Cat with litter tray issues

[Emilieu]

So my 'not really mine but i seem to be stuck with her' cat has never properly taken to her litter tray. She pees in it no bother (thank goodness) but does her poos elsewhere. At first she would poo in the tray as long as it was spotless but now, even if it has just been changed, she will chose to go elsewhere. My house is mostly laminate flooring and she is on dry food so it is not the worst thing in the world - lift, steralise, glare at her resentfully, get on with my day. However - lovely new bloke is taking me away for a long wekeend and I will have to ask my flatmate or a neighbour to take care of the cats. Bit embarrassed to say 'Oh and if Holly craps on the floor can you just lift it, thanks!' So any tips for how i can make her tray more appealing and the floor less so?

 

[YasandCrystal]

No tips sorry to say but I have a house cat who does exactly the same. My hubby moans about said cat all the time Apparently litter tray habits are very hard if not impossible to break according to my vet.

My advice would be to leave some baby wet wipes and a stack of nappy sacks for the offending poos to be lifted with and into I have yet to advise my house/pet sitters of my cat's habit.

 

[Emilieu]

Oh God, she's only a baby as well, I'm going to be stuck with a cat crapping on my floor for the next 15 - 20 years

At least i'm not alone

 

[Jools2345]

ow many cats and how many litter trays are there?

how often are the trays emptied and have you tried using soil instead of litter?

also, have you tried feliway diffusers in case it is stress related?

 

[Emilieu]

Two cats, three litter trays. Jazz (my beloved, had for years, best bud cat) gets the wet etc lifted out every day and full empty clean and refill every week. The other two trays were getting emptied and cleaned daily but it didn't make any difference so they are now on the same system.

Tried Catsan and wood pellets but hadn't thought of soil...

Didn't think of it being stress related because she pees in the tray. Will try that too. Thank you for the suggestions

 

[s4sugar]

TRy a finer particle litter rather than the lumpiness of catsan. Most of mne wil not use wood pellets but are fine with sophisticat or clean n tidy ( which has a tiny particle size.)

Have you tried a gravel tray ? Different litter depths?

 

[Emilieu]

Brilliant - thanks. Will give this is a go. I did vary the litter depth (mostly to try and limit the amount i was chucking out) but i didn't really note the results. I think a spreadsheet might be required!

 

[Jools2345]

a spreadsheet sounds like a mighty fine idea, another thing to try is a covered litter tray and also sand is worth trying too.

 

[Emilieu]

a spreadsheet sounds like a mighty fine idea, another thing to try is a covered litter tray and also sand is worth trying too.

I have tried covered and uncovered, it doesn't seem to affect her. Although I will pop it on the spreadsheet to be sure! Will add sand.

These are great ideas, thanks so much!

 

[joelb]

Oh God, she's only a baby as well, I'm going to be stuck with a cat crapping on my floor for the next 15 - 20 years

Highly likely in my experience my 13 year old Ragdoll has always been a lazy little madam and will go in any room if she’s not in the mood to use her legs and get to one of 4 trays.

Chick crumb makes quite a useful alternative for litter trays if you’re after fine particles.

 

[slambid]

some interesting stuff here my cat has always used her tray or the bath for a wee and gone outside for poo's but she has recently started using the kitchen floor! she is being terorised by next doors cat though so I wonder if it is stress. thanks for the thoughts.