Kitten pooping on couch

cathulhu

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Hey,

So out of ideas on how to deal with this. I adopted 2 kittens back in May (Hastpurr and Yibb-ten). At first there were no problems. During the first night I made sure to place both kittens in the litterbox, and they were going in them problem. I have 2 litterboxes, both filled with wood pellets that I've been using since I adopted both kittens. 1 Litterbox is kept under a table that Hastpurr prefers, the other in the corner of the room which Yibb-ten seems to prefer (though I've seen both kittens use the other boxes to). I don't have anything loud near the boxes and I haven't observed either kitten interfering with the others bathroom habits. Their food is kept a good distance away from the litterboxes (and the couch is also a good ways away from their litter boxes). 

In July though I went camping with some friends, so my sister stayed at my apartment to do some cat sitting. When I came back home the first thing Yibb-ten did was poop on the couch. Now when I was gone my sister cleaned the litterbox, but she didn't refill it and it was running on the low side. I figure that and the excitement of me coming back is what triggered her, so I cleaned it (naturals miracle) and thought nothing of it. The only other time I've seen either kitten not use the litterbox was when I took them to the vet (both went in their cat carriers as soon as I put them in the car :( )

for a few months there were no repeat instances. Then in September I went away for a weekend and again got my sister to cat sit. This time I made sure to scrub both litter boxes before hand and made sure they were filled with fresh litter. When I was gone though apparently Yibb-ten went on the couch and did it again after my sister left and before I came home. During that week she started to prefer going on the couch instead of the box. I noticed she would go to the litterbox and paw around in it, then usually head to the couch and start trying to go there (when I saw her do this I would pick her up and put her in the litterbox and she would use it). Luckily she only poops on the couch, has yet to pee on it. 

I figured at that point maybe the box was just dirty. I clean the litterbox either every night, or as soon as I notice 1 of the kittens has pooped in the box. I also try to fully scrub them at least monthly. Seeing this though I tried changing all the litter from one of the boxes and scrubbing it (I just use hot water and a little vinegar for cleaning). Still the next morning she had used the couch instead of the box.  

I tried covering the area with pillows since she only goes on the couch itself and not any of the pillows. She throw the pillow off the couch to poop in the same spot. I called the vet, but they thought it was probably just stress from my sister looking after the kittens and now she has associated the couch with her litter spot. 

So I figured would try and change that dynamic. I started feeding them on the couch where Yibb-ten was going. At first Yibb-ten complained about the new place of feeding, but her sister didn't have any problems and when Hastpurr started to eat her food, she started eating to. I also started rewarding them when I noticed them go into the litterbox (or if I came home and they had used the litterbox when I was out). Again for like 1.5 weeks there weren't any issues, but yesterday she pooped right beside her food dish and refused to eat in that area :S

Hastpurr has never gone out of the box to my knowledge, it's always Yibb-ten (though most of the time it is when I'm out so can't say with 100% certainty).

I don't think it is because the boxes are dirty, as she did it right after I scrubbed the boxes

I don't think she is marking territory as both kittens have also popped in their cat carriers when I took them to the vet. I normally leave both carriers out though which they play and sleep in and outside of the vet visits neither kitten has pooped again in the carrier. 

I haven't been away since that weekend at the start of Sept so I don't think it would still be stress.

Any ideas? 
 

di and bob

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 I would bet that stress caused her to first start avoiding the box. The reason they went in their carriers is because they were so scared, cats often do that. I think she may not like the litter now. It wouldn't hurt to try a new kind of litter in one of the boxes and see if that helps. Maybe she doesn't like the box itself, so maybe different litter and different box? There has to be a reason she is using the couch now, I think she can still smell where she went and goes again there. You might try a different enzyme cat urine destroyer and cover the couch temporarily with a blanket so she can't smell it and she may get used to not going there.  Sometimes if a cat gets a new litter they think it is a novelty and will get used to going there, I hope that will be your case too. Good luck!
 
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cathulhu

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cover the couch temporarily with a blanket so she can't smell it and she may get used to not going there.  
Yeah I forgot to mention aside from the pillow I also tried covering that spot in aluminium foil as I read that cats don't like it. 

Fun Fact for the night I did that aluminium foil became my cats new favourite play thing :|
 

momofmaxwell

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Hi. How old are your kitties? Have they been fixed? When you notice a poo do you actually look at it,squeeze it etc to see it is very soft.not a hard or very firm log.Cats will if ever experience pain in the litter box will or can get a  "learned aversion" of litterboxes.In other words they associate the litter box with pain.This could have happened when you were away.They also hate dirty litter boxes.Yes an enzyme cleaner definitely has to be used to remove the smell as cats will keep going there.But make sure your kitty is not having semi firm stools.that while way ,and you won't know this,pain could have occurred during a BM & it never forgot.I am not a big fan of that kitty litter.But?? World's Best i find the best and goes a lot longer than regular litters.But is not cheap.If there is defecating there.there may also may be urinating as well that you are not picking up.Stress,being factor or separation anxiety when you leave etc can ll play a role.Just Dr.google litterbox behaviours in cats.Some people will relocate the litter box & use cat attract that is added to the litter.Works for some.HTH C.
 
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cathulhu

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Hi. How old are your kitties? Have they been fixed? When you notice a poo do you actually look at it,squeeze it etc to see it is very soft.not a hard or very firm log.Cats will if ever experience pain in the litter box will or can get a  "learned aversion" of litterboxes.In other words they associate the litter box with pain.This could have happened when you were away.They also hate dirty litter boxes.Yes an enzyme cleaner definitely has to be used to remove the smell as cats will keep going there.But make sure your kitty is not having semi firm stools.that while way ,and you won't know this,pain could have occurred during a BM & it never forgot.I am not a big fan of that kitty litter.But?? World's Best i find the best and goes a lot longer than regular litters.But is not cheap.If there is defecating there.there may also may be urinating as well that you are not picking up.Stress,being factor or separation anxiety when you leave etc can ll play a role.Just Dr.google litterbox behaviours in cats.Some people will relocate the litter box & use cat attract that is added to the litter.Works for some.HTH C.
Kittens will be 1 year in November and both have been fixed. The poop appears firm and normal looking logs. 

Isn't naturals miracle an enzyme cleaner? 
 

di and bob

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I'm sure it is an enzyme cleaner, sometimes you need to switch if the cat can smell through it. I think I changed 4 times before I found one that really worked. Most of the time I couldn't stand the smell! Rocco and Roxie makes one that smells more 'piney' and it completely took out the smell in my favorite recliner when my cat had diarrhea. I had used two other cleaners and had about given up. 
 
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momofmaxwell

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Hi Cat hulhu.Yes Nature's in an enzyme cleaner.I agree it can take multiple washings & sometimes changing to another enzyme cleaner.Also apparently blach works the wrong way enticing them.Thier sense of smell is so beyond ours.When you say firm about stools.Let me describe something for you.If you were to pick up one of those stools right after it came out.Now this is hypothetical for you I understand.Me not.But if you picked it up in a kleenex let's say would it droop down? If not, and you caught it right away, it is too firm IMO.It requires moisture.Quite a bit .Yes i have literally opened up 100's of stools in my life.LOL Some looked just like logs ,brown when you opened them (i used plastic forks & spoons from Costco) you couldn't open them up as they were all hair.My cats were not longhaired & were groomed regularily.I gave hairball treatment weekly.If I saw alot of hair I gave it three days in a row then went back to weekly.Obviously we don't want splat,or soft serve icecream but we do want soft poos.You can google bristol poo chart.It shows every kinda poo you've ever seen.the kitty litter when it lands before being buried should be sticking to it right as it lands.HTH.To avoid a litterbox for some kitties can be a one time deal where the poo was on the hard side because he was ticked the boxes were dirty so he held it longer(drying it out) then finally when he had to go it hurt.He remembered and said scat on that .I'm not going there anymore.Very true.HTH C.
 
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cathulhu

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Hi Cat hulhu.Yes Nature's in an enzyme cleaner.I agree it can take multiple washings & sometimes changing to another enzyme cleaner.Also apparently blach works the wrong way enticing them.Thier sense of smell is so beyond ours.When you say firm about stools.Let me describe something for you.If you were to pick up one of those stools right after it came out.Now this is hypothetical for you I understand.Me not.But if you picked it up in a kleenex let's say would it droop down? If not, and you caught it right away, it is too firm IMO.It requires moisture.Quite a bit .Yes i have literally opened up 100's of stools in my life.LOL Some looked just like logs ,brown when you opened them (i used plastic forks & spoons from Costco) you couldn't open them up as they were all hair.My cats were not longhaired & were groomed regularily.I gave hairball treatment weekly.If I saw alot of hair I gave it three days in a row then went back to weekly.Obviously we don't want splat,or soft serve icecream but we do want soft poos.You can google bristol poo chart.It shows every kinda poo you've ever seen.the kitty litter when it lands before being buried should be sticking to it right as it lands.HTH.To avoid a litterbox for some kitties can be a one time deal where the poo was on the hard side because he was ticked the boxes were dirty so he held it longer(drying it out) then finally when he had to go it hurt.He remembered and said scat on that .I'm not going there anymore.Very true.HTH C.
Hmm looking at that chart I would say they are on average Type 2 :S. I tend to feed them 3 times a day. Dry food in the morning and evening and wet during the evening. All of the food is from Boreal

Going try mixing in some water with the wet food and see if that helps. Already have a water filter in their water dish and they seem to drink a fair amount (I see them drink 1-2 times a day). 
 

momofmaxwell

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Hi cathulu.

Yes that is good.Not too much that they won't eat it though.You can soak crunchies in water too but they can only stay out for about 20 minutes as they go bad.Do not refrigerate them.Chuck out what is left.But some kitties take to that as well.Are you able to find pet attract that you find at petsmart or another petstore.It has something in it that attracts most kitties.Worth a try.Hugs C.
 
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