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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Shitty Kitty

8 replies

TheDemonShedMaster · 10/06/2013 08:02

Sorry to be indelicate, but there it is!

My three year old spayed female house cat has started refusing to poo in her covered litter tray. We have another cat, her brother from the same litter and they are very affectionate and tolerant of one another.

We moved house six months ago and she now has lots more room to hide/play in. She is not overly fond of our two year old (child, not cat!), but again, she has plenty of places to hide in.

She has form for this sort of behaviour when the litter tray is not to her liking (i.e. pristine, virgin Catsan), but the litter gets refreshed every two days as it always has. It is just within the last two or three weeks that when I come downstairs in the morning, there is - without fail - a big poo on the kitchen floor, waiting for me to clear it up. There is usually one on our living room rug when I get in from work, as well.

Does anyone have any experience of this behaviour? As she seems healthy in other ways, I am concerned it may be behavioural. She has always had a somewhat nervous disposition. Both cats have always been house cats, owing to a combination of busy roads and breathtaking stupidity (theirs, not mine - hopefully). Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 10/06/2013 08:09

I'd go for at least two litter trays, consider leaving them open (so that the smell doesn't get trapped) and clean them more frequently. It sounds as if you're getting protest poos because she doesn't like the conditions you're providing for her - and some cats are pretty fussy about trays so it doesn't surprise me.

Oh - and clean soiled spots with non-bio washing powder very thoroughly after removing the poos in question.

TheDemonShedMaster · 10/06/2013 08:23

Thank you, cozietoesie - we have a spare open try, so I shall try that. I am beginning to suspect she is just that prissy!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 10/06/2013 08:35

There's often a recommendation that you have one tray per cat plus one. Maybe that's too many - but I'll let you know that Seniorboy, my older Siamese, has two open trays (we use Fuller's Earth clumping) and uses both of them. He doesn't like pooing or peeing in a used tray, and as those two body functions often follow very quickly, two trays are best for him.

Prissy? Yep - I reckon.

Smile

PS - I remove soil clumps from the trays as soon as I see they've been used but you can do that with Fuller's Earth and some other litter types.

Best of luck and let us know how Her Ladyship gets on.

TheDemonShedMaster · 10/06/2013 09:20

cozietosie - gosh, that's a lot of trays - more trays than we have bathrooms, in fact! We do skim the clumps out every evening, so I'm wondering if she has developed a dislike of pooing and peeing in the same place? I'm certain she's not peeing anywhere else - we would have smelt something by now, I'm sure. May I ask you if you have ever used a Feliway plug-in at all? I have been considering getting one to help with her nervousness, but don't want to if they're a waste on money...

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 10/06/2013 09:40

I haven't, myself, but I know others have and some do find them effective.

I think with two cats you need two trays, I'm afraid. Maybe try an enhanced tray provision first? (You always have Feliway as a backstop.)

cozietoesie · 10/06/2013 09:41

...... find it effective.

My grammar needs more coffee.

TheDemonShedMaster · 10/06/2013 10:03

LOL! Grammar notwithstanding, I appreciate the advice at this hour of the day! A second tray it is, then.

OP posts:
VenusUprising · 12/06/2013 02:24

We have two trays for one cat.
She likes to pee in one and poop in the other.

I have to have them pristine, and normally I scoop up poops as soon as they're done, and flush them down the lav. I bag the wees up immediately before they start to smell.

We use yesterday's news litter: it's non toxic recycled newspaper, in uncovered trays, and it's great: no smell and nice and gentle on her precious little paws!!

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