Any seasoned experts on here can advise me?

[Shinyandnew1]

We inherited a tiny kitten before Christmas who appears to be mostly blind. The vet has checked him out several times and feels that he is otherwise healthy, but just can’t see much, for whatever reason. He can see lights and knows where there are edges but we don’t think he has much clarity/depth perception. Despite all this, he is doing well, though is still very tiny. He is 4 months and weights less than a kilo-probably about 6/8 week size.

That’s the background-the problem is, he came to us litter trained, but was unwell over Xmas and now seems to wee wherever the mood takes him. He uses the litter tray to poo in but seems to wee in random places. We don’t know whether he is so desperate to go that he can’t get to the litter tray or what it is! The litter tray has very low edges so he can easily get in and out and we don’t move it. We’ve tried a couple of different types of litter and use the one he seems to like, but that doesn’t make much difference. We keep it scrupulously clean as well.

Is there anything we can do? He’s doing so well considering the eyesight-finds his way around well, can jump up onto the sofa and (mostly successfully!) down again-eating happily, loves cuddles. He’s so tiny, it’s a bit like having a house rabbit!! But, we need to get this weeing issue cracked! It’s not so bad on the hard floor, but not on the carpet!

I have read about putting the litter tray where they wee, but it’s not aways in the same place so I don’t think that will help-it will just confuse him as it’s not where he expects it and he’ll bump into it!!

Can anyone think of anything to try? Any advice welcome.

apparently once they pee somewhere, that place smells like pee in future so they just keep peeing there coz it smells right. You have to put very strong smells in all the places he has wee'd (but should not have) to remove the smell that makes him think it's ok to wee there.

Smell he dislikes is probably right, like strong citrus.

Other thought is keep him short term in a room that is small & has his litter tray. with Hard floor ideally you can clean well.

Sounds tough, will ponder any other ideas.

He might prefer a second little tray. I had a cat that would use one only for wees ans needed a second for poos.

Use an enzyme cleaner on carpet.

Poor little thing.

Thank you-I’ll have a think about what
I could spray!

I forgot a photo…

Also - do you know how to litter train a kitten?

When you see him looking like he needs to go, put him in the tray. You may need to repeat some training now to refresh his memory

I’ll look into an Enzyme cleaner-hadn’t heard of those.

We are all watching what he’s doing and plonk him in the litter tray whenever he looks like he needs to go-gets lots of praise and a treat if he goes!

He’s in one room overnight with a hard floor and seems to ‘mostly’ (don’t want to jinx it) manage to wee in there at night. We have another litter tray in the downstairs, but not both in that room.

Awww OP he is gorgeous 😍. I'd get the spray and maybe another litter tray. Do you have him insured?

Another tray in the same room, do you think?

Right, I’m looking at sprays now-does anyone have any recommendations?

We got him insured the day he come here!

Some don't like to wee in same litter tray as they poo in so might be worth trying having 2.

We have two litter trays already downstairs, but not two in the same room.

It's not helpful with the litter problem, but I'm pretty sure I read that kittens who are kept in the dark or don't have their eyes open before a certain critical age (maybe a few weeks old?) don't 'learn' to see properly. If his were gunked shut by flu or similar, or he was raised in a basement, that might have led to the issues.

I remember using a virbac one but this might help?

That seems to remove the stain/smell rather than to deter the wee?