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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.

Original poster

Kitten will not use litter tray- help!

32 replies

Giantdog · 20/01/2024 18:55

I’m quite experienced with cats and this is my 6th (I think) but I’m at a loss and hoping for some advice.

We have a lovely kitten, rescued. Approx 9 weeks. Very healthy, just had a vet check yesterday with no problems found, definitely no UTI or medical issue. Eating well etc. He’s a very confident kitten, getting on well with everyone (even spent last night curled up with the dog!) Doesn’t seem worried or fearful at all.

However I can not get him to use the litter tray. He favours the shower, nearly always going in the shower tray. A few times he’s also gone on carpets. It doesn’t matter if I put a towel/mat/something else in to ‘block’ the shower he will go in there instead of the tray.

Ive tried various trays, he can and has used all of them on occasion. They are always clean and filled deeply. I’ve tried woodchip and catsan type litter, he doesn’t seem to care which it is. The trays are in rooms that are quiet and that he is familiar with. I currently have 3 trays for one cat so not short of places to go to the toilet. Yet multiple times today he has pood or weed in the shower. I have an open wet room with a stone type tray so no way to close it off. I’ve caught him a few times and moved him straight to the tray but next time back to the shower. I’ve scrubbed the life out of it and used urine removing pet spray but what else can I do?

It’s really getting me down now and I’m wondering if I can keep him if this goes on much longer. Any advice would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
HappyHamsters · 20/01/2024 19:05

Are the litter trays too deep for him to climb in and out of does he prefer a flat surface, he doesnt need 3ctrays, maybe too much choice. Can you keep the shower room door closed, put out a flatter less filled tray somewhere. .

HirplesWithHaggis · 20/01/2024 19:09

Will he become an outdoor cat when he's older? I recently took on a 6month old kitten who also poo'd in his previous owner's shower (though he pee'd in a litter tray.) While he was getting used to his new home with us he was confined to our livingroom, where he pee'd in the litter tray and poo'd in a corner of the room. Since getting regular access to the great outdoors, both behaviours have stopped. Can you hang on that long, if he'll be going out in future?

Scampuss · 20/01/2024 19:12

I'd try putting a tray in the shower, if that failed I'd keep him in one room (with all his stuff and lots of visits for attention) until he's using the tray. You need to break the habit.

Original poster
Giantdog · 20/01/2024 19:18

@HirplesWithHaggis yes he will be an outdoor cat if he wants to be 🙂 Hopefully he will as we have too many mice!

I currently have one upstairs and 2 downstairs, one in the utility and one in the bathroom. Unfortunately my house is rubbish and open plan so we have to put him in the shower room when we are eating or in bed otherwise he keeps everyone awake and jumps on the kids plates. It’s a large heated room with a bed, litter tray, scratching post etc. It also has our shower and a toilet, being put in there has made him realise it’s the toilet space or at least where his things are if that makes any sense but instead of using the tray he goes straight for the shower/sometimes floor beside the shower. I’ve tried so many things to discourage him but he will do anything to get past to get back in there.

He did use the litter tray for the first week or so, I’ve had him since he was 5.5 weeks as a foster, he was found dumped in a box.

It’s driving me a little bit mad because it’s making the room stink. We’ve fostered many kittens and older cats and never had any sort of problem, they always seem to want to be clean. I even tried putting his bed into the shower tray and he still weed on that (and slept in it)

I could shut him out of there altogether but im worried it will backfire and he will end up weeing somewhere worse (carpet? Beds?)

OP posts:
Original poster
Giantdog · 20/01/2024 19:18

The trays are shallow. Both big enough, he can easily get in and out.

I tried putting the tray in the shower but he weed next to the tray instead!

OP posts:
Scampuss · 20/01/2024 19:21

Oh so he's doing it when he's locked in the shower room! Little sod is punishing you!

MeMyselfandCake · 20/01/2024 19:21

Scampuss · 20/01/2024 19:12

I'd try putting a tray in the shower, if that failed I'd keep him in one room (with all his stuff and lots of visits for attention) until he's using the tray. You need to break the habit.

This.

Cat litter tray in the shower, hopefully he'll use it then gradually move it out to where you want to keep it. Once he's got used to using the tray in the shower for a few days move it to the edge of the shower, then move it again to the bathroom floor and so on. And if you see him going in the shower but not using the tray put him in the tray every single time. He'll get used to it.

Scampuss · 20/01/2024 19:22

Can you line the shower tray with puppy pads, and stick a small tray on top?

QuestionableMouse · 20/01/2024 19:24

My younger cat hates it if the litter is too deep - I put a thin layer in his tray and literally just cover the bottom. Paper litter is his fave!

Have you tried Simple Solution for the places he's soiled? It removes any scent so he's less likely to be attracted back.

Original poster
Giantdog · 20/01/2024 19:27

@Scampuss seems like it 😂 Now he’s actively going in there to do it even if the doors open and he’s free. He's very sneaky and hard to catch. It’s at the other end of the house so he’s actively walking to it when he needs to go which is a positive but it’s the wrong tray!

Okay so tray in the shower might be the best way to go. I’ll try that again and pray he uses it.

I have wondered if we are just the wrong home for him and somethings wrong?

I’ve been concentrating on trying to stop him going in all together but he’s determined to get in by all means neccessary. I’ve literally barricaded it and covered the floor yet he’s still managed. I did think about spraying some repellant spray or something but I’m worried he will dislike the room altogether!

OP posts:
Original poster
Giantdog · 20/01/2024 19:28

I’ll try and find some simple soloution thank you @QuestionableMouse

I have tried both a tiny amount of litter and a lot, he seems to prefer it to be deeper. He was caged for a day and used the litter tray every single time so he can do it but is choosing not to for whatever reason.

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 20/01/2024 21:12

Try kitten litter, if he’s only 9 weeks and has soft paws woodchip is going to be like house-bricks to his feet.

Kitten litter is very fine grained.

My huge rough tough street fighting Bengal liked talcum scented ultra clumping, ankle deep, clumps removed immediately. My litter bill was higher than my car insurance.

Habbibu · 20/01/2024 21:20

We ended up putting down empty trays as boy kitten hated all litter. After a while we put litter in one end so we could slide it over anything he did. He's gradually getting used to it but out litter trays are still half empty

CheeseyOnionPie · 20/01/2024 21:25

Mine did exactly this as a kitten. I put out many more litter trays around the house and also one in the shower tray. It was a pain to have it there but it meant he was then using the tray religiously. After a month or two (it takes patience, prepare thyself) as he got used to ONLY going in the litter tray I moved it to outside of the shower but still in the bathroom. Another month of that. Then I moved it into the hallway outside the bathroom. He never went toilet in my shower again!

CheeseyOnionPie · 20/01/2024 21:29

You have to leave the litter box in the shower for quite a long time to give the kitten chance to associate the litter with toilet time. I tried moving mine after a few days and he was right back in the shower peeing. It took a solid month of having it there to get him used to it. Remember he’s just a teeny kitten and babies take time to learn. It’s more likely going to be the location of the shower than the texture of the tray. Keep at it and good luck!

Original poster
Giantdog · 21/01/2024 05:49

Thank you everyone!

I’ll scrub the shower out again and put it back in there, fingers crossed he uses it! I caught him about to go in the shower last night and put him into the tray instead and he did go, so I’m crossing my fingers he can learn 😩

I don’t really mind having the tray in the shower, it’s not ideal but better than it smelling.

I will also have a search for different litter. I find woodchip the best as the fine stuff tended to go everywhere, is there anything anyone can recommend?

OP posts:
catelynjane · 21/01/2024 08:01

Woodchip litter is going to very very rough on tiny kitten paws.

You need a soft kitten litter when they're so small.

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 21/01/2024 10:00

Kitten litter. Pets at home sell it.

TroysMammy · 21/01/2024 16:58

@Giantdog have you paid cat tax on another thread or is it now overdue?

Beamur · 21/01/2024 17:03

My cats like the Breeder Celect litter too. It's soft on fussy paws. Curiously mine also pee in the shower occasionally too. They're quite fussy about it being clean and have been known to poo in the laundry basket if the litter tray wasn't good enough! I have two cats that insist on using the same tray which doesn't help.

Original poster
Giantdog · 21/01/2024 17:28

Thankyou all! I will order some now.

Still no luck but I will persevere!

Here he is…he’s very hard to photograph being black. Hes being treated for his gunky eyes. Hopefully he will grow into a swan 😄

Kitten will not use litter tray- help!
OP posts:
QuestionableMouse · 21/01/2024 18:45

He is adorable! 😍

Beamur · 21/01/2024 19:41

Aww. Very cute indeed. Semi longhaired?

Ohdearwhatnow4 · 21/01/2024 19:48

We had to use puppy pads in a tray for one of ours as granules went everywhere and woodchip too rough. More recently one of them kept going under my table so input their food their and he never done it again.