What can I do to get my cat to poop in her litter box again?
Saturday, August 7th, 2010 at
5:57 am
She’s 10 years old & pees in her liter box, but won’t poop in it. I’ve tried moving the box, a new litter, cleaning it regularly, but nothing works long term. It’s like she’s stuck in an old habit & doesn’t know how to break it. Any suggestions?
Filed under: Cat Furniture
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First she needs to go to the vet and have them rule out any physical problems that might be causing her to do this.
Then if that is normal confine her to a small tile floor room, like a bathroom, with her litterbox. When she is sucessfully pooping in the box, then allow her a LITTLE more space. As she keeps using the box, give her more space. It might take a month, but this has always worked for me.
Clean the areas she has pooped at with an enzymatic cleaner like Natures Miracle. She can smell the poop residue there even if you can’t. This is a calling card so to speak.
Also, have there been any changes in the house- someone moving in, moving out, renovation? Cats do not take change well.
give her treats when she poops in the litter box…soon she will learn.
put the cat and the box in a very small room or a cage for a day,then take them both out and keep the box in an area that the cat stays in most the time.
you get an excellent product at any pet suppliers called kookamunga, it contains cat nip. its used for exactly this, spray a little over the litter and your cat will be inatantly attracted to it. it also works to get them to scratch on posts and as a deterrant use diluted orange oil and spray it where you dont want your cat to poop or scratch-they hate citrus smells. good luck
you need to put the cat in a small room with the litter box for up to two weeks. if at first she doesn’t not go in it take the stool and put it in the litter box. it has a great deal to do with how the litter box smells. it has to smell like a toilet for her to keep returning at first. after a week or two let her out every day for up to 5 or 6 hours. keep and eye on to be sure she’s going back to use the box. however if she doesn’t use it again, seclude her back into the small room. this is like punishment for her. don’t let her out no matter how she crys. also you must be sure to remove any trace of smell from the spot she was using before. usually this works it helps customers all the time. unless your cat is old and has bladder or bowel trouble, then nothing can help.
keep it really clean some are more sensitive than others to dirty litter box, try crystals, Krogers sells PetPride really cheap 5 or 4 dollars a container, you just empty poop with crystals really kills oder
This might help:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html