with the tips mentioned earlier, dirt or dry leaves, etc...

What litter do you use currently?  I hope no fancy perfumed variation?

You can also sprinkle on Kitten Attract Litter, where the most renown is Dr Elseys...

Also, having him in a small, easy to clean area is standard with cats who are not reliable with litter.  Ie bathroom, a small room, or even a cage.

Their bedding, food place, water, a little scratching post, some toys, a litter or two...   So there shall not be so many possibilites to go wrong.

Another thing.  A Feliway diffuser cant harm, man help, making him feel more safe and harmonious.

Feliway wasnt not constructed for problems with eliminations as such, but if faulty eliminations are caused by anxiousness and or stress, Feliway helps nicely.

Some ideas.  I do hope a combination of them will help.

Good luck!