Why is my cat kicking her back legs like she's digging outside the litter box?

I would not be concerned about her twitching a little when you touch her back. Sometimes when cats get happy and excited they seem like they are shaking their back/lower body but it is just the stance that they are in. Without seeing what she is doing it is hard to say if it is something to be concerned about. A lot of times your veterinarian will be willing to look at the video to see if it is something to be seen or not. I would call and see if they will be willing to look at a video on their email (if they have one). Otherwise if she is acting completely normal otherwise I wouldn't worry at this time. If things change or the shaking gets worse then I would recommend evaluation with a veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kittens are full of playful energy, and it can be an exhausting (but very entertaining) phase. What you're describing is completely normal kitten behavior, which means it's just a phase that you need to get through. There is no way to ask Jinx to be calmer - but you can help her use some of that energy before bed by playing with her, encouraging her to chase a laser pointer, etc - and hopefully that helps tire her out so you can sleep! If you need to confine her to get some sleep, you might set her up in a different room with plenty of things to play with, or get her a large indoor kennel (big enough to fit food, water, litterbox, and toys). Her playing in the litterbox is also part of the mischievous kitten stage, but it might help to get her a larger litterbox that offers a bit more space, make the layer of litter deeper, or play around with the type of litter and see if there's one that better covers her stools. If all else fails, have patience and try to find the humor in her antics - she will calm down eventually when she grows out of her baby stage! Hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern! What you are describing could very well be due to a urinary tract infection. If Barbie is uncomfortable or experiencing pain from the infection, the twitching could be secondary to the infection. I would recommend that Barbie be examined by a veterinarian and have her urine tested to see if there is a urinary tract infection going on so that the most appropriate treatment can be recommended. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

There are a few things to consider; some cats will go in the corner of the litter box, so they end up hanging their tush over the edge and it goes out of the box. You could try a litter box with a cover or with high sides to see if that helps. The size of the box and ease of entry is something else to consider. If she is still small enough that she has to leap into something that she can't see into, getting in the box may be a bit daunting. Make sure the has an approachable entry for her. Also consider if you changed the type or brand of cat litter. Some cats can be very picky. Go back to the old brand if you have switched. If you have not made a change it cat litter, you can also try a cat litter called Cat Attract-- its a brand of cat litter that most cats accept very well. Another thing to keep in mind is other cats and the location of the boxes. If you have multiple cats, make sure that you have enough litter boxes. If you have 2 cats, have 3 boxes. If you have 4 cats, have 5 boxes. I know that seems like a lot, but its the best way to prevent negative cat interactions near a litter box, and avoid them feeling territorial. If you have an older cat, the box may have been "occupied" when she needed to go, or she may have been intimidated by the other cat being nearby and didn't want to get in a confrontation. To be thorough, I would also recommend that you take her to your vet to see if there's any medical issue going on that could be contributing. Take a stool sample with you. If she has intestinal parasites or other causes of inflammation in her intestine, she could be having some urgency that doesn't allow her to quite get into the box. Also, if she is painful somewhere, she may be trying to avoid getting up into the box. I hope that helps you. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

There are a few follow up questions regarding Kiara. Is this new or has she always had this going on? If this is new then it can be trauma related or even a clot. If this has always been going on then it may be congenital. Ideally, she would see a veterinarian for a full physical examination. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is a bit unusual. I would say that if this becomes consistent, this may be due to her not liking the litter box material or perhaps the litter box itself. You could try changing the litter box and/or the material to see if that resolves the issue. Good luck!

It might just be that Lucky is a little off-balance as she is growing. Changing the box type (higher sides, step in, etc) may help position her better, otherwise using a pet wipe to clean her bottom may help. If you suspect she may have an issue such as not being able to stand or walk properly that is causing it, a vet visit to rule out any issues is always a good idea.