How do I stop bad cat litter box habits?

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

Long story short, the REAL Alice S. Fuzzybutt poops outside of the litter box. She's been doing this for a while (over a year). I have three cats and one litter box. It worked well up until a year ago. Then I got a second litter box. She STILL poops outside of it. I change the litter constantly but she'll still poop on the floor if there is a little dookie or a pee clump in the box. I can't scoop 24/7. I have to work!

I'm trying to figure out why she's doing it. Is it my odd work hours? Is she mad that Marco moved in (although she is "esposa numero dos" with him. Is she jealous?).

I let this behavior go on too long. I'm just lucky the litter boxes are in the bathroom. Tile is easy to clean.

[PapaBear]

Try one of those self cleaning boxes. They are annoying because of the noise, but the clean themselves after each dump or pee.

[StanUpshaw]

My cat does this too. But now that it's nice out, he does all shitting outdoors.

I don't know if there's any way to fix it, so I just hope he dies before winter.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

I thought about the automatic cat box cleaner but I heard that the noise scares the cats.

Alice TRULY surprised me. I changed both litter pans. I use the plastic liners. Tonight "someone" pulled aside the plastic liner on fresh litter and piddled on the box.

I am at wits end. I WISH I knew WHAT she was trying to tell me. I know that sounds stupid but I've had her for 13 years. I can't get rid of her.

I'm glad she's keeping it to the bathroom floor.

[PapaBear]

From what happened with my Mom's cat, the noise did freak her out at first, but she got used to it. It doesn't start it's cleaning cycle until after the cat has been gone for a few moment, and I think (not totally sure) you can adjust how long it takes before the cycle starts.

[Reynolds]

http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/litterbox.htm

The most common reasons can be summed up as follows:

* The cat is suffering from a medical problem involving the urinary tract or a bout of geriatric constipation.
* The owner changed the brand or type of litter.
* The owner changed the location of the litter box, or replaced the old one with a new litter box.
* The caretaker does not keep the litter box as clean as the cat wants it to be, or the owner uses too harsh a cleaning product.
* The location of the litter box is too busy or not private enough for the cat.
* The home is too large for just one litter box.
* The cat cannot access the litter box (the door to the room where the litter box is was inadvertently closed).
* The cat is prevented from using the litter box by another animal in the house.
* The cat experienced some sort of trauma while in the litter box and now associates elimination in the box with that trauma.
* There are too many cats and not enough territory or litter boxes.
* Stray cats can be seen/smelled near the cat's territory.
* The unaltered male cat has come of age and is marking his territory.
* The unspayed female is in heat and advertising for suitors.
* Over time, the cat has developed an aversion to the texture of the litter.
* The cat was not properly trained to use the litter box in the first place.
* The cat is stressed by a change in routine or environment, such as a new baby, new furniture, work schedule changes, vacations, overnight guests, or a move.

[angrymissy]

The Auto boxes also depend on how large your cat's pee clumps are. I know my Mr. Fatty made pee clumps too large for the rake thing to handle, and it got stuck. I came home to 3 cats hiding in teh corner staring at the evil litter box that was stuck and making horrible noises as it tried to rake their giant pee clumps into the waste box.

I bought that shit when it was like $250, and into the garbage it went.

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

The Auto boxes also depend on how large your cat's pee clumps are. I know my Mr. Fatty made pee clumps too large for the rake thing to handle, and it got stuck. I came home to 3 cats hiding in teh corner staring at the evil litter box that was stuck and making horrible noises as it tried to rake their giant pee clumps into the waste box.

I bought that shit when it was like $250, and into the garbage it went.


That is exactly why I never bought it!

I read somewhere that there is a quiet self-cleaning cat litter box that dumps non-clogging refuse into your toilet.

I'll clean the boxes as often as I can and just hope she keeps it to the easily cleanable tile floor.

[angrymissy]

One of my cats was peeing right in front of the box for a while, and the vet said he was fine, I used this stuff called catpaper, and he peed on that. Also noticed when I was trying to get my dog to use wee wee pads, the cat for some reason preferred to pee on that. You might want to try putting a wee wee pad in that area and see if the cat uses it.

Also my cats really preferred this litter box, which has a pad at the bottom that collects the urine (I had to get rid of it because my dog thinks that cat shit is a delicious snack, so I can't use an open little box)

http://www.amazon.com/Tidy-Breeze-Litter-Multiple-1-Count/dp/B001411SK0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1273063967&sr=8-1

[CYYYFYYY]

I have a cat who does that. Tryied everything Still does that and when he is pooping outside the litter box he using the bathtub

[Dude!]

The Auto boxes also depend on how large your cat's pee clumps are. I know my Mr. Fatty made pee clumps too large for the rake thing to handle, and it got stuck. I came home to 3 cats hiding in teh corner staring at the evil litter box that was stuck and making horrible noises as it tried to rake their giant pee clumps into the waste box.

I bought that shit when it was like $250, and into the garbage it went.

ha ha that's funny..

i think you were raving
about that thing
when you first got it!

[ScottFromGA]

learn to use the terlit.


kiss my ass if someones already said it before me...I'm too lazy to go up and look. :drunk:

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

Well, I solved the problem! (So far!)

I caught her pooping on the bathroom floor and I, uh, well, smooshed her face into it. That was probably the absolute wrong thing to do and she avoided us for a week. BUT...

IT WORKED!!!

She's keeping to the litter box and she's warmed up to us again.

Oh, I am NO fool! I am well aware she may be plotting. I'm just glad she didn't pee and poop in our bed like Lloyd did when I had TWO cleaning ladies with TWO vacuums come in. I had buy all bedding.

[KC2OSO]

I don't know if there's any way to fix it, so I just hope he dies before winter.

Well that would certainly solve your problem. :lol:

[KC2OSO]

We have a cat who chose to piss on the dog in the dogs bed last night. He did it purely out of spite...sort of to establish his dominance in the little animal hell they live in here.

[LZMan1]

my idiotic cats have a littermaid self cleaning box and i always reset it when i change/add more clumping litter.......the sound doesn't scare these morons it attracts them because they know they have virgin litter to soil up and come running!