Old kitty won't let new kitty use the litter box!

I have recently acquired a new siamese cat named Nilla, who is a year and a half old. We already had a persian named Purple, and she is about two. We have only had Nilla a week and noticed that she is peeing on things around the house- our bed, behind the trashcan, on a couch throw. We took her to the vet, and she's fine- she just has a VERY small bladder. About the size of a peanut shell. That answered some of our questions, but we still wondered why she couldn' make it in the box. The answer showed up this morning when we caught her peeing out of the box, and immediately put her in the litter box only for her to be chased away by Purple. Purple is refusing to let her use the litter box. And we have two, but Purple just follows her around ALL THE TIME. She can hardly do anything, and I feel terrible about it. What do I do?? Move them in seperate rooms? Wait it out and just make sure Nilla can go when she eats or anything? I'm puzzled and don't know how to fix this problem. Please help me!

Could you buy a couple of extra litterboxes?? Perhaps Purple thinks the 2 you currently have are hers.

Katie

I would at least temporarily add a lot more boxes. Put them somewhere they are private, but with good escape routes. Also, if you cat is peeing out of the box, please don't pick her up mid pee and carry her to a litter pan. It can really cause them to be messed up thinking that peeing is something they are doing wrong.

I would put a box in every room for right now, unless you have a dog as well- because most dogs view cat feces as candy because it is pure protein.

Also are the cats sharing anything? Food bowls? water bowls? toys? You need to separate each item as Purple sounds very territorial-

We actually did just buy the second litter box, and I tried to make sure Nilla used it first, but Purple nosed her way in, and claimed that box as well. I do have two food bowls out, but they both eat out of the same one anyways- same with the water. I think I'll go grab another, smaller litter box today. Purple is about 8 pounds and Nilla is 3- If I got a small one Nilla could use it easily and Purple couldn't? That sounds like it might work

The general rule for number of litter boxes to cats is one more box then cat. So 2 cats = 3 litter box. Do not place them right next to each other. Also at least 1 box on each level or floor in your home.

Hi Chas,

Would you consider reserving one room in your house for a while just for Nilla? It sounds, to me, as if Purple is not yet ready to share you and the house overall with Nilla, and there is not much Nilla can do about that. So I'd give them each their own separate space. I would treat it as an introduction of a new pet -- feed the two cats on either side of the closed door; let each pet explore the ROOM(S) that the other lives in several times while the other pet is NOT around. (Ask family or friends to help achieve that). You want both of them to be comfortable with the HOUSE, first, and then you want them to be easy about smelling, hearing one another before they actually re-encounter each other.

This is a kind of power struggle that some cats do -- Purple kinda figures if she can eat all the food and water, and use ALL the litterboxes, that it will show Nilla who REALLY owns the place. So you have a challenge, to make Purple feel secure while still including Nilla as a new member of the family! It can be done, it just takes some doing!

Linda

Purple also has a thing about closed doors- you just don't do it with her. She will sit outside the door yelping until it opens and she is satisfied that nothing is wrong in the room that the door was closed. Queen of Quirky, she is. But I tried to do that in the beginning, and she yelped so badly the neighbors complained (I live in an apartment) and she went hoarse. I even tried to play with her and EVERYTHING. But she wouldn't leave the door alone. I guess she has to accept Nilla eventually. She isn't as bad as she was before, and the only thing she won't share is a litter box. I moved the other litter box to where Nilla goes the most (behind the trashcan) and she's used it 3-4 times this morning without much interference from Purple. Purple watched her- and afterwards went and peed in the box one time- but no real attacks.

What worked here was seperating new cats from each other by installing a baby gate in the doorway, going vertical instead of horizontal. Then there is no solid door between them, they can sniff each other, see each other, even play with each other (to a certain extent) and still stay safely away from each other. One cat needs 2 litter pans, therefore 2 cats need 4 litter pans-