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I have a cat Dina who is 11 years old. Shes been a great cat up until about 2 years ago, when she stopped using the litterbox for number #2 only and only sometimes, this began after I brought another kitten home (a male cat).
I have tried everything that I can think of I had at the time a total of 5 litterboxes for 3 cats - 3 in the spare bedroom and 2 in the back room, I clean the boxes daily (good times with that many). I took her to the vet and he did extensive bloodwork and tested her for everything and she tested fine. We have tried buspar and that didn't work.
When my ex and I broke up he took the male cat with him, and I hoped that would solve the problem, and I have cleaned and scrubbed the boxes, changed the litter (now I have 4 litterboxes 2 cats - both females), the food and water are not close to any of the litterboxes, the food is actually up on a bookcase that they have access to, and when she makes messes they are cleaned up with vinegar.
I can't think of any other options or ways to stop this problem. Does anyone else have any ideas on what else I can do? She's the perfect cat except for this problem. The only other thing that I can think of would be to try the cat attract litter, however that is not exactly in the budget at the moment, and with her being a 11 year old cat indoor/outdoor her whole life I can't make her a outside only cat as some people have suggested, I don't feel that is fair to her, Dina sleeps either on my side at night or on top of me so she is very used to being comfortable.
My problem is that I am forced to get a roommate and it is going to be difficult with the not too great smell in the spare room, and I wasn't raised to put a animal down just because of something that can be changed easily.
Last edited by lostinca; 02-11-2012 at 06:10 PM..
Reason: adding text
So the problem of her not using the litterbox began when the male arrived?
Prior to that there were no problems?
How long has the male been gone?
Was the male neutered while he lived there? If not (and maybe even if he was!), he may have sprayed, and the lingering scent could still be bothering her.
Are both of your cats spayed?
If she has been going out of the litterbox for two years, then that is a deeply entrenched behavior by this point! Does she ever go in the litterbox?
I think you can get some cat attract as a additive to existing litter - not just whole bags of litter, however I really think this is more for kittens and may not be as effective for adult cats anyway. Your adult KNOWS where to - she's just choosing not to.
If it were me - I would get new boxes - of a different kind and start there. You know this is behavioral so approach it that way. Start over. If you have covered, get uncovered (and vice versa) if you have if you have high sided, get something a little lower - she's older and maybe prefers to "potty" outdoors because climbing into the box has gotten more difficult. Also put the boxes in a new place. Break the association she has made to them - obviously it is a negative one.
Change your litter, we all know how cats can be - sometimes they just decide they no longer like something. Try a clay, try a crystals mix, try a feline pine type, again anything different (switch only some of the boxes litter as to not freak out your other cat) from what you use to try a different texture.
Get feliway plug ins. Many many people swear by them for 'bathroom issues'. This could be a territory thing that started with the male that is carrying over with the new second cat. Figure up how many you need to cover the square footage of your home. Give them about a month to work. If you see progress don't just stop using them and figure all is well!! She WILL go back to the behavior!! Keep them around for a good while before you take them away to see if she's better.
How often do you scoop? Some cats really hate sharing a box, and will avoid them, if they contain anything at all in it.
Put at least one of the litter boxes in a different spot, it is possible one of the other cats is barring her from getting to the boxes.
Install feliway plug in diffusers to help with stress and territorial feelings.
Along with all that, a trip to the vet, an evaluation for constipation and other health issues (blood work and urinalysis) would be the first step I would take.
The strange thing is she uses the box sometimes - last night for example she went in the box and then again in the middle of the floor, so I dont understand.
The male cat Mr. Bananas has been gone about 2 months and they're all spayed and he was neutered as soon as he was old enough. Other than that she's been around Shadow (my other female cat) for Shadows whole life and she's ok with her, I don't think that Shadow's blocking her from the litterbox, but I could be wrong on that.
The feilway is a good idea I didn't think of that. The vet checked her with bloodwork and she checked out okay (Ill call tomorrow I can't remember if he checked for constipation, that's one of the only things I can think of maybe she's having some issues and she associates the litterbox with pain??). I wish cat's could talk that would be the easiest thing then I could just ask her what's going on.
I'll get the feliway and cat attrack litter and try tha and I'll swap out the boxes for new ones - maybe that's it? I can move the boxes around in the room and see if that makes a difference. I know cats have a great sense of smell and it's possible that I didn't clean it to a cat's expectations??
Thank you.
< insert > I have been trying to write this reply since the 11th and can't seem to finish it ... so here's the point I'm trying to make ...
Based on Alfredos reactions and actions surrounding using the various litter boxes (one of which I have reserved just for him) I think that once Meeko has claimed a box or a spot in the house Alfredo is uncomfortable using it sometimes.
I can't begin to decipher the messages they send to each other through marking, or staring etc.
But my suggestion for your situation, would be to get a black light (Google exactly how to do this properly) to find ALL the urine that may still be present from the male cat ( don't forget under the carpet, in the padding, etc.).
Then search/research a cleaner, probably enzymatic, to try and remove his territorial urine marking.
I would also move at least one box to an area where he Never marked, an area that hopefully Dina wouldn't associate with him.
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Feb 11th
Meeko gets upset whenever Alfredo dares to use Any of their 3 shared litter boxes.
Meeko will immediately go to that litter box and start peeing, first by squatting (normal), then he will gradually raise his butt up, until he is peeing over the side, His tail was amputated when he was 3 months old, so I can't be sure that he isn't actually physically "marking"/spraying, but regardless of pee delivery method, the message is the same, this is my territory.
FYI I bought Totes plastic storage containers per MissNM and now when Meeko stands while peeing, his pee stays in the box, but he thinks he's made his point,
Fine by me, let him think he won.
My male cat had this problem when he was younger. I found that he was waiting too long, last minute, to go to the litter box. Because of urinating and bladder problems with my female I ended up getting another litter box and don't you know he rarely poops outside the box now. Oh and also I started using litter liners that helps too. But if I forget to change the litter liner sooner then he sometimes, not often, poops outside the box. Thing is now he poops right outside the box. When he was a kitten he was having so much fun playing he didn't think to go to the litter box.
I would have his kidney's checked and blood work and everything else they can think of to make sure it isn't a health problem first. 4 litter boxes should be enough so I can't understand why she's not using it. Maybe its a territorial thing.
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