Stopped Covering in the Box...

[chelseagirlone]

My cat has been with me since her birth. She was a bottle baby.. I taught her well and she has been a great baby since, now almost 5yrs. The problem started when I moved in with my now ex. He was not used to any pets. My cat tends to potty more overnight and he could not stand the sound of her obsessive loud covering. He would yell at her when she was in the box, even though I would try to defend her and explain the good behavior. It only took a few times and she has not covered since. Now my tiny apartment smells terrible all the time. I just feel so terrible abou the whole thing and for her.. She stopped when she was afraid to get in trouble for making noise. I always ignored it because that is her thing and she was being a good cat. Is there anything I can do to help her and me? I hate him for it.

 

[yayi]

If it's just the smell that is bothering you, scoop and change the litter more often, wash the litter box once a month, invest in odor absorbents and even change your cat's diet. 

Since your ex is no longer around, your cat might start covering after her and if she does, reward her with praises and treats.  

 

[MoochNNoodles]

How long has it been since your break up?  I would try to encourage her to cover and reward her with praise and treats like yayi suggested when she does.  

 

[kitty kisser]

One of my cats Diamond was found by herself outside at approximately 3 weeks old. She uses the box but has never mastered covering her poops. It is stinky but the bright side is I can tell the difference in cats poops.LOL

 

[nachoandsoma]

Sometimes cats develop this habit simply because they need a change in the litterbox or litter type. Maybe try getting her a larger litterbox or using a different type of litter? Maybe, just maybe it is unrelated to her feeling fearful. If this still persists after trying a new litter or litterbox then maybe a different location in the apartment will do the trick. Best of luck!