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After Moving one Cat wont use Litter Box
Hola
We got 2 himalayans and about 2 months ago we moved to a new apt. The first couple weeks were fine, but after that the male cat does NOT want to pee in the litterbox. It seems like everywhere else is fine.. including floor outside the litter box, but not inside it. Any clues to why this happens and what I can do to fix it? Thanks Espen |
#2
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Hi Espen
It is certainly strange when our kitties drive us nuts like this! isnt it...But a couple of things come to mind. I am sure you always keep the litter box clean but I found that after a few months they tend to be a little stinky...I think it has to do with the strong urine smell. The smell tends to seep into the plastic in the litter pans. So I have changed the litter box altogether. I have also had some issues recently with my male cat. He does not like a cover over the box and so when he would pee he would lift his leg really high and it would go over the sides...To help with that I found a cardboard box that was higher around the edges than the litter box itself. This helped for awhile but the best thing I did was get another litter box. So we have 2 cats and 2 litter boxes and I have had no further problems. Good Luck and let us know if this works out for you! Cindy
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Tabitha April 10, 1995 - August 23, 2013 Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010 Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011 Sophie Aug 30, 2011 "UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown |
#3
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Have you tried re-training him the way you did when you first got him? I find butter on the paws is the best way, I have never failed with this method.
I agree with changing the box too. I have never done this but I'm willing to bet it will work for sure.
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-Danaë |
#4
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Thanks for the response guys!
When it comes to the smelly litterbox - yes its clean, and we thought about the smell as well so we bought a new box but have same results. Whats the butter on the feet you are talking about? We didnt train this cat.. got him from the pound so we dont really have experience in potty training. Actually both our cats were about 2 years when we got them so this is the first time we have had the problem |
#5
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Have you taken him to the vet to find out if there is a medical reason?
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Cat maid to: Rose semi feral, a cpietra rescue, female tabby (approx 13 yrs) Jasper RIP (2001-2018) Sweet Pea RIP (2004?-2014) Puddles RIP (1996-2014) Snowball RIP (1991-2005) In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats.-English Proverb “While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” Stephen R. Covey |
#6
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If you put a little butter on his paws and plop him into the litter box, he'll lick his paws and get used to the idea that his box is where he keeps himself clean. You may get some resistance at first, like he may not like being put in the box and therefore get clumps of buttery kitty litter on the floor, but keep sticking him in there gently and he will get the idea.
Just a thought - it may not work for you, but it has ALWAYS worked for my cats, I've had lots.
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-Danaë |
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#8
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A few things to consider:
This link has some more info: http://www.catinfo.org/litterbox.htm (and I really wouldn't recommend the butter thing either) Good luck!
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"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler |
#9
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Your cat may be stressed from the move, or even marking his territory. Is he spraying or just going on flat surfaces? Some members here have had good success with using cat pheromone plug-ins, such as Feliway. I would also recommend confining your cat to a room with a litterbox to retrain. Using a brand of litter called 'Cat Attract' (i think the brand is Dr Elsey's or something liek that) may also help. Good luck! oh, also, while the cat is confined, that is a good time to thoroughly clean any areas he has peed on, using an enzyme based cleaner found in pet stores, such as Nature's Miracle. If the cat can smell the urine, he may be going back to the spots just because of the scent.
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I don't have much more to add. You've gotten some good advice. I'm here to ask for pictures of your kitties.
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There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1. http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/ |
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Are there specific areas he's always going to aside from right beside the box like always going to a certain corner in the living room etc? I'm wondering if the previous residents had cats that peed in the house/apartment - perhaps your cat is covering their smell with his? Usually this would happen within the first week of moving in but it's possible.
As Kristin7 mentions an enzymatic cleaner will remove the smell, don't use ammonia based cleaners - to a cat they smell smiliar to pee & usually will go again to cover that smell. I would say a health check at the vet is a very good idea, stress can cause many different things - my senior kitty developed HyperThyroidism after we moved.
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Avoid biting when a simple growl will do The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying |
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Best wishes to you and your sweet little. |
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This is seriously starting to drive me crazy. Worst part is that even the first 4 weeks after we moved in he was fine.. not sure what to try anymore. Thanks for all the answers though.. Cant tell you how much I get made fun of when I tell my 25-30 year old buddies that im gonna go home and post on my pet forums to get some solutions to my kitty problems Oh.. anyone have any good tips for how to clean pee from carpets? Have white carpet in the bedroom with yellow stains that we cant get out.. Last edited by holmern; March 19th, 2008 at 09:19 PM. Reason: Spelling |
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Have you taken him to the vet yet to be checked for a urinary tract infection and bladder stones?
And, do you now have two litter boxes....one for each cat? |
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