Uh Oh – Kitten peeing in the tub!

I have read that, in multi-cat households, one cat will sometimes prevent the other from having access to the litterbox. You say that you have 2, but is it possible that, given where they are situated or something, that big sister is preventing her baby brother from getting to both of the litter trays? This book also suggested that the optimum number of litters trays for multi-cat households is one litter tray per cat, plus one. (I know that seems like a lot for a 2-bedroom apartment!) Perhap you could just make sure that the trays are well enough separated that big sister can’t “guard” both at the same time?

Maybe you could put a small litter box in the bathroom close to where he’s trying to go. Also try to refrain from using the spray bottle when he is doing his business. He won’t know why and will possibly associate going to the bathroom then being brought to the litter box as a bad thing and be confused. Spray bottle is fine for keeping him from climbing the curtains,etc.

Others will advise who have more experience than I do.Once he gets on track he’ll be fine.Keep us informed.

Funny thing, I got this article in a newsletter today! 🙂 I had a kitten that used the sink, turns out she had urinary crystals. Once that was taken care of she used the box again.

(*At least it is easy to clean up in the tub vs carpet or furniture!)

PETPLACE.COM

Cat Crazy Newsletter

Wednesday March 26, 2008

Did you realize that there are actually good and really BAD places to put your litter box?

Yes, location can make the difference between whether your cat uses it or not. And you KNOW how important it is for them to use it. As you may know, inappropriate urination in the house is the most common and frustrating behavioral problem of cats. I’ve been trying to give you a little information each week so to help you identify possible problems in your home or to help you know what cats like so that you can PREVENT problems.

Today, I want to talk to you about where to put your litter boxes (or where NOT to put your litter boxes).

I want to go through them all so you can try to identify what might be a problem for your cat or understand possible problems and make sure you are doing everything you can to prevent a problem.

Poorly positioned or location of boxes is a common reason for cats to urinate inappropriately.

There are 4 “Bad” Places to Put Your Litter Box:

1. Damp cellars, noisy locations, and high traffic areas are common locations that cats DON”T like.

2. Inconvenient locations such as the basement are often distasteful to some cats. Also, locations where the access can be intermittently blocked (such as the basement and you sometimes keep the door closed) can be a big problem.

3. Locations next to a washer, dryer, or furnace that may intermittently make noise will scare some cats and cause them to have a litter box adversity to that location for the rest of their lives.

4. Locations where other pets like dogs might bother them can be a big problem to cats.

So please go check your litter boxes to make sure they are not place in any of these four “bad” locations.

Also it is important to note that cats don’t like the smell of cat urine in their boxes. One way to minimize this smell is to buy a litter that alerts you before it begins to smell. One company makes a litter that helps you know before it smells – it is called Odor Alert by Arm & Hammer.

Go to: armandhammer.com for more information of how this new cat litter can help you.

So, choose a location that is quiet, private, and easy to access, have enough litter boxes and use a litter they like. This will make your kitty happy and keep your house smelling fresh.

Until next time

Dr. Jon

Two of my cats pee down the shower drain. I don’t mind–less litter to scoop and like others have said, much better than the carpet!

My cat Jimmy started using the toilet on his own, just to pee. Then once, his foot slipped in to the water on accident, so he switched to the sink. He couldn’t understand why they were not interchangeable. “You praise me when I use the awkward basin with the water in it, but shriek when I use the nice dry shallow one? What’s your problem, Lady?”