Kitten Prefers Grass Over Litter Box

[muffym]

I found an abandoned kitten 4 days ago.
She is about 1 month old, very energetic, very loving, but...She would only pee and poop in my yard, on the grass (without covering it).

I am currently talking to a possible owner that doesn't have experience with cats.
She also has a 2 years old daughter and she lives in an apartment.

The thing is, I've been trying to get her to use the box, I actually have 2, one filled with sand from my yard and one filled with crystals. I also put grass on top of the crystals to make it seem like my yard but it won't work, she won't use it.
If I take her outside she would sit there trying to poop, but when I put her in the box she would stop.

What do I do? I can't keep her any longer cause I also have a male cat that is starting to show signs of jealousy. They are obviously separated. (he also tried to attack her when he accidentally got outside).

I really want to get her adopted.
Now I keep her in a room with the 2 boxes...I don't know if she will eventually give up and use the box.
Will she ever learn how to use the box?

 

[talkingpeanut]

Yes, she will learn. Keep her inside with the box options, and don't let her outside again. Try filling one with dirt.

What are you feeding her?

Thank you for rescuing her!

 

[muffym]

Yes, she will learn. Keep her inside with the box options, and don't let her outside again. Try filling one with dirt.

What are you feeding her?

Thank you for rescuing her!

She eats mostly wet food (Felix Junior) and she also had some Sanabelle Adult + (I put some water on them so it's easy for her to chew) cause that's what my other cat eats.

I was feeling guilty for locking her in an empty room. She sleeps in a box with a blanket and a stuffed bear that she really likes.
I am checking up on her every half an hour to see if she pooped.

I also bathed her cause she was dirty, I gave her 1/4 of a deworming pill and a drop of flea drops.
She seems very healthy, I don't think she had any intestinal parasites or fleas, cause her poop was normal from the beginning.

 

[talkingpeanut]

You are doing all the right things; she does have to stay in. Do try to get her some kitten chow if you can. It is small pieces and she can eat a bite whenever she is hungry. This would be in addition to meals of wet food that you feed during the day.

Are you playing with her and keeping her company as well?

 

[muffym]

Yes, when I study outside she likes to sit in my lap, and yes, I also play with her outside. I'm using my cat's toys, he has a mouse toy and one of those feather wands.

I'm gonna get her some kitten dry food tomorrow.

 

[muffym]

By the way, this is she.

 

[talkingpeanut]

She should not be outside until she has been vaccinated and spayed and litter box trained. Please stop doing this. Her health is at risk, and she is being set back in terms of the litter box.

You can play with her inside and spend time with her in her room. You can also close your male in a room and let her wander the house for a few hours a day.

 

[StefanZ]

You can try with sprinkling a little of the so called Kitten Attract Litter on the said litter. Dr Elsinores (spelling?) is the most wellknown, but there are other brands too.

 

[muffym]

You can try with sprinkling a little of the so called Kitten Attract Litter on the said litter. Dr Elsinores (spelling?) is the most wellknown, but there are other brands too.

I live in Romania and I can't find it here...And ordering it from eBay/another website would be useless cause it would arrive in at least a week.

I'm gonna keep her in that room from now on.
Thank you all for your help.
I hope she will soon learn to use the litter box, cause she deserves to have a loving family.

 

[muffym]

Update: she peed overnight,(it's 8 AM here) in the tray filled with crystals + grass.
That means she'll poop too! I'm so happy!

 

[muffym]

OK so it's been 36 hours since she last pooped...She uses the litter box only for peeing.

Should I be worried? Should I wait for a couple more hours? Should I let her outside to poop?
She doesn't seem to show any signs of discomfort, she is running and jumping around.

 

[talkingpeanut]

I would keep her inside. She'll use the litter box when she's ready.

 

[muffym]

I would keep her inside. She'll use the litter box when she's ready.

Now she prefers the other litter tray, she peed 2 times in it and I cleaned it.

Isn't 'not pooping' harmful to her health?
Btw, I bought some Royal Canin kitten for her but she prefers Sanabelle Adult, is it bad?

 

[talkingpeanut]

You could try adding a second litter tray. She might prefer to poop and pee in separate litters. Did you try a litter with some dirt?

I wouldn't be concerned after two days. She needs to adjust. Are you absolutely sure that she isn't going somewhere else in her room?

As long as she's eating, I wouldn't worry too much. Does she have the unlimited access to dry food? And meals of wet?

 

[muffym]

She has a litter tray filled with dirt and one filled with crystals, she used them both.
And yes, she has a water bowl, a wet food bowl and a dry food bowl. She doesn't drink that much water (even though the water bowl is far from the food bowls) so everytime I feed her wet food I add water and she licks it.

 

[muffym]

My grandma let her outside without me knowing and she pooped in the grass again.
What do I do? I feel like she sabotaged the kitten's progress.

 

[talkingpeanut]

You have to instruct everyone to keep her inside. It's essential.

 

[muffym]

You have to instruct everyone to keep her inside. It's essential.

Now my mother says that we should keep her. But I don't know if she will get along with my other cat.
Today he sniffed the stuffed bear that she sleeps with and he didn't seem mad or anything. I'm probably gonna introduce them to each other slowly...

 

[talkingpeanut]

She still needs to learn to use the litter box. She cannot safely go outside until she is vaccinated, spayed, and older. So, for now, inside only.

Is your male neutered?

 

[muffym]

He isn't neutered yet, he is 8 months old and the vet told me to wait until he turns 1 year old.
But the same vet neutered my 3 year old cat and he died (the vet heard a heart murmur but he proceeded with the intervention anyway), and my parents are afraid to get the other one neutered...