should I put Cleo in a "cage" untill she will learn to use the litter box?

I almost cried today, my Son woke me up saying Cleo "pooped" all over the place again! . She will not use the litter box at all( as I said in my previous posts). Her waste was solidifying until the st*pid vet decided to change the medicine. I all ready spoke to the vet and switched her back to the medicine that was helping, but I guess it may take a day or two to firm up her stools, the problem is when she has loose stools she seems to run around everywhere and leave a little here a little there .I have shampooed my son's room twice, I will be doing it again today , and have used up a bottle of that natural enzyme cleaner for cats and 2 cans of spot shot?. I am thinking of buying a cage from walmart (not very high, but big enough for her litter box, her dishes and a little room to move around . At least to put her in the cage for 2 hours after she eats, and not leave any food around at night for her(something I always do). Am I being cruel? I just don't know what else to do, and the vet is more concerned with the anemia, then her not using the litter box. Help please.!

Hi,

No, you are not being cruel to use a roomy cage for her in the short term. As long as you continue to work on resolving her litterbox avoidance problem while you are using the caging technique, I feel that it is far better to confine a cat somewhat, than to become so very frustrated that you decide to stop liking the cat! On the whole, cats do not have the same need for large spaces as some people do. Cleo may actually feel safer with a little "home" or "lair" than she does with yur whole house, or even with your son's room, to roam. A cat feels she needs to "protect and defend" her area against intruders. So defending a small space is easier and less stressful than a large space.

The idea of confining her for a while after meals is very good! Make sure that you all are very positive about using the cage (continue to praise her good behavior, play with her often, cuddle, spend time in the room with her, talking with her. If you leave the cage door open, you just might find, if you handle it right, that Cleo sometimes LIKES to jump into "her" cage for a while, too.

Good luck with the vet and with the litterbox issue. Have you asked the vet if he or she thinks the litterbox problem is CAUSED by the anemia, or anything like that? I understand that the critical problem, to them, might be her anemia (I admit, I haven't read other posts about this), but you should be able to get them to tell you if it COULD be a cause of her problems with the litterbox. It really sounds like poor Cleo has diarrhea, more so than that she dislikes the litterbox. (She runs around because she feels awful and cannot think to go to the box, or she can't tell when she is through eliminating).

Please let us know how things go!

I would actually either put her in a small closet with a baby gate across the top, or a bathroom, versus a cage. Caged animals get stressed out, and stress can accelerate the diarrhea.

She is not doing this on purpose, she has a health issue that needs to be resolved. Putting her in a cage would be essentially punishing her for something she cannot control. When Bailey and Kahuna were so ill, I confined them to the cat room only. They leaked stool constantly, but I just kept cleaning it up and hoped the vets would make it right. Eventually Bailey made it out of the diarrhea and leaky stool stage, but it took about 9 days.

We use kitty condo's (large vertical cages) to get some of our foster-cats to use the box and it works very well. One thing that I do in order to make it more comfortable is to drape a sheet or blanket over 3/4 of the cage (leaving one side for her to see out of). They seem to be much less stressed when I do this. I guess it's like "out of sight, out of mind).

All 3 of my last fosters had coccidia and terribly runny stool. They also sometimes missed the litter box as they couldn't make it there in time. I confined them to a small room with 2 litter boxes and they at least got close each time. The room had a tile floor and throw rugs which could be easily washed. I wouldn't use the cage but as a last resort - cages will stress them out further and aggrevate the problem more.

Originally Posted by Momofmany

All 3 of my last fosters had coccidia and terribly runny stool. They also sometimes missed the litter box as they couldn't make it there in time. I confined them to a small room with 2 litter boxes and they at least got close each time. The room had a tile floor and throw rugs which could be easily washed. I wouldn't use the cage but as a last resort - cages will stress them out further and aggrevate the problem more.

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I agree; if you have that option. My laundry room worked well too. I'd just try to find a tiled area if you can.

maybe if I explain my living situation you guys would understand. I rent a 2 bedroom apt. I live with my husband(who has lots more patience than I do), and my 2 children and 3 cats. Cleo wasn't planned she was rescued and I was unable to find a home for her, thats why I have so many cats . I am not a big time rescuer, but hubby and I have found kittens( 2 wks -5 months) and found them homes or they were taken in by local rescue groups. Well with Cleo I found her during "kitten season",and didn't want her taken to any of the shelters here ( all are kill shelters), so she stayed and we fell in love with her. Besides the front door I have a door on both bedrooms and the bathroom. Before you say the bathroom, let me say my bathroom doesn't have any ventilation( no windows or air vents< no I am not joking), the kitchen has no door, and my bedroom houses all my 6 yr old's dolls ect... so it would be hard to do anything. Personally I believe Cleo's anemia is from her diaharria , not the other way around. She has had 2 blood tests all ready, now I don't know where to go, because I really don't have the money for anymore tests, and my vet. doesn't "do" payment plans. I only work part time, so I am at home for my daughter when she is done with kindergarten, and I do not have family who can help, and I don't have any credit cards. I really am starting to pull my hair out, I can't give Cleo away, and don't believe I should have to put her down for this, but I don't know where to go next.

Our bathroom has no windows or vents either (older home) when I have had to confine cats in the bathroom, I take a baby gate and put it up vertical in the doorway so the door just remains open.

The one thing about confining her with her litter pan and her food bowl in such proximity to each other, could turn out to be a bigger health issue then you have now.

if you have to confine her in a cage/kennel or carrier please be sure there is a lot of room so the litter pan and the food bowls can be far apart. If she shows any signs of stress under confinement, please find her an alternate place to stay in your home.

Are there any other vets in the area? If I were you, at this point I'd call around to see if I can find one that will accept a payment plan. Her problem is obviously medical, and once her health - at least as far as the diarrhea is concerned - is restored, there should be no further litterbox problems. Was she tested for Giardia?

In the meantime, if keeping her in the bathroom with a babygate is unacceptable to the family, then and only then consider a cage. But as Hissy says, a small cage where her food is next to the litterbox will only cause more problems. There must be room for her to move around and the food and water should be on the other side of the cage.

The vet. I am using now suggested it may IBD. I think it may be also, because Cleo does not just"go" all the time. Her bowel movements are usually after she eats(sometimes right after , sometimes an hour after), but last night she didn't have any bowel movements, and today only a little, so the medicine is working. There is a Holistic vet about an hour away from me, and I will be taking her there Friday. I can't today (there is a flood watch in my area), and will have the money for the 1st visit on Friday. Also I want to go to the vet. I have been taking her too and get the results of the blood work, so I can show the new vet. Hopefully she will have some answers, and some help. I think I am niave, because I always believed a Vet. would be there to help an animal, not just to make money. It is a shame. Thanks to all that posted responses you have really helped me, and I will not be caging Cleo, I do not want to add to her stress. She will be staying were she is, I have a very small bathroom, and can't really cage her in there. But thanks again. and I will keep you all updated. CAt.