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 #2069270


Elliptical
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 HELP ME PLEASE! [Second time i’m posting this]

My cat Buttons is a 15 year old Himalayan. She gets up and walks around, she hasn’t lost any body weight, she eats and sleeps, goes upstairs. But that’s not the problem, obviously.

For the past month she has refused to poop in her litterbox. We just bought her a new one, thinking it was because her old one was as old as she was...gross. We put her food where she poops thinking`Maybe she wont poop where she eats’. WE moved the litterbox closer to her chair, out in the open where it’s easier to get. Now we put it in the bathroom and we have to lock her in there at night. Not even those ’Keep pets away from this’ spray works.

Any other ideas?
09/08/09  11:41am

 #2069360


KrazyKelli
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   Message To: Elliptical   In reference to Message Id: 2069270


 HELP ME PLEASE! [Second time i’m posting this]

Answer a few questions please:

1. How many litter boxes do you have for her?

2. What brand of litter do you use?


Depending on where the cat goes, there are a few reasons it will not crap where it is supposed to. The largest one is that the cat doesn’t’ like something about the litter box. Once you answer the first two questions, I can beam you over all that information.

There’s also a chance that the cat is mediating. This is most common in males, but not unheard of. The cat may be upset about other animals in your household. Usually this is other cats, occasionally this can be a dog. Basically it comes down to the cat not enjoying the smell of the other animals (in or around their litter box) or the animals block the box. Therefore the cat is crapping outside of the box to tell them and you that they are being territorial about it. A sick cat may also do this, so hopefully nothing has turned up with your vet.

If the cat is pissing on furniture, that is a whole ’nother avenue. But since you said crapping specifically, that probably isn’t anything to worry about.



Lastly, cats do not like to sleep or eat anywhere near their litter box. If you have food or a bed next to it, try to put those items further away.

To clean your carpets, buy something called Nature’s Miracle (found at your local pet store). Nature’s Miracle will remove the smell. You can also use a bucket of hot water and spic&span. Use a rag with the water and blot it on the carpets in the effected areas. Then use a white towel and blot up the stain. repeat until stain is gone.
09/08/09  04:02pm

 #2073588


Elliptical
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   Message To: KrazyKelli   In reference to Message Id: 2069360


 HELP ME PLEASE! [Second time i’m posting this]

We have two litter boxes for her. The brand I’m not sure of one but we have used it for years now. The other I’d we are trying feline pine in a litter box in my room where she usually I’d and I have her in with me now overnight. The only other animal in the house is a parakeet, but we had him for 9 years.



09/19/09  01:04am

 #2073642


Sugar Snap Pea
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   Message To: Elliptical   In reference to Message Id: 2069270


 HELP ME PLEASE! [Second time i’m posting this]

Hi, I grew up with cats... the cats had access to a garden and most anywhere around the house, some of them lived to be about 20 years old. What I suspect is your cat, at 15 years old, is getting ready for "retirement"... cats in their later years tend to behave differently, they will find a place they can call their own. They know that they can be vulnerable in their old age and don’t want to be disturbed by other cats. So in that sense, they can become more territorial, but it’s mostly to find their own space away from others. If your cat has found a place in your house to call its own, you may need to re-arrange some things for its comfort around it. And keep other cats/pets away, if you have more than one.

Yes, it’s a good idea to keep your cat’s food or feeding area away from the litter box, at least a few yards away, and to provide a litter box for the cat’s own use. In its old age, even healthy, you need to prepare for its natural death... sorry if this sounds painful, but the last few years are tough. It’s like watching a parent or a grandparent go through loss of teeth, dementia, memory loss, appetite loss, etc. Nonetheless, it is a rich learning experience, and you will remember your cat better for it, my first cat when we found her, was a kitten the size of my palm when I was 12, she passed away when I was 35... and the last few years, she still loved watching the birds from her favourite window.
09/19/09  07:08am

 #2073744


KrazyKelli
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   Message To: Sugar Snap Pea   In reference to Message Id: 2073642


 HELP ME PLEASE! [Second time i’m posting this]

That was a rather depressing last post. But I agree somewhat. When my cats start to get old, I buy them litterboxes with low rims, due to arthritis. You should get one and try it out, if you don’t already have low-rimmed litterboxes. At one time, with my 21 year old cat (before she passed away), I went from low rimmed to a plain cookie sheet.


One big thing, though. It’ll fix all your problems. Go from FelinePine to plain clay, clumping catlitter. You can probably use the rest of your FP for garden material. Most cats I’ve come across hate Feline Pine. They don’t like the smell, they detest the feeling of it under their paws. Fact, when I tried to switch my cats to the stuff, they pissed and crapped everywhere BUT the litterbox in protest. It was an absolute misery.

Cats generally don’t like stepping on rocks or pellets. It feels foreign under their paws and it slips haphazardly under their weight. They like things that resemble dirt, sand, or something fine. Regular scoopable litters work well for this. Plain Tidycat is also acceptable, but you should check to see if the litter sticks to the bottom of the paws, as that can also be unpleasant; the older a kitty gets, the less they groom themselves, so keep that in mind. Scoop the litter once a day.


Tell me if that works out for you.
09/19/09  01:45pm


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