I need litterbox help! I've tried everything.

racheljc

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Charlie is a tall boy cat. He's very polite but he has one major issue. No box works for him. I've had 6 different litter boxes and each one has an issue. Since he's tall, I always have to get the biggest box. Fine. Problem, they have seams and urine runs out because he sprays the walls. He won't squat and he does this 180 degree spin while he's in there so he covers as much as he can and the urine gets in the seams and onto the ground because be floods it. The problem with cleaning those boxes is they're a hassle and they always leak urine. So I go out and buy a storage tub and cut a hole in the side of it. He waits the whole day to pee, keeping his eye on it. I clean the litter immediately after each use because we are living in one little room together and it smells if I don't. He's got like a gallon size bladder, I'm not even joking. So anyway, about this tub, I'm thinking it will do the trick. He used the box and there's urine all over the inside. I figure it's his first time, we'll see. In the morning he uses it. Normally he pees standing. Now he's peeing standing with his front leaned downward, aiming his butt at the ceiling. I lift the lid and urine runs all over the place. Why is he doing this? It's like the more I accommodate his desire to spray, the higher he tries to pee. Now the ceiling? I've taken him to the vet, he doesn't have a uti, no kidney issues, he's healthy. I feel like he's aiming higher and higher intentionally the more space I give him so every solution I get doesn't work. It's expensive buying box after box and every website says storage tub is ideal - lots of space and easy to clean. I spent a long time cutting the hole into it and thought this would work. Now I'm at the end. I don't know what to do. It's the tallest tub I found! But his aim can reach so high!
 

msserena

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hmmm I don't know why you're cutting a hole in it. I have a cat who is a high pee'er so I went to walmart & got a HUGE plastic storage bin

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-30-Gallon-Tote-Box-Steel-6pk/44785788

I fill the bottom with a few inches & her butt now is totally enclosed. Sounds like you seriously have to get like something he can jump into, that's super deep. If you use clumping clay litter, it should soak up all the urine, if you don't it will take awhile & that's where smell comes in.

You're going to have to get something that is so tall that when he bends down forward, the pee won't shoot over. Another thing you can do & I used to do this too, when you see them peeing, push down on their backside so they know not to raise it. I did that a couple times & it helped my cat, she listened!

you're gonna hate it but you could get a trash bin, they are super tall, it would just really suck to try to clean it out.

 
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racheljc

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I cut a hole in it because he refuses to jump into it. I assumed he wanted to walk into it because that's what he's used to. When he's not happy with a new box, he pees in the center of my bed. He's very deliberate. I do use clumping litter but it still smells. Most of the pee is just dripping from the ceiling and sides so I wipe those areas down after he goes or else it smells way too bad. Initially I thought something must be wrong with him because my nose and throat burns after he pees but the vet tested him and said he's fine. I fill the entire box with a whole tub of litter at a time so I know it's more than enough litter and I'm not holding out on him. I guess I'll try the pushing his butt down thing but I have a feeling he's going to panic and end up peeing on me or running out mid stream. Not looking forward to that.
 
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racheljc

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My storage bin is the exact same as yours... Ugh, Charlie... If only he would just squat a little. Or just pee straight. I don't know why he's now leaning forward and aiming his butt into the air.
 

msserena

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good grief. One of the reasons I have females. I don't know what else to suggest.
 

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Look up ferret boxes online.  I've seen some that are very tall but have an opening for them to go in, since they like to pee in corners.  Not sure if they would be tall enough, but I've seen several that had pretty tall walls.
 

verna davies

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I don't know if this will be any good after reading your problems but it's worth a look.

On Amazon..Van Ness extra giant enclosed pan
 

hbunny

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Maybe if you could get him to use a box with an entrance flap (mine won't) that is enclosed, like the one @Verna davies  posted above, that would solve him rotating and spewing pee everywhere.  Mine won't use one with a door or a flap.
 

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Is he neutered? Intact males are more likely to spray.

I don't have any better ideas than anyone else has suggested.
 

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good grief. One of the reasons I have females. I don't know what else to suggest.:confuse3:
Haha, I have a girl who does that though! I mean, I have several girls who pee standing up but only one is determined to pee as high as possible! :lol3:

I can really only suggest liberal use of puppy pee pads. Nothing else has worked for me. You can find some good prices on Amazon, also Costco or another warehouse store if you have a membership.

Also, he may give up on the ceiling shots after the novelty of a new box wears off, so give it a little time. But do stick with the storage tote; you won't find anything taller than that. If you think he'd use it, you could get another tote and cut the hole in the top instead of the side. I don't lhink that would help with the high peeing but it might help with the smell.
 
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msserena

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Haha, I have a girl who does that though! I mean, I have several girls who pee standing up but only one is determined to pee as high as possible!

 
What's up with the high pee-ers? I wonder what they're thinking. I will have to read up on it, it's so strange, especially for a female!

When I brought my little black girl home & she was just a kitten, I always use one of those hospital tubs for their potty & noticed she would raise her back up. I realized this was going to be a problem so I got a smaller plastic tub out lickity split! I barely put any litter in it so her butt would be within the walls, then when she raised, it would only squirt the sides of the bin.

Once she got a little older & was using the GIANT box, I noticed her lifting up there too. Whenever I could, I would push lightly on her butt & she would lower her stance. She still stands up & pees too, doesn't squat like my other 2 girls do but at least she doesn't raise as high as she did. I'm thankful she listened!
 
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racheljc

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hbunny hbunny mine rotates too like he's on a lazy Susan. It's annoying.
 
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racheljc

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Is he neutered? Intact males are more likely to spray.

I don't have any better ideas than anyone else has suggested.
He is neutered but he also humps anything fleece or soft so I had to get rid of a lot of blankets. I had a favorite sweater until I woke up to him on it........ Operative word is HAD a favorite sweater.
 
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racheljc

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Look up ferret boxes online.  I've seen some that are very tall but have an opening for them to go in, since they like to pee in corners.  Not sure if they would be tall enough, but I've seen several that had pretty tall walls.
I didn't see any big enough for him. He's tall. He reaches kitchen counters with his paws with ease. It was hard cutting meat in my old house, where he could roam as he pleased.
 
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racheljc

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Haha, I have a girl who does that though! I mean, I have several girls who pee standing up but only one is determined to pee as high as possible! :lol3:

I can really only suggest liberal use of puppy pee pads. Nothing else has worked for me. You can find some good prices on Amazon, also Costco or another warehouse store if you have a membership.

Also, he may give up on the ceiling shots after the novelty of a new box wears off, so give it a little time. But do stick with the storage tote; you won't find anything taller than that. If you think he'd use it, you could get another tote and cut the hole in the top instead of the side. I don't lhink that would help with the high peeing but it might help with the smell.
He's always aimed for the ceiling but I think he's succeeding now because he's pushing all the litter under where his hind feet go, creating a little hilltop to help him succeed. I have a lot of litter in there! He's such a good cat, but when it comes to the box, he's a jerk. I'm going to get the pee pads and tape them to the ceiling.
 
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racheljc

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What's up with the high pee-ers? I wonder what they're thinking. I will have to read up on it, it's so strange, especially for a female!

When I brought my little black girl home & she was just a kitten, I always use one of those hospital tubs for their potty & noticed she would raise her back up. I realized this was going to be a problem so I got a smaller plastic tub out lickity split! I barely put any litter in it so her butt would be within the walls, then when she raised, it would only squirt the sides of the bin.

Once she got a little older & was using the GIANT box, I noticed her lifting up there too. Whenever I could, I would push lightly on her butt & she would lower her stance. She still stands up & pees too, doesn't squat like my other 2 girls do but at least she doesn't raise as high as she did. I'm thankful she listened!
I tried the pushing his butt down thing which was suggested up higher and he locks his little cat knees or whatever they're called and looks me in the eye. I don't know what his deal is! I literally talked to him one of the times and was like COME ON, MAN! And he just looked me dead in the eye.
 
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msserena

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I tried the pushing his butt down thing which was suggested up higher and he locks his little cat knees or whatever they're called and looks me in the eye. I don't know what his deal is! I literally talked to him one of the times and was like COME ON, MAN! And he just looked me dead in the eye.
haahahahhaah this gave me a chuckle out loud, I can just picture it!
 

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I tried the pushing his butt down thing which was suggested up higher and he locks his little cat knees or whatever they're called and looks me in the eye. I don't know what his deal is! I literally talked to him one of the times and was like COME ON, MAN! And he just looked me dead in the eye.
Maybe you should tell him you want him to hit the ceiling.  Tell him to aim as high as he can.  Then maybe he'll decide that's he's not going to since that's what you want him to do.
 
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racheljc

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Maybe. I'll try anything at this point. There was one time he went while squatting and it was a perfect scoop. A PERFECT SCOOP. I feel like he was taunting me. Like, I can if i want to... but I don't want to.
 

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Maybe. I'll try anything at this point. There was one time he went while squatting and it was a perfect scoop. A PERFECT SCOOP. I feel like he was taunting me. Like, I can if i want to... but I don't want to.
LMAO, you've got a bit of a smart***!
 
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