My 3-week-old kitten pees but won't poop in the litter box. Help!

This can be a difficult problem to figure out. Some cats prefer to urinate in one litter box and defecate in another, so if he only has access to one box the first thing I’d recommend is adding a second box. If you haven’t tried Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract litter it may be worth trying that specific brand. Finally, if he seems to prefer fabric you could try lining a litter pan with a disposable potty pad. If at any point his stool doesn’t look normal (i.e. If you see diarrhea, mucous, blood or if it seems very firm) I’d recommend rechecking with your vet. Good luck!

Now that she is 3-4 weeks old she may be peeing or pooping without your knowledge. Go ahead and start teaching her the litter box but make sure it is small enough that she can get in and out. If you haven't already I would also start weaning her to cat food. At first you will still have to supplement with formula but you start by putting all for feet in canned food on a paper plate. Soon she will start eating that. And once she gets a little older, approximately 6 week, you can start adding softened kibble. The fact that she is still playful and acting normally, I do not think she is block and not urinating or pooping. Usually they will become lethargic. If you still haven't see any irons or poop in the next day or she becomes lethargic then I would see your vet for an exam. They will be able to tell if she is constipated or if the bladder is really large. I hope this helps!

Provide a litterbox or two for them. Use litterbox attractants to get them to investigate the box. If they go elsewhere, you can use a tissue to soak up the urine or pick up the stool and place them in the litterbox. Monitor the kittens for cues they are going to go. This can include circling, pacing, lifting the tail or sniffing about. Place them in the box immediately. Be patient and be consistent. Use an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle to thoroughly clean soiled areas.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Shay. I recommend adding one or more additional litter boxes to your home. You should have one box per cat plus one. So if you have a total of two cats, then you need a minimum of three litterboxes. A lot of times this will resolve problems with a cat not using the box consistently. If this does not help, then she needs to see her veterinarian to rule out a medical problem. I hope this information helps!

I would be a little worried that Jinx might be urinating somewhere else in the house! I'd recommend confining her to a small area like a bathroom with the litter box so that you can closely monitor what is happening - pull all rugs up. It is also possible that she is nervous about her new situation and simply hasn't urinated yet. If she is eating and drinking well and you're not seeing her straining to urinate or defecate you could probably give her another 24 hours of very close supervision. If she still does not go I would recommend seeing a veterinarian.

Use a litter box attractant. You can purchase one from most pet stores. If she defecates under the bed, remove the stool and place it on the litterbox. Block her access to the bed. Use tin foil or a carpet runner flipped upside down (pokey side up) to keep her off the bed.

I would be interested to know whether or not Sophia is even going near the box at all, or just eliminating anywhere she feels like it. It sounds like you may need to try and isolate her from the other cat for a while and set up a litter box trial. My advise would be to keep Sophia in a bathroom or a small room for a couple of days. Set up two to three litter boxes in there. Each litter box should have some different qualities (different types of litter, cover vs uncovered, different amounts of litter etcetc). If you choose to use a bathroom, I would also remove anything in there that is soft or squishy that your kitty might feel like is a good place to eliminate. Two or three days will be sufficient in terms of time to see how she reacts to this. In terms of litter, there is a company called Catattract who gives a 100% guarantee or your money back concerning the effectiveness of their litter. This is something you may want to try eventually. The stuff isn't cheap but I have had some great luck with it so far. If you need a more detailed or in depth behavioral consultation, let me know and I'd love to help you out.