HELP PLEASE! playing in the litter box!

[skysurfer]

I have two 3 month old kittens. Lately they've been playing in the littler box and man do they STINK! They never played in it before, but lately I've cought them sitting in the littler box for longer than they should. Yesterday, we found a large clump of cat poop (covered in the littler) laying in the middle of our bathroom floor about 3 feet from where their littler box is perfectly intact. Today i found one kitten actually laying in the littler box!! The other was sleeping right below the entrance to the box.

We try to bath them weekly (and boy is that fun!), but with their habits lately even bathing them daily wouldn't be enough!!

What is going on????? PLEASE help!!

 

[hissy]

They are being normal kittens is all. Keep your litter pan scooped out and cleaned. Supply them with plenty of toys and distractions, they do grow out of it, it is just a stage.

 

[valanhb]

Poopie Hockey!! Luckily, my kitties were never interested in this particular sport, but I'll move this to Behavior where others can help you.

 

[skysurfer]

god i can't wait. the smell is very close to intolerable. i won't let them climb on me and prefer if they stay 20 feet away! lol

and they have a TON of toys (especially now after x-mas).

 

[xdx]

Taralen used to sleep in her litterbox. They do grow out of it try and distract them. They will grow out of it honest.

 

[tourmaline]

Whenever I put brand new litter in the box my six month old kitten eats it! I hope its a stage because the habit is not a great one! Its corn litter so its not bad for him but still, its gross.

 

[smokiethecat]

Just making sure you aren't keeping your kitties in the bathroom during the day.......when my kittens were about that old(and I was keeping them in the bathroom during the day)they started this same thing...as soon as I let them have complete run of the house and put in another litter box in the basement, no more playing in the litter. Just a thought.

 

[abigail]

Originally Posted by smokiethecat

Just making sure you aren't keeping your kitties in the bathroom during the day.......when my kittens were about that old(and I was keeping them in the bathroom during the day)they started this same thing...as soon as I let them have complete run of the house and put in another litter box in the basement, no more playing in the litter. Just a thought.

I was thinking the same thing. The litterbox instinctively should be the "outskirts" of terriitory so if they dont have alot of room they would avail themselves of it. I set up a food station and water station and litterbox area quite distinct from one another. we play where she sleeps and naps and explores, this way there is no confusion over what should happen where. Maybe it helps, maybe I am deluudig myself. but in a month we only had one accident and that was because i used a motorized self ceaning box that scared her. I unplugged it and she's fine now.

 

[lisasha3]

Found this thread looking for ideas on how to stop Molly from this habit. This thread says they'll grow out of it, or to put the boxes in an out of the way place without locking the cat in a small spot with the boxes.
Well, Molly is young still, but not a kitten. She's 1 1/2 years and my litter boxes are in the cellar in a separate room for my cats. The room is about 8X10, but the cats are NOT locked up with the boxes and they have complete run of all 3 levels of our home. Molly has plenty of toys and has 4 other sisters to play with. Yet.......

I still find a nice little "turd" every now and then being batted around my kitchen. Meaning she brings it up from the cellar to play with it.

.
I know it's her because I was downstairs just a little while ago working in the cellar and she was hopping around the outside of one of the litter boxes like a little rabbit attacking a piece of poop in the box. Please tell me even at 1 1/2 years she'll still grow out of this. It's not that she's getting dirty or messy. She doesn't roll in the box, she's too "prissy" to do that. She simply walks around the outside and attacks it. It's just kinda gross to come home and find a little "rock turd" somewhere in the house. Yuck!!