Potty Problems

Finally a regular post, yippee. As an adult I do not remember ever having problems litter box training a cat. Even kittens were easy. All I ever did was when they first came in to the house I would pick them up and put them in the box one time. No watching waiting for them to go, and having to catch them in the act to put them in the box. Once they knew where the litter box was they always used it. I have a faint memory as a kid of having to catch a cat in the act of going and placing them in the box or outside to train them. I do not remember if it was one of our cats or while at a friends.




Similar to one I have.



I have had litter box issues for other reasons. Mostly due to aggressive burring of the evidence. Litter gets piled up in the corner and overflows the box. Mittens is bad about doing this, she will dig for one full minute then spend twice as long burring it. Girl, well she is a special needs kitty. She is too afraid of the other cats and will wee on most anything I leave on the floor. She is good and will not go on the carpet but will go on my dirty cloths, I toss my socks on the floor of my closet this is her first target. I have learned to put a towel down next to the litter box, she will use it. She does use the box to poo.

He really is big!

I had to get an extra large litter box for Mittens to use. After watching her put her front paws up on the edge of the other ones I had, in order to use them I decided she needed more room. Being the largest plus “hidden” in the second bathroom it gets used the most, filling up first. I have 3 others besides, just regular ones. Two have the higher sides to help keep the litter in the box, like the one in the picture except not sifting. Mittens still uses them, having to be half out of the box to do so. Over all though little to no problems.



Next to Girl, on the couch.



Enter The Martian. Big Boy. My 15 pound kitty, all muscle no fat. I have a toy box in my second bedroom/computer room that I store the cats toys in when I vacuum. One day while sitting at the computer I heard him get into the box. The next thing I heard was water pouring into the cardboard box. Wanting to be near me like all the others he was in the room when I was. The litter box in here was one of the smaller ones. I am not sure that was the reason, but the toy box was a bit larger and did smell like cat. I had to pick him up and move him 5 feet to the litter box.

On the cat tree.

A couple of times I noticed kitty “tootsie rolls” next to the box in the computer room and the one in my bedroom. I could not figure out what was going on until one day I caught him in the act. He was all the way into the box from side to side except his butt was on the edge. So being completely in the box he still managed to go outside of it. I got a bigger container (a plastic storage container I had, did not have any extra $$ to buy a box.) I still had to keep him from tinkling in the toy box, he finally has stopped from going in there.



Quick drink of milk. Special treat.



Even with all of that he still has problems. Main problem is that most of the cats no matter what room they are in will find the one I am in and use the box there. The Martian is no exception. Just about a week ago he climbed into the one in the front room. It is one like in the pic. Being one of the smaller ones he put his two front paws in, being half way in the box. Then he decided to let go, problem is when I jump up to catch him to put his rear into the box, he gets scared off and runs away. So am having problems teaching him which end goes into the box.




In computer room looking at me.


I have had many times where I have had to help him get proper placement into the box so that when he does his business it will end up in the box. I can not really blame him, poor thing he does try. He will be part way into the litter box before he tries to use it. I just wonder if they make an extra extra large box. I might have to wind up having some special litter boxes made just for him. Only problem is I will have to replace all 4 boxes to make sure he always has one he can use. One day if I ever become rich I will have a house built and will have a special room built with a 5 foot square box just for the kitties litter box. Also would like to have an enclosed outside area for them to roam with grass, bugs etc to play with. Really feel that they are missing out not being allowed outside.