My new cat won't cover poop. What can I do about litter box habits?

Hello, sorry to hear about Bunny. some things you could consider is getting a larger litter box. Additionally, you should have the litter box in a place where its private for them so as to make them more comfortable. Finally, you should always an equal number of litter boxes as cats, and then have an extra one. You kitty may not be having enough privacy while going into the box and thus not using it adequately. If this doesn't help, you may need to try a covered litter box or even a different type of litter. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi, most issues with the litter tray are related to having a litter that it is too small or not cleaned as frequently enough. Apart from getting a bigger tray you could try adding some leaves and dirt to make it look more natural, also make sure that it is a place where she feels safe when going and can’t be disturbed when “performing” :-) hope this helps !

Is this a new behavior? Is the stool firm and hard? If it is firm and hard then it may be from her being constipated. If it is soft and she has diarrhea, she can have intestinal parasites or she could have eaten something that upset her stomach. I would recommend having a stool sample performed to make sure there are no parasites and to see the consistency of the stool. If the veterinarian says everything is fine then I would use at least 2 litter boxes with clumping litter. Make sure you have a box on each level. I would also consider medication to help with the behavior. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!

Dexter is adorable! Thanks for including a picture and giving such a thorough history. Unfortunately, it is very common for older cats to have changes in their bathroom habits. The first thing I would recommend would be to have your vet examine Dexter and check a fecal sample on him to make sure that there isn't a medical cause for him to be defecating outside the box. Older cats commonly have arthritis along their back which may interfere with their comfort getting into the litter box or squatting to defecate. If Dexter has ever had pain associated with squatting to defecate, he may associate it with the litter box and may avoid the litter box for defecation. So, I would recommend having your veterinarian examine Dexter to see if they find any signs of arthritis that may benefit from medication or other treatment. If your vet can't find a medical reason, then the next step is to look at litter box issues. Even if a cat has been tolerant of a slightly dirty litter box previously, sometimes this changes as they get older. That may mean that if there is ANY urine or stool in a box, then they won't use it. Why this sometimes involves only stool and not urine, we can't always tell. But the first step in any inappropriate elimination case is to make sure that there are the "correct" number of litter boxes in the house which is the number of cats plus one, so that would be 2 boxes in your house. Those boxes must be cleaned at least once daily. Some people use an automatic cleaning litter box for one of their boxes to make sure that there is always a clean box. Cats tend to dislike covered or lined litter boxes, so I would eliminate those if they are as issue. This handout deals mostly with inappropriate urination, but has some good suggestions for litter box issues. veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=633 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It sounds like your new cat may be a digger! I highly recommend purchasing a litter box that has tall sides or an enclosed lid to help keep the litter better contained. You can also place a litter matter under it to help catch any litter that may be falling out. If you've only gotten her today she's likely still adjusting to her new home. I would give her a few weeks to settle in completely. If she doesn't go potty at all in the next day or so, or seems ill or in distress, a vet visit is also a good idea (and is a good idea with any new pet regardless!)

It is possible that Abby is exhibiting signs of stress in her home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Abby’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox, which it sounds like you already have. They should be at least 1.5 times the size of the largest cat. The boxes should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com, and Feliway Frineds, which can help cats get along with each other, in case there is conflict between the cats. https://www.feliway.com/ca_en/Products/FELIWAY-FRIENDS-Diffuser? Defecation outside the litterbox can be due to infection, constipation, difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons, so if these changes don't help, I recommend you have Abby seen by your veterinarian again as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment.