Litterbox re-training suggestions needed! (long, sorry)

[epona]

Originally Posted by silentNate

Erm... I don't know how to tell you this but...

I think its back to the drawing board and off to the dry cleaners I'm afraid

Are you sure that's not just the enzyme cleaner that I soaked the mattress and velvet cover in?

 

[silentnate]

Did you leave it ringing wet?

I'm at a loss at what to do at this point

 

[catsarebetter]

Removing the bedspread, putting something new with a different texture on (difference in sound too), removing her from the bedroom for several days, and then letting her back in and back on the new bedspread worked for my little marbled menace. I have since, three nights ago, successfully put the original style of comforter back on my bed, with no issues.

IMO, though, if you don't do it soon.. he's going to have formed a habit and it will take longer to forget it... if he's also forming the attention for weeing pattern, it might also let him forget that, or get out of that habit or association.

Just my opinion, but if you guys are going to try it anyway, the sooner you try it the better.

Good luck!

 

[silentnate]

Thanks for the suggestion CatsAreBetter but the 'little widdler' doesn't seem to discriminate- its been laundry in the basket, laundry on the floor, two different duvets, one bedspread and one mattress so far. We really don't have enough bedclothes to replace the lot

 

[catsarebetter]

Washing the duvets, even if you're treating the comforter with enzymes, IMO, isn't going to help. I tried treating mine, Joyeux didn't stop for a second. Absolutely didn't phase her. It took removing that one, putting on a clean, (even if it was laundered) bedspread and sheets... maybe even soak them and make sure.. *AND* and this was the really hard part, removing her little spoiled kitten self from the room for at least four days (I hated it). I gave Joyeux a week, though.

Keep all laundry out of his reach (I know this one is a pain.. I am still guilty of it, but fortunately mine have stopped being bad about this one) and if you haven't already, flip the mattress.

Even if you clean everything.. if he doesn't have time to forget and "unlearn" the pattern/habit he'll just keep repeating it, even if he can't smell anything.

Anyway, I really don't mean to preach, but I had a very determined itty bitty beastie myself, and this did work, but putting the new bedclothes on it didn't work by itself. She still rememberd it the next night and tried. That's when she got ousted. I absolutely had to put her out of the room for awhile. She was only a couple of weeks younger than Sonic is now, but by gosh... the determination.

I just hate to see you guys going crazy and pulling out your hair.

 

[epona]

Awww thank you for that response

I feel really awful about shutting the little guy in the bathroom but you are right this has become a habit with (for him) the 'reward' of us getting out of bed to attend to the mess.

I do feel awful about it tho, he's never spent a night alone in his life. He's an oriental with a big big voice and our downstairs neighbours are insane and I worry they may complain about his crying if he's confined

But I feel this is the only option at this point, I am worried that it may become ingrained behaviour - and 3 1/2 month old male kitten wee is not the same as 5 month old male kitten wee, so we don't want it to go on. I remember when we were waiting for Radar to be neutered his wee smelled so bad by 5 months old we had to leave the room when he used the litter box.

We were spoilt with Radar, he's never gone outside of the box, takes to any litter we put in there without the need for gradual change, eats everything we give him and has a cast iron stomach, actually enjoys going to the vet, and jumps in his carrier as soon as he sees it. When we first brought Radar home the first thing he did was head for the litterbox, we could see he practically had his legs crossed when he first jumped out of the box we brought him home in cos he didn't want to go anywhere other than the correct place

 

[catsarebetter]

Noel is much like that, except... we don't like car rides or carriers or going to the vet, but, by gosh... we (the royal we, of course) don't potty anywhere *except* the litter box, and we're capable of eating anything, with no vomiting, no poopy mess, but *a lot* of complaining that it's not Meow Mix, or now Pro Plan. Go figure. I get disdain when I try to feed her something expensive...

The other three, are a different story. And the littlest, of course, is the loudest and complains, yes, complains and screams, not talks about everything in her high pitched kitten voice...

It is rough

I even tried locking her in the bathroom, and she destroyed it.. in that she knocked everything down, got into everything and threw an absolute fit.. I had to "lock" her out of the room and downstairs, because she threw such a fit in the bathroom. Fortunately, though, the only place she was having issues was in my bedroom, so generally locking her out for a few days worked.

Let me know how it goes, and best of luck! I really hope it works for you guys!