Why does my kitten scratch outside the litter box and not cover poop?

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!

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.

Every cat is a little different in this behavior, some like to bury their feces and others don't care at all. I wouldn't be concerned as long as she is using the litterbox, having formed stool, and not straining to have a bowel movement.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is not uncommon as they are learning to use the litter box. This usually improves with time alone. I would recommend you discourage this behavior as much as possible but other than that it should improve. Good luck and have a great day! I hope you find this information helpful!

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!

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 !

Some cats tend to do that. Mine do it when they do not like their food. So you may want to try some other brand of canned kitten food. Or canned kitten food if you have been feeding dry food. You should also put the water fountain/bowl a few feet away from the food as cats do not like to drink water that is near their food.