Toileting problem, advice please :-)

[Shortbread]

Hi All,

my relatively new rescue cat Rory has developed bad toilet habits in the last week. He's been toileting fine up to recently (eg always in the box), but now seems rather slap dash, sometimes good, sometimes a complete miss.

When he goes well, he seems to want to pee on the front edge of the tray where there isn't any litter. Which is annoying as it leaves a puddle, rather than a clump. This can't be hygienic as he must be walking in his wee as he exits the box So I've played around with how far forward I pull the litter in order to catch the pee. There seems to be a very fine line here in what is acceptable to him. He doesn't like the litter pulled all the way forward, he wants to go on a clean surface!!!!!!???

We have 2 litter trays, only used by him as big brother goes out for his business. He's never hassled by BB when he goes, I'm here to keep an eye on things. The trays are different, one a conventional closed box, with low-ish sides. The other open and high sided, about 20cm on the deep end and about 10cm on the low end. He seems to prefer going on the shallow end of this box, but with his bum hanging out. I can hear him scatting around in the litter, but the numpty has him bum over the edge Today I thought Aha, I'll turn the open box around, with the shallow end into the wall, that way he'll go in the deep end and won't have his bum hanging out. Nope, he went against the wall in the shallow end and pee'd all over the bathroom floor, as we was in the box scatting around.

Litter: Trying two different types, larger flakes non clumping and very fine grain clumping. Neither makes a difference.

Health: He's been to the vet, no issues.

No disturbance from me, or the family, or BB cat when he goes.

What can I do? Buy a very deep (all around deep) box, so that he can't hang his bum over the edge? Or if he really prefers going on a hard surface since he doesn't like litter it seems, is there any other solution?

Thanks

PS He's locked inside for the next 4 weeks while his leuko vaccine takes effect...only to be let out once he's had his booster. So stuck in for now.

[Kay]

Some cats just don't have good spatial awareness, alas - my late mother had one

I know some people use Puppy Pads under the tray, and I used lots of those blue cloths that come on a roll, as they were easy to wash, dry and re-use

If he's happy with an enclosed tray, you could try one with a flap, which would force him further in - many cats don't like being that enclosed though

Good luck!

[Shortbread]

Thanks Kay,

I hadn't thought of puppy pads, so will look into those, good idea. I'm not quite sure what you mean by the blue pads of a roll, is it something similar to the puppy pads....just an absorbent pad?

Yeah, think I'll have to re-think the litter box shape...either fully enclosed or very high sided.

[Kay]

they're called J cloths and come in packs too https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cloth-Blue-50s/dp/B00V3UIQ3E

they're a greener and cheaper option than puppy pads because reusable, but probably not as absorbent - depends on whether you need to mop up complete wees or just splashes

[Guinevere]

My cat only likes to go in so far too and barely misses peeing outside of it - although on occasion she does! I get the feeling she doesn't want to put her feet in there particularly if this is a second visit when it's not spotless. I use the wood grain cat litter which fluffs up after peeing and is gentle on cat's sensitive paws. I think if you get an enclosed litter tray that might help - if my cat goes in an open one, then she only puts her front paws in!

[booktigger]

Lucy has a covered litter tray, and I still need to use puppy pads under, as she can hit the joint in the covered tray!! I have found certain litters aren't as bad.

[Shortbread]

Aah, the penny dropped, J cloths, thanks Kay. He does mammoth pees outside so they need to be very absorbant

I've been looking at this as an option - a DIY high sided litter tray that he has to pop into from the top, that way he won't have an option to keep his back end out But, not sure if he'll use it.

Booktigger I had a female that was a sprayer too but at least she went at the back not the front. I'm not sure if he's spraying or just hanging his bum out. I need to catch him in the act somehow and see what he's up to!

He seems to favour doing his wee's in one box and poos in the other, and today has been good, but I'm thinking it won't last, as he really does have good and bad days for reasons I can't fathom. I clean every morning, and as soon as he poos I quickly scoop it out (mostly to prevent the stink or him developing a box aversion).

[Shortbread]

Forgot the link for the DIY box

http://livingwellmom.com/2011/11/do-it- ... itter-box/

[Alice]

The DIY box would certainly be effective, but looks to be quite high to get into, and I've never seen boxes like that here in the UK, though others may know where to find them. When I'd a similar problem with a previous cat I bought a large plastic storage box - the sort sold for under bed storage, and didn't use the lid. The box is about 9.5 inches deep, and 15" by 22" across the top, and was quite successful. You can get even deeper ones - which may need a step or box to make entry/exit easier for an elderly/arthritic cat.

[booktigger]

Interesting idea, can't use it for Lucy sadly. Her problem is she tends to wee up the sides of litter trays - her 'best' thing was weeing through the joint, missing the puppy pad and the lino square under the puppy pad - took a couple of days to figure out why I could smell wee with a dry puppy pad! I've always put a lino square under trays, helps with cleaning

[Kay]

I can see this box, which is I think new on the market, being the answer to quite a few problems

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_ ... ter/575492 check out the first review

[Shortbread]

oh Booktigger, I feel your pain. Could she use an enclosed box to prevent her spraying, or would that be too difficult for her to get into?

I went to the downstairs loo this morning to find massive puddles of wee everywhere. Needless to say I'm not in the best of moods now!

So I'm going out today to buy a storage box to make my own DIY version. I saw a version on zooplus that is very similar, thanks Kay for that. I live in switzerland so getting it delivered would take days, and I don't think I can handle 30m of mopping each morning till then, so DIY version it is.

Booktigger, your stories of Lucy have made me think twice about an enclosed box with a flap, as knowing Rory, he'd pee outside the crack as well, or just have his bum hanging over the edge.....bit of a muppet.

One of you said about spatial awareness, I think that must be it with him. He doesn't have his tail (due to an accident) so perhaps can't judge where the edge is.

This is a posh buy it ready made version of teh DIY one I'm going to make.
http://www.zooplus.ch/customerpicturedi ... tte/481819

Alice, I'm going to experiment with a storage box that either is open on top, or with the lid entry to see which he prefers, but yeah, I'm going to coop this morning to buy a clear high sided storage box with lid.

Thanks all xx

[Shortbread]

oh Booktigger, I feel your pain. Could she use an enclosed box to prevent her spraying, or would that be too difficult for her to get into?

I went to the downstairs loo this morning to find massive puddles of wee everywhere. Needless to say I'm not in the best of moods now!

So I'm going out today to buy a storage box to make my own DIY version. I saw a version on zooplus that is very similar, thanks Kay for that. I live in switzerland so getting it delivered would take days, and I don't think I can handle 30m of mopping each morning till then, so DIY version it is.

Booktigger, your stories of Lucy have made me think twice about an enclosed box with a flap, as knowing Rory, he'd pee outside the crack as well, or just have his bum hanging over the edge.....bit of a muppet.

One of you said about spatial awareness, I think that must be it with him. He doesn't have his tail (due to an accident) so perhaps can't judge where the edge is.

This is a posh buy it ready made version of teh DIY one I'm going to make.
http://www.zooplus.ch/customerpicturedi ... tte/481819

Alice, I'm going to experiment with a storage box that either is open on top, or with the lid entry to see which he prefers, but yeah, I'm going to coop this morning to buy a clear high sided storage box with lid.

Thanks all xx

[booktigger]

She did all that with a covered litter tray! Ironically she hasn't used a covered litter tray since her operation, and hasn't overshot it yet, although she does still wee up the side of it, hopefully we have solved the problem. I always take the flap off covered litter trays - my old cat Molly, also overshot the tray, so I bought a covered one, didn't think about the flap, Molly hated it that much she wee'd on the bed rather than the tray!! After I took the flap off, she was fine, so I've never used them since.

Hope you get something sorted.

[Shortbread]

Well I bought a large open high sided storage box this morning and put a kiddie step stool next to it so that he can get in and out easily. This will either be the cure we need or a huge disaster! I'll post back once he's been .

We stopped using the flap on our enclosed box because our old cat Tiss would wake us up at 3am boxing the damn thing and would keep going for 10min. So that went to the bin! :-p

[Shortbread]

SUCCESS!!!!

The new box has been used three or four times now, all w/o problems, and no puddles outside the box. Phew, what a relief!

I wonder if the reason that he's lost his tail and then had toileting problems is why his previous owners dumped him on the streets!? What a horrible thought. A bit of imagination and perseverance and his toileting problem is fixed....as for the missing tail, he makes up for it otherwise. He's a lovely cat.

I've attached a picture to show what it looks like. Thanks for all your help! xx

[booktigger]

Glad it is working!! Sadly, that could indeed be the reason - my Buster sprayed a lot, I wondered if that contributed to him ending up in rescue.

[Shortbread]

Yep sadly, I think that's the major reason a lot of cats end up in the rescue centers, people can't find a solution and give up.

[booktigger]

Yeah - Buster did nearly go back in the early days, after spraying on something different everyday - worst was the bed! He only didn't because we were waiting for test results, and he wasn't up for homing, I was only 'allowed' him because I'm friends with the manager. I also adopted a cat once who overshot the tray so the rescue deemed her unhomeable - I was used to it with Molly so gave her a chance - sadly she had cancer so only had 7 weeks in a home, but at least she got that chance

[Shortbread]

Oh what sad cases! You must have the patience of a saint...I don't know many that could put up with that. We had toileting problems with an old cat of ours and I must admit I despaired at times and thought of getting rid of her (God forgive me!), but I didn't in the end, we found a solution, and had her till it was her time to go 14 years later. I'm glad I didn't give up on her, she turned out to be the best friend and most mothering cat to my kids, she absolutely adored them, and that was really special for them.

[booktigger]

Yeah, I do seem to end up with 'awkward' cats - Buster did it from the beginning, he wee'd on two cat beds (one had clothes on!) In the first 24 hours! I knew the rescue wouldn't try a second time, if I gave up, he would live his life out there. I must have the patience of a saint, he was also the neighborhood bully! Good job I have a tolerant neighbour. Aww, she sounds a lovely cat