Kitten Afraid Of A Litter Box?

[sohacz]

Hello!

I have adopted a cat from a shelter just yesterday and I am being worried about his behaviour regarding his litter box. His name is Kimi and it is his story:

Kimi is 6,5 weeks old feral kitten that unfortunately lost his mom in car accident. He and his siblings have been found by animal shelter staff and they took care of them. After 3 days me and my girlfriend adopted him and took him from his cage to his new home.

Kimi has some trouble with a litter box - namely - he seems afraid of it. It is clean, green, 42x30x9cm, open litter box. We use silica litter. First things first:
Kimi is not afraid of us and his new home. He quickly adapted to new surrounding and he is playful, adorable, little kitten. He loves running after his favourite toy - red strap. He often comes to us to get pet and purrs like crazy (sometimes he licks our fingers). No trouble with drinking and eating - I think he even eats too much what could be expected from a feral cat.

Today, after waking up, I caught him trying to pee in our bed (weird thing, because he seems to enjoy sleeping in this bed the most). I tried to not scare him and gently, but quickly took him to his litter box. And after that.. nothing. He left it as soon as I took him there and did not pee at all. Later this day me and my girlfriend went shopping. After two hours, when after I arrived, I have found another surprise. He pooped in bed. His poop does not stink too much, looks healthy. Few hours later, another surprise. He looked like he took a lesson and went to bathroom to pee, but he peed on the towel that was lying on the floor.

I have tried to teach him how to use litter box and I have learned an interesting thing. I took his favourite piece of strap and played with him through the house, leading him to the bathroom, where his litter box is. And as soon as I brought him there and put strip inside of it, he just looked at it, tried to grab it from different sides, but was very cautious to not step inside of it. Dangling the strip above it brought same results - trying to reach, but not getting in. Once he got in, but stood on the side of it, avoiding to touch it with every of his paws.

I am worried about him. I will try to buy different type of litter, maybe he had some painful experience with broken glass in the wild (silica litter looks like broken glass somehow). I have searched the internet for quite a while now and I could not find anything similar. Please let me know what is going on and if you had such problem, how did you solve it?

Best regards
sohacz

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Probably just doesn't like the litter. I would try Dr. Elsey Cat Attract or some other clay based litter, at least for the time being. I would not use corn, pine, paper, etc. For now, you just want something that he will enjoy digging in. Thank you for caring for him, it sounds like he is doing great - just needs a different litter! Unscented is best for now. We like scented, but most cats don't.

 

[sohacz]

Probably just doesn't like the litter. I would try Dr. Elsey Cat Attract or some other clay based litter, at least for the time being. I would not use corn, pine, paper, etc. For now, you just want something that he will enjoy digging in. Thank you for caring for him, it sounds like he is doing great - just needs a different litter! Unscented is best for now. We like scented, but most cats don't.

Thank you for quick response! Unfortunately, this litter is unavailable in country I live in and I would have to order it from abroad. Do you think, bentonite litter would pass? Or perhaps there are some herbs that would make it more "attractive" for a kitten.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Also, I would leave a few boxes out with different litters to see which he prefers (include a non-clumping option, too). Fresh Step is pretty good, too, and they make unscented versions now. Dr. E can be hard to find in stores.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Yes, most scoopable litters are made from sodium bentonite, so should be fine! But if you can find a non-clumping kind, too, so he can experiment.

 

[sohacz]

Thanks again! I will try with bentonite litter tomorrow and post results.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I am sorry I don't know of any herbs (other than catnip or catgrass). There are litter box attractants you can buy, but I am not sure what is available where you are?

 

[sohacz]

I live in Poland. Another thing I have just noticed. Just now, he took an edge of a piece of blanket, licked and sucked it. He did it few times today, so I took a little bag, made a little hole in it and filled it with some milk without lactose. He was drinking like crazy, it was hard to take him out of it. Is he fine or he was took too early from his mom? Should I continue to feed him like that?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I think it is probably due to exactly what you said - too early weaning. But don't worry, he will be fine! Kitties rescued much younger than that thrive. Mine was bottle fed and now weighs 19 pounds! You are doing great with him - the baggie idea was very creative! Good idea about the lactose free milk.
I don't know what you have in the way of pet stores where you are:
I used something like this with a product called KRM (kitten replacement milk):

GNC Pets® Newborn Kitten Nursing Kit | cat Food & Water Bowls | PetSmart

 

[sweetblackpaws]

By the way, he is absolutely precious!!!!!

 

[Hellenww]

Congatulations on your new kitty, he's a real cutie.

Give the shelter a call and ask what type of litter they used then you can slowly switch him the the type you have.

At his age let him eat as much as he wants he's a growing boy. If you can get some kitten formula he'd probably like that and it has the nutrients he needs. I'd be worried that he could break off a piece of the bag and swollow it so give it in a bowl.

Many kittens suckle blankets and cloth it comforts them. Our Yoshi used to suckle ears as he fell asleep.

 

[Furballsmom]

Do you think, bentonite litter would pass?

Just be very sure he doesn't try to eat the litter.

If problems using the box continue you could try some potting soil if you have some - (it has less of a risk of issues than soil from outdoors).

Also, yes, let him eat as much as he'll consume while he's a kitten, there is a LOT of growth happening

 

[catsknowme]

I agree with FurBallsMom about the potting soil as your kitten is used to going in the dirt. I know it sounds gross but if you can add a bit of used cat litter, the scent will let him know what the litter box is for; kittens learn from observation.
And he was weaned too early so the more you let him nurse now, the better off he will be as an adult. You can try giving him goat milk and even make a nutritious formula for him. If you use fresh, raw goat milk, you can use just that. Otherwise, our TCS member Hissy has a great website: www.kitten-rescue .com, which has recipes and excellent tips.

 

[sohacz]

Congatulations on your new kitty, he's a real cutie.

Give the shelter a call and ask what type of litter they used then you can slowly switch him the the type you have.

At his age let him eat as much as he wants he's a growing boy. If you can get some kitten formula he'd probably like that and it has the nutrients he needs. I'd be worried that he could break off a piece of the bag and swollow it so give it in a bowl.

Many kittens suckle blankets and cloth it comforts them. Our Yoshi used to suckle ears as he fell asleep.

So many responses! You guys are awesome!

In shelter they did not use any kind of litter - they used newspapers. Recently they posted on their facebook page an information asking for donations, because they could not afford regular litter - sad. But I could not find any poo in their boxes, so staff is doing really good job.

I will post today how he likes his new litter as soon as I come back from work.

 

[Hellenww]

If he is still confused by what it is try shredding some paper on top to he gets the idea.

 

[sohacz]

Alright, there was great success today.

Today's morning he wanted to poop on the floor and I again grabbed him and took him to the litter box, still with silica litter inside. He went out from it and began to keep pooping on the floor so I again placed him there. He finished but has not buried it. After that he continued wandering until he went to corner of the kitchen and peed.

I have learned interesting fact - he likes to do his stuff in the corners.

Later this day, I used bentonite litter, more of it just in case if he would not like to enter it because it was too deep for him. He was not that afraid of it anymore, however he did not enter it, again tried to dangle toy next to him. I thought that maybe there is some issue with place litter box was.

I put it in free corner of our living room, he was not that afraid anymore.
Some time later he began meowing and going really close to the walls under my girlfriends desk. I took it as a sign and brought him to the litter box. He investigated it with his paw and smelled it. Digged small hole, turned himself and pooped.

So yeah, huge success, althrough we do not want nasty smell in our living room and we put it in a corner next to the bathroom. We have to begin to train him to do it there.

Thank you all for advices, you are great!

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! This is terrific news, and good on you for working with him to determine what he prefers!
As I mentioned, just be really sure to watch that he doesn't eat the bentonite, no idea why but kittens seem to like to eat it and it can cause stomach problems.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Kimi is adorable.

Hopefully he'll soon master the litter box. Here's an article with some tips that might be helpful. Good luck.

How To Train Kittens To Use The Litter Box

 

[sohacz]

Hello again!

Kimi is doing great, growing up really fast, but I have more questions about raising my little friend, since he is my first cat ever.

Litter box:
Since my latest post, he had only two accidents using litter box so far regarding to poop. Once I went back from my night shift and I found some poop under my doorstep and once he pooped on an old towel, but he is doing well so far.

The real problem comes with peeing.
When he arrived with us the first day he smelled bad. By bad I mean smell of dirty animals and urine. Every day he smelled less and less until the third day, when he began to stink even worse. We had no clue what happened and decided to investigate, but there were nothing at all, until I went to bed I found out, that this smell comes from behind of our bed.
I said before that he likes do it in corners and yup, whole floor behind our bed that was located in the corner of a room was wet from his urine. Later we realised that he has to crawl behind bed to get in there and we have seen his legs wet, what is a weird thing since I have always thought, that cats like to do this stuff in the open. I filled every hole with pillows so he cannot enter there thinking he will use the litter box, since he used it to pee from time to time (that is why I did not know that there is a problem with it). I thought that the issue is solved until one day I had some free time so I started cleaning up my flat and I found other wet, stinky marks. ALWAYS in corners or tight spaces and mostly on blankets, towels, clothes. Today's evening I caught him peeing in his den that I bought today (I have put a blanket on it since he did not like the shoppy smell of it). After he finished, he went to the other room, where litter box is located, started scratching the floor next to it like he wanted to bury something and then entered it, digged up a little hole and pooped in it! His litter box is clean. I heard that some cats like to pee in one box and poo in the other, but he does both of it in same box, only sometimes he urinate in my bedroom. After that incident I decided to ask you for help, so here I am.
Please tell me how to help him defecate in the right place.

Fun and playing:
Kimi loves to play, overall he is still a baby cat, but he keeps attacking our feet and hands. Once, he attacked my foot while I was walking and unfortunately I kicked him with some force. He is fine, but I do not want it to happen anymore.
I cannot pet him, because he wrestles with my hand. When it happens, he bites and scratches me. Often when I am sitting in front of my computer, he climbs on my knees, lie down on his back at play with my hands. I do not want him to do it, when he'll be older and he will put some strenght in it. He has toys, for him to play and for both of us to play. Sometimes when I sleep, he attacks my head or neck. Could you please give me some advice how to stop this?

Eating:
In my previous post I have said that Kimi loves to eat and I think he eats too much. And I think I was right. Today I fed him some wet food and I thought I gave him too much and every time I give him wet food, he's eating till the last bit. His belly got big and he needed some rest, so he lied down on the bed and slept for 2 hours. After waking up, Kimi went to kitchen, where he got his bowl and he meowed to me, to give him some food. I remembered a post that answered my feeding question about feeding as much as he wants, because of his growing, so I gave him smaller amount of food. He again finished it as wekk and his belly was even larger. He went to sleep, woke up after few hours and went to litter box to poo. His poop was soo big and smelled like freshly open can of wet cat food. Should I continue to feed him every time he wants or am I overfeeding him?

I want to have nice, polite and healthy cat, when he'll grow up and I know it is my responsibility to raise him to make him be one.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Regarding his behavior and biting, you will need to be his mama, and actually HISS at him when he does something you don't want. Also, do you have a soft toy that he can hold on to and kick at with his back feet? That could be something to have in your hands when you pet him. It may take several times and repetition with a hiss, an OW!, a firm NO, but he's smart, he'll catch on.

He is still in a super growth stage and does need as much food as he can eat. Eating, sleeping, eating, eliminating, is very normal.

What about this; what if you clean everything and every area with an enzymatic cleaner, obtain a covered box or two, put the boxes in corners and other places he frequents, and put some litter and some unfertilized potting soil in them?

Also, a box shouldn't smell, so you really might want to put one in the living room as you mentioned above, and after he's used it consistently, then slowly, gradually, over time move it closer and closer to where you prefer it to be.

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