Cat poop…

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  • #13996
    cricketsmama
    Participant

    Nice topic huh?

    Anyway I have a question and I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on it.

    We have 2 litter boxes for our kitties–2 cats, 2 litter boxes. One is upstairs and one is in the basement. Now they both use both boxes, same litter, same everything. A few months ago out of the blue, Cricket started to poop outside the basement litter box. Not too far away from it. She goes fine in the upstairs one. We have done everything we can think of to the basement litter box thinking it was too dirty at the time, so we cleaned it, scooped it, cleaned around the box, everything…to no avail. I just don’t get it. She’s 2 1/2 years old, no health problems, eating well, playing, going to the bathroom fine normally except in the basement litter box..any suggestions?

    #144538
    anncetera2
    Participant

    Only two things I can think of.

    Is it possible that the basement litter box may be really, really cold or drafty? Especially if it’s sitting on bare concrete? Is it sitting up on a piece of carpeting or several layers of cardboard, or is it sitting directly on the floor?

    My other thought was thinking that perhaps the basement litter box was a smaller size or a different color than the other one? Or perhaps not kept as secluded – or perhaps too secluded?

    Also, I’m assuming the litter boxes are just plain litter boxes, no rims or tall lids on them? You might have greater success with the biggest litter box you can find, that has a tall, walk-in lid on it. Or, you might have great success with using a cement-mixing tub from Home Depot or Lowe’s, instead; the sides are tall enough that pooping over the edge will be close to impossible. Plus, the tub is big enough that if the cat is fussy about both pooping and peeing in the same spot, they can choose opposite corners (or separate boxes) for such activities.

    Useful advice at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19859148/

    Good luck!

    #144539
    Crazycatman – CA
    Participant

    CM…how close to the litter box is it? maybe she is just not getting all the way in the basement litter box, Gir does that and it is always the same litter box, and just that one.

    #144540
    cricketsmama
    Participant

    That link had some really good ideas. My cat box downstairs is on the concrete floor so I think I will clean it really good today and put it on some cardboard to insulate it. They are both open boxes and easy to find. Fred is big cat so we need big boxes with no lid 🙂

    #144541
    cricketsmama
    Participant

    CCM, the poop is actually about a foot away from the box, we can’t figure it out.

    #144542
    2bpurring
    Participant

    Possibly there is a smell that she doesn’t care for in that corner? or a smell where she continues to return to that draws her to the new location? but I would try a covered litter box first or if it’s possible, move the litter box, at least for now, to location that she keeps returning too..

    #144543
    anncetera2
    Participant

    Cricketsmama, if that attempt doesn’t work, try a pan to mix concrete in. They’re black, and the smallest one I’m familiar with is about 24″L x 30″W x 8″H. It should run you about $12. (Still, insulate underneath with a carpet scrap or cardboard.)

    #144544
    Elene_YorkPA_7/21
    Participant

    I use the cement mixing tubs (at $4.87 can’t be beat) and my cats all love the bigness. My 19 yr. old has always poo’d outside the box, she also goes very close to the box so I’ve put paper toweling in the spot she uses and just flush it.

    I do have a recent problem with my 8 month old PJ. He uses the box, but the way he stands to pee it goes out of the box to the floor. Any ideas how to address this issue. It does begin to smell of urine under the box and I’m afraid it will get under the baseboards.

    #144545
    anncetera2
    Participant
    #144546

    It seems I always get one cat that prefers a solid surface to poop on! I read up on it (sorry, it wasn’t on the net so I can’t provide a link) and it seems quite common for them to like a tile floor or the bathtub/shower; meezers are particularly prone to it. Sheba always poops next to the box on the tile. My Taja (RIP)who was my Meezer queen, liked the shower floor.

    #144547
    SammyandOliversmama
    Participant

    That concrete mix tub sounds good. I am going to try that too!

    My kits share the box but boy does it need full attentinon 3 times

    a day.

    #144548
    Elene_YorkPA_7/21
    Participant

    The tub is great and so easy to scoop because of the rounded ends. Holds 20 lbs of litter too so not constantly refilling. I can buy 3 tubs for the price of one large litter box. The used tubs can be scrubbed out be used for flowers, just add good potting soil and you have a great movable garden.

    #144549
    Buttercup
    Participant

    thhat concrete mixing tub is a great idea! I’m going to look into it.

    #144550
    cricketsmama
    Participant

    I think I need to buy new boxes anyway so i am going to check into the concrete mixing tubs.

    I did go down and scrub the box then refilled it with fresh litter and put an old rug from the bathroom underneath. I will see how that goes. We are not worried about it, just perplexed that she just started to do this. It more of a cleaning it up issue, Thanks for all the ideas! I am so glad I posted this topic 🙂

    #144551
    MerD
    Participant

    I have different sizes litter boxes, but the favorite of the house is a huge clear tub with out the lid. The kind you buy to store stuff in. It is over a foot high but at least 2 feet wide and 3 feet or so long. I keep the scoop-able litter in there and all my “poopervisors” immediately use it after it is scooped, and the baby, MoJo loves to play in it when there it is fresh.

    #144552
    2bpurring
    Participant

    poopervisors…LOL..MerD that’s funny..but I do believe I will get one of these tubs..even with BB being a kitten, the litterbox with fresh litter is his favorite place to roll…

    #144553
    anncetera2
    Participant

    I know of one friend who has 3 bathrooms in his house, but he’s the only person living there. One of his cats, sure enough, ended up sometimes eliminating outside the box… so the boxes are now in a spare bathroom, in the (roomy) shower stall. The cats all eliminate in the correct area, at least, and the tiled surfaces are easy to clean when the kitty misses.

    I’m considering keeping one of my foster kittens (Sweet Pea) and seeing if I can get her trained to use the toilet.

    #144554
    Caddycat
    Participant

    The pooping problem at my house was partially solved by thorough cleaning/replacement of the litter-boxes and Feliway. I say ‘partially’ because in the 1¼ months that I’ve been using Feliway, there were only 4 pooping episodes. They used to be a daily occurrence on the oriental area rug on the finished basement. Instructions in the Feliway (and other similar ferimone products) say that they should be used for 3 months in order for the bad behavior to stop. So far so good. I clean the litter boxes daily and spray the Feliway on the rug and the small throw rug at the bottom of the basement stairs. I also got a heated atomizer plugged into an electrical outlet in the room that where the kits spend most of their time.

    As for ‘missing the box’ while peeing…That happens occasionally because my boys are pretty big, and sometimes their behind is up too high while they’re in the box. It was easy to fix for me because the boxes are in the basement, and are not an eye-sore. I bought cheap plastic tablecloth sheeting that was relatively heavy weight and put it on the floor and partially up the wall. An old plastic table cloth would work well too. I secured it on the wall with pushpins, and then placed brown paper shopping bags between the boxes and the walls. If they miss the pan, the pee hits the paper that I could replace with a fresh paper bag.

    #144555
    Nirmal
    Participant

    OMG…..hahahahahhahaha cricket, my george does the same thing, and for the same mysetrious reasons. maybe cricket n george have had secret communications!

    #144556

    pywacket had both poop and pee issues till i switched litter to new litterbox training aid called cat attract,it’s a scoopable litterthat has something to attract and re-train cats to use the box.

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