My neurotic cat

[Cruciform]

Well, my cat has refused to use the litterbox for months now. He's just getting better at hiding where he takes a dump most of the time.

He doesn't bother to hide when he pees because it dries quickly and it's hard to catch.

We've tried a few things, personal litterbox, extra privacy, different litters, and tonight I tried something special after reading about some cats aversion to litter.

I put some of the aspen shavings I use for the snakes in a sterilite and made him a large custom litterbox to try out.

He's now happily curled up in his new bed.

He'll probably take a dump *beside* it in the morning.

Cats are evil.

[justinO]

two words mike... SNAKE FOOD.


:)

[lisa marie]

There is a litter made for cat's that don't like to use their box. It's called Cat Attract...I think. You can find it at Petsmart or whatever. Have you tried that one yet?

And justin....I'm going to pretend you didn't say that!

[lostwithin]

Hey , we've had this problem with our cats before, One of the times it was due too the fact that our oldest cat was quite shy and wouldn’t use the little when others were around , and other cats always disturbed her. We solved this by adding a second litter.

We have also had it happen when a cat has health problems, they tend not too go too the littler box when something is wrong, if it has other symptoms maybe a vet check is necessary.

And lastly if the cat is male, it may very well be marking it's territory, this is by far the most annoying one of them all. Most people believe by neutering a cat they will not do this. because they cannot "spray" but this is a myth, a cat will still start too mark its territory, but since they cannot spray they leave there sent the only way they can (although most of the time they just urinate. and once they get started they don’t stop until they are satisfied. (the up side is it seems too be much more rare in cats that are neutered, seems too take more too make them get territorial) We have 2 males in he house, on escaped and ran into a tom cat out side during the night. our cat apparently won the fight but that set him off , he’s been hiding messes all over the house for a couple weeks but seems too have stopped now.

Also on the topic of marking , if you have 2 males, and one just reached "sexual maturity" in a sense (even if its fixed,. I simply mean he just started reacting too the other males sent" The "lesser" male my not go into he dominate males litter box.

Good luck. just out of curiosity let me know what the sex and age of the cat is.

Devon

[capsicum]

We had a cat like that. Majik, spayed female, would pee on everything she could, but would use the litter box only if it was the last thing around. We eventually tried putting a towel in her box (each cat had their own box), and she finally started using it. If it was messed up or burried, it would have to be switched so that she would use it, but at least it was easier than washing quilts every day :p
My parents still have her. She was mine, I got her as an early Christmas gift in '97. She hates my other cat, Bo (bottle baby), so I had to let her stay with my parents. But she is doing good, and they now have 2 new cats, my grandfathers 19 year old girl and a 4 month old kitten that I bottle raised.
Don't know if the towel thing might help, but you never know :)

TK

[Cruciform]

We have 3 cats:

Carlin: 2 years old, male, neutered.

Fraidy: 4 or 5 (feral caught), male, neutered (a BIG 26lb sissy)

Calamity: 8 or 9 months old, female, spayed.

Carlin is the problem cat. He's been like this since long before the other two moved in, so it hasn't been the competition. Unfortunately, if he drops a load and we don't get to it in time, the kitten will occasionally mimic him and drop on in the same spot.

He's been in for checkups, and has only had some minor acne, but no blood tests have been done. We're booking those.

I never heard of cat attract, but I'll give it a shot if it helps.

He knows what he's doing is wrong anyway, as he will run like hell as soon as he done if you walk into the room. Like he doesn't want to get peed on for marking his territory.

And yes, I even considered throwing him in the tub and peeing on him to see if that would alpha-male his *** back into submission :)

[heebie_geebies]

Just this morning, the fiance's cat peed on the carpet right in the living room. No idea why she has been doing this. Her litter box is quite secluded. And quite clean at that. She is the only cat in the apartment. I suppose there could have been a cat in here befor us.

This cat is not only crazy, it is evil enough to be the spawn of satan. If you don't pet it, she will attack. If you pet her too much, she will attack. Stupid cat. After dumping in the litter box (she does do that, thank god), her eyes dialate and she starts running full sprint around the apartment. Maybe trying to run away from her smelly @$$. Who knows? But the funny thing is, her cat lisence tag # is 01-666. It's like they knew.

I can't wait for the love and devotion of a chameleon. ;)

[heebie_geebies]

Originally posted by Cruciform
And yes, I even considered throwing him in the tub and peeing on him to see if that would alpha-male his *** back into submission :)

It probably won't work for me being she is female. But it will help me out!!

[Cruciform]

Would you like a cat to keep her company? :)

[lostwithin]

Hey, I Have one more question for you, when you clean up his mess have you tried tossing it into a litter box. That way the sent is in there. Might help seems counter productive since your dirtying the little box more but the sent might encourage him too use it more.

Devon

[heebie_geebies]

Nope, one cat is too many.

[Cruciform]

Tried that but it didn't work.

He's also not very concerned about privacy too.

Because he will sneak up, do it two feet away from you, and run.

[treegirl]

I knew someone a l o n g time ago who, when he was a kid, he and his friends thought it was hilarious to put rubbing alcohol on the cats butt. (I KNOW this is cruel and please don't try it) He said the cat would ~actually~ do BACK flips. It's definately mean, I know, but paints a funny mental picture.

[Rebecca]

Sounds like he's mad at you. And is doing it just to make you mad.

[Cruciform]

Well, if that's the case he's been angry for over two years.

I don't know anyone that pissed off.

[treegirl]

Yeh, my ex-boyfriend has an older cat who stays in the house and everytime a dog comes in she starts peeing everywhere but her box. She KNOWS she's not supposed to do that. It's totally their way of telling you something is up and they are pissed. Literally. lol

Any new changes with you or your home?

[Cruciform]

We moved into a new home June 15th.

But his pattern has not changed. He has simply never wanted to use a litterbox since he was a kitten..

He will come up, rub against you, get petted until he gets bored, walk around the corner and let loose not 10 seconds after.

He's like a baby. They don't "have" to go to the bathroom. They just do. :P

[treegirl]

o my gosh how FRUSTRATING. cat pee is the worst, which I'm sure you know.

Have you ever tried to put his butt outside for a few when he just pees like that? Like right after he does it so he starts to pick up that when he pees, he goes outside? I dunno. Works for dogs.

Seems like it would be hard to break if he's an older cat. yikes.

My heart goes out to you..... lol

Have you ever tried to pick him up just as he starts to pee and put him in his box. Like everytime he pees?

[lisa marie]

Originally posted by treegirl
I knew someone a l o n g time ago who, when he was a kid, he and his friends thought it was hilarious to put rubbing alcohol on the cats butt. (I KNOW this is cruel and please don't try it) He said the cat would ~actually~ do BACK flips. It's definately mean, I know, but paints a funny mental picture.

I see absolutely NOTHING amusing about this. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[HeatherK]

It seems that some rare cats never learn to use a litterbox. My father's cat's kitten was one, and there is an author of a pet training book, who actually had to euthanize her cat due to it incurably urinating on her stove elements.

So your cat used to use the box, and now refuses to? First thing, I agree, is definately get him checked out for health problems. I missed how old it is, but when they age they can have 'accidents'.

My cat is 13 and recently started picking the area behind the couch in the family room as her box (just for peeing) :( We finally had to give in and try a second litter pan behind the couch. I know you said you've tried 'personal litterboxes', but did you try something like this - where he's already choosing to go? Is the current litterbox maybe in an area he doesn't like? So far so good for my cat. I think due to her age she does not feel the need to go all the way down the stairs to get to her box, especially her being shy, when the couch offers enough privacy :rolleyes: So we now have a litter pan behind the sofa. What are you gonna do..

[treegirl]

sorry lisa marie I was relating a story from a long time ago. I know it was mean and I smacked my friend when he told me about it. Didn't mean to offend you.

[Cruciform]

He's used the box because I'd put him in it constantly as a kitten as preventative measures, but never by his own choice really. He'll poop in it if he can't get away with pooping somewhere else, but he will pee in the middle of a concrete floor over that any time.

I'm just glad he's lazy and can't pee on top of the counters or stove like the cat above.

[CamHanna]

I used to have a cat who wouldn't use a kitty litter with a cover over it but didn't mind one with an open top.

Where is your kitty litter? Is it far from where your cat normally goes? If your cat has never really used the litter except under your direct instruction than perhaps it doesn't realize that the litter is where you go. Perhaps it thinks that it's not supposed to go at all and that you are upset with it because it did, not because it did it in the wrong place.

Maybe try putting him in a small cage with only 2 parts, the kitty litter and a comfortable sleeping part. Put the food in water in the sleeping part to reassert that that's not where you do your business. If he goes in the sleeping part move it to the kitty litter. Hopefully he will decide that with space being so limited he should be careful not to contaminate the good part. Perhaps when he starts using the litter instead of the sleeping part you could move him into a larger area and see if the litter habit holds. This is something I just thought of now and have never tried.

Good Luck
Cam

*Edit*
Ooo, that seemed like a good idea when I posted it but rereading it almost sounds cruel.

[herpslave]

heres an idea. how about instead of being a jerk and peeing on him. just do your business in the cat box! be an example man! Thats how we learn! Maybey he will convert to toilet like you. Or start going poop in his cat box because you are being a nice person!

[Katt]

My cat started to pee all over, especially on clothes. One day, he attempted to pee infront of me and could not express his urine. A call to the vet, made for hysterical ride to the vets (and now the herp part comes in), I immediately put my adult female ball python up for sale, so I could afford vet bills and was actually fielding calls in the vet's office regarding inquiries on my ball python!!

They found that my cat has urinary crytals which unfortunately are a reoccuring problem, but no blockages in a year and half!

The crystals cause pain while peeing and thus the cat associates the litter box with pain and no longer uses it.

[treegirl]

..interesting.

[justinO]

Katt, a few years back i had to put down my cat due to the extreme crystalization. he appeared fine one day then the next he was in complete agony. It was a very sad day.

I wonder if that really bitter spray stuff would work as a negative reinforcement.. everytime it goes somewhere it shouldn't, rub its nose in it then give it a spray of the bitter stuff. I recommend Time Out. Man that stuff is terrible.

cheers,

Justin