Sh*tty Kitty - sorry, not horsey...

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Flicker

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... but can't very well put her in 'All About Dogs'

Our 6 month old rescue kitten has suddenly forgotten how to use her litter tray. We've had her about 3 months and she seemed to be doing really well, bar the odd accident. Then last week I found 3 poos in the garage and then another one over the weekend. I cleaned them up thoroughly and sprayed disinfectant over the spot to remove the smell, so it didn't smell like a litter tray.

We clean out her litter tray twice a day (she seems even less likely to use it if there is something there already) and I have now emptied all the old Aquamax litter out and replaced it with a layer of new litter.

And we've barred access to the garage.

Now, short of standing over her, waiting for her to poo and plonking her on the litter tray, I'm not sure I can do anything else.

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas?

I should add that she's very happy to pee in the tray.
 
She can probably still smell in the garage where she has gone, unfortunaly a lot of cleaning products dont get rid of the smell for cats. Use biological washing powder on any areas she soils. You could try putting some earth in her litter tray to encourage her to use that. Also put it in an area where she has privacy and no through traffic. It does just sound as though she is a little bit anxious. You could also try some feliway spray around the litter tray area.
 
Try leaving orange peel in the places you don't want her using - cats can smell things even after bleaching etc but they hate citrus smell. It really does work and its free!
 
Great tips both - thank you I will give them a try!
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You could also try to offer more then one litter tray, that sometimes helps.

Also, if you have changed the type of litter that you are using, try changing it back to the original one some cats are particular about the type of litter used.
 
^^^^^ yep that as well. She may just be very shy as well, if she keeps on doing it try getting a litter tray with a cover on so that no one can see her when she goes!
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I'd start by increasing the number of litter trays. If that doesn't help I would take more drastic action, confine her to a small room or a large crate. Make sure the litter tray is kept clean and leave her there for a couple of days to get her back into the habit. The worry is she will find other 'toilets' around the house and they could easily include your bed and laundry basket
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Cats often behave like this when they are stressed. I'd make sure at least one of the litter trays is covered so that she has a little more privacy.
 
Thanks all. The litter tray is in a small room, behind a door and is very private. It is the little room that she lived in when she first arrived, to acclimatise her to the house, so she should be familiar with it and secure there. Yes, if needs be, she can go back in there, although she'd be furious with us!

Interestingly, it only happened once we moved her food tray from out of that little room, into the garage. We've moved that back into 'her' room now. I think that is the only change we've made to her routine. Her litter etc is the same as we've always used.

I will get a couple of trays and leave them around her favourite 'spots' - fortunately she seems to prefer concrete / lino floors as a toilet to carpeted ones (long may that last!!).

Fingers crossed, and thanks again.
 
Aluminium foil laid down where she's been going. Most cats will not walk on it as they don't like the noise. Orange peel works a treat. Feliway spray is excellent as are the diffusers. the other thing is get a cat tray that's got a lid so she can go in it and be totally private, worked for my 3.
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