Please help

[Issy2008]

My kitten (approx 5months old) keeps pooing and weeing behind our tv. She knows how to use her litter tray and does most of the time. I have been making sure that her litter tray is clean so she's not put off using it and that she's only in the hallway when I go out. I thought she had stopped but I was just sitting on the sofa , smelt something ripe and realised she has done it again. My husband isn't the biggest fan of cats and this is really putting her in his bad books! Does anyone have any good ideas to a) get her to use the cat flap and go outside as I think she needs to burn off some energy and b) stop her from going to the lav anywhere but her very own litter tray?

At 5 months you may want to be a little cautious about her going out when you're not there to get her back in. Each to their own I suppose, but I know I would be.

Anyway... cat flaps... hitch it open for a while so she gets the idea of going in and out. Then open it a little with your hand and encourage her to push it the rest of the way. You could try shoving her through, but IME they just kind of bunch up, avoid it and get terrified of it.

As for the pooing and weeing, what are you cleaning things up with? Some household stuff leaves an ammonia trace that can smell like wee and makes them remember to go there. So try bio washing powder (depending on the surface) or a specialist cleaning product from your vet or pet shop. If you can, board up the gaps to the back of the TV and she might take the hint.

When she's in the living room, it might jsut be too exciting and she forgets about her litter tray. So if you can, move the tray through nearer her and put it in a corner if possible. Or have a few litter trays around the house. Also make sure they're not too clean - so that they have some smell of her in them. Not much, just a spoonful of damp 'wee' litter in each new batch.

Or move your TV to another part of the room and stick the tray in the pooing corner?

You need to get rid of the smell completely. Wash with biological washing powder, then wipe over with surgical spirit. Then put something down to prevent her from going behind the tv at all.

Good luck!

Oh, and if all that fails, try calling the Cats Protection for advice. They have a leaflet on this matter IIRC.

First of all get rid of the smell, she may now think that's her toilet! You can put kitchen foil where she's been going (supposedly they hate it (never tried tho). Don't clean her litter tray too often as she needs to be able to smell where she's supposed to go (biggest mistake peeps make, just remove the lumps daily and wash tray every fortnight).

Flap training isn't hard, just takes time. Get some treats, wait til near her lunchtime and sit outside with the flap open about an inch with the treat about 6in away from open flap, once she comes through go inside and do they same thing, do it a few times lowering the open flap until she can get in and out herself. First time outside stay out with her ( I give it about 30 mins) then bring her back in. Do it for a few days, just so she knows that you are still there and you are not kicking her out.

Ladies thank you so much for all your help. I have been busy scrubbing and scrubbing away and I think I have nearly erradicated the smell from the carpet now. It was positively fragrant when I went in today. Thanks for helping me!