In April I adopted a spayed, female cat. She's the sweetest and most gentle cat I've ever met, and is a wonderful pet. However, I simply cannot get her to poop in her litter box.
It all started three months ago when I became fed up with having to sweep up litter off the floor and purchased her one of these: http://www.petco.com/product/11197/B...ter-Boxes.aspx
If you can't see it, it's one of those litter boxes that looks like an Igloo with little stairs to prevent the litter from getting out. I felt confident in doing this since during the six month period I had her she didn't have a single accident. However, I soon realized that she seemed wary of going inside and would sprint out as soon as she did her business. After a few days she began to poop on the floor just outside her box, and I got the message and switched back to her old box, content to live with sandy floors.
The problem didn't stop there, however. With her old box back in its normal location, she continued to poop on the floor. Not every time, but maybe one or two times per week. Hoping to re-train her, I would put the misplaced poops in her box and bring her over. Without any encouragement, she would jump in and bury them to much praise. This didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to work though, as the problem continued.
In the last month itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s gotten much worse. She now does about 75% of her poops on the floor. Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s a very smart cat and is actually aware that sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not supposed to be doing this. Before she goes on the floor, she tries to dig a hole, and all I have to do is walk into the room where she is or call her name and sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll immediately run into her box and do it in there as if her plans have been foiled.
Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s never peed outside of her box, and she seems to be perfectly comfortable going in it and digging around. When I do catch her about to go on the floor and she runs into the box, she quickly digs a hole and goes with ease, so she doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to fear the box or be experiencing any discomfort in there.
These are the things Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve tried:
- Various shapes and sizes of litter boxes
- Having two litter boxes, both adjacent and separated (she seems confused and just picks one)
- Moving her litter box to different locations (she doesn't seem to care where it is)
- Different types/amounts of litter (again, she seems indifferent to this)
- Positive reinforcement when she does poop in the box (this has taught her where sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s supposed to poop, but she still seems to have no problem going on the floor when Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not around)
- Taking her to see the Vet (she has no medical issues and the Vet simply offered the usual advice Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve found online)
- Changing her diet (sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s tried three or four different foods)
Some other information:
- Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s never been scared/hurt/startled in the box. I live alone and have no other pets
- Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not being attracted to a particular area on the floor where sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s pooped in the past as she rarely poops on the same spot but instead will simply go wherever there's free floor space
- I keep the box as clean as possible, scooping it at least twice a day. She will poop right next to a spotless box.
- She is not an easily stressed cat, so I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think stress is the issue.
Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m really at a loss at this point. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d never consider getting rid of her, but itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s terrible to wake up every morning to a stinky poop on the floor. If anybody has any advice that I havenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t thought of it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
It all started three months ago when I became fed up with having to sweep up litter off the floor and purchased her one of these: http://www.petco.com/product/11197/B...ter-Boxes.aspx
If you can't see it, it's one of those litter boxes that looks like an Igloo with little stairs to prevent the litter from getting out. I felt confident in doing this since during the six month period I had her she didn't have a single accident. However, I soon realized that she seemed wary of going inside and would sprint out as soon as she did her business. After a few days she began to poop on the floor just outside her box, and I got the message and switched back to her old box, content to live with sandy floors.
The problem didn't stop there, however. With her old box back in its normal location, she continued to poop on the floor. Not every time, but maybe one or two times per week. Hoping to re-train her, I would put the misplaced poops in her box and bring her over. Without any encouragement, she would jump in and bury them to much praise. This didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to work though, as the problem continued.
In the last month itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s gotten much worse. She now does about 75% of her poops on the floor. Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s a very smart cat and is actually aware that sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not supposed to be doing this. Before she goes on the floor, she tries to dig a hole, and all I have to do is walk into the room where she is or call her name and sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll immediately run into her box and do it in there as if her plans have been foiled.
Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s never peed outside of her box, and she seems to be perfectly comfortable going in it and digging around. When I do catch her about to go on the floor and she runs into the box, she quickly digs a hole and goes with ease, so she doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t seem to fear the box or be experiencing any discomfort in there.
These are the things Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve tried:
- Various shapes and sizes of litter boxes
- Having two litter boxes, both adjacent and separated (she seems confused and just picks one)
- Moving her litter box to different locations (she doesn't seem to care where it is)
- Different types/amounts of litter (again, she seems indifferent to this)
- Positive reinforcement when she does poop in the box (this has taught her where sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s supposed to poop, but she still seems to have no problem going on the floor when Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not around)
- Taking her to see the Vet (she has no medical issues and the Vet simply offered the usual advice Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve found online)
- Changing her diet (sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s tried three or four different foods)
Some other information:
- Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s never been scared/hurt/startled in the box. I live alone and have no other pets
- Sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s not being attracted to a particular area on the floor where sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s pooped in the past as she rarely poops on the same spot but instead will simply go wherever there's free floor space
- I keep the box as clean as possible, scooping it at least twice a day. She will poop right next to a spotless box.
- She is not an easily stressed cat, so I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t think stress is the issue.
Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m really at a loss at this point. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d never consider getting rid of her, but itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s terrible to wake up every morning to a stinky poop on the floor. If anybody has any advice that I havenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t thought of it would be much appreciated. Thanks.