kitty will not use litter box. HELP

[t_red]

CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO GET MY BABY GIRL TO USE THE LITTER BOX. I'VE TRIED EVERYTHING SHORT OF PUTTING HER OUTSIDE.

[pawsitively]

First, be sure that the litter box is clean.
Try putting your kitty in the litter box and move her front paws for her as if she were scratching in the box her (him) self.
Good Luck! Betty

[Squawksx3]

Hi and welcome to both of you :)

I think Betty has good advice... if your cat is doing #2 elsewhere in the house, try putting it in the litter box to show the cat thats where it belongs. I've never had this problem, so I really dont know how to help you much.... maybe try using different litter.
Good luck :)

[dlaura]

I would give the same advice Betty gave you. How old is your kitten - cats usually will go to a litterbox naturally. I am surprised her mother did not teach the kitten this. Well, Good Luck. If your kitten is very young (4-5 weeks) it may just need to get a little older.

[Jenny]

I dont 'know how old your kitty is, but I just had a kitten a little over a month old and what I did was to put her in it every 45 minutes or so, and I'd get her front and back paws and make her scratch in it a little. Once she figured out what she was supposed to do and went in it, I gave her lots of praise, and from then on she'd use it. I dont' know if having poop from my adult cat in there helped her in getting the idea that that's what the box is for or what...lol. Also make sure you put your kitty in it after, not before, she's eaten. I tried it before feeding her a few times with no success, but if I waited about 10 minutes. after she'd eaten it usually worked. Good luck! All my other cats have just naturally used it, so I hope you can get the problem cleared up soon.

[Amanda]

Weird as this may sound, but some kittens/cats like "dirty" litterboxes. I've never had this experience with my cats ... but a friend of mine almost gave her cat away because it kept refusing to use the litterbox. She had the cat since it was a kitten (now 1 1/2 years old) and everytime the cat was inside the house, it would do it's business (both #1 & #2) anyplace other than the litterbox. My friend was just about to give up ... when she realized that the cat used the litterbox ONLY when it was dirty. After she cleaned the litterbox, the cat refused to use it. Weird, but true.

[pattia]

My calico is over 10 years old and recently stopped using a litterbox, clean or dirty. Any ideas?

I am also looking for a cat psychologist in the Boston area. Does anyone know anyone?

[Amanda]

Have you taken your cat to the vet? Sometimes if they develop urinary track infection, they will go to the bathroom more often. And, usually they will have an urgent need to go to the bathroom and will just go anywhere near/convenient.

[pawsitively]

Hi Pattia,

I just read your post asking for a "cat psychologist"

I have been in contact several times with a person that does Reiki healing and is also an animal communicator. She lives in Mass. Perhaps she can be of service to you. She has been a lifesaver for me and my feline companions. Her website is>

Http://www.opcweb.com/reiki

e-mail address: reikiforcritters@aol.com

Good Luck,

Betty

[Lvpets]

Sometimes cats will smell where another feline has been and cover the scent with their own, proclaiming it as their territory. I've had this trouble with two grown female cats where one was already established and another cat was brought in later., leaving me to get them each their own litter box. I would clean the areas where your kitty goes and put her in her box throughout the day if possible.