Hello,

We got a cat from an SSPCA refuge just over a week ago - she's about 1 year old and was taken in there in pretty poor condition last summer. She's now very healthy, a real sweetie and extremely affectionate - absolutely adorable.

At the refuge, we were told she wouldn't poo in her box, but only on newspaper around it. We thought this would be bearable.

She has settled into her new home very quickly, she's clearly very happy and loves our attention and is very loving. She's got the utility room to herself at nights, and we've given her the run of the downstairs rooms (perhaps too early?).

So... what's the problem? She won't use her litter tray - and we're totally baffled. We've let her outside, but she isn't too keen to stay out any length of time because of the extreme cold, which isn't helping persuade her that outside in the garden is a good place for toileting.

Unfortunately, she thinks that the whole utility room floor can act as her toilet, both for poo and wee. During the past week, she has used the tray only once or twice.

So what have we done to try and sort things out?

1) We bought an extra litter tray, in case she wanted to poo in one and wee in another (both trays are open, not enclosed).

2) We've put softer litter in one tray in case the usual litter hurts her paws.

3) We've put tin foil on the floor (at the vet's suggestion) in areas where we don't want her to toilet.

4) We've picked her up and put her down in the trays to point out that they're there.

5) We've put lots of newspaper on the utility room floor (and keep changing it).

Until this evening, she has only used the utility room for toileting. This evening she decided the living room carpet is also game.

My partner and I are, understandably, not happy about this and it's giving us a constant round of cleaning up and disinfecting the floor.

We can't understand why she won't use the litter tray for a wee at least (which she did in the refuge), and why she's toileting wherever she likes and not on the newspaper.

Anyone got any advice, thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks,

Peter

How long have you had the cat ?

Have you tried cat attract litter as it supposed to do what it says on the tin and make the cat want to wee and poo in it.

A week is not very long,she will be quite confused at the moment as she does seem to have had a pretty rough time.The fact that she had issues with inappropriate toileting when in the shelter may or may not be a problem.It may be worth getting a feliway diffuser to help to calm her down.The best way to handle her problems relating to not using the litter tray I will leave to someone better versed in this.I agree with GreyHare give the Cat Attract litter a try.

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Doh I missed the the bit about only having her a week I wouldn't be letting her out yet as she will still be very unfamiliar with her surroundings and if she goes walk about she may get lost and not know where or how to get home.

I agree with Buffie that feliway would be good as she is probably still a little stressed and unsettled, this article may help but the site in general is very good and has a lot of imformation for cat owners.

Personally after only a week I would still be limiting her to your utility room. After being in a rescue centre and then suddenly moving to a new home she is likely to still be confused and unsettled, so all introductions to changes in her lifestyle need to be made very, very slowly so she can take it all in and not become overwhelmed. Cats are extremely clean creatures and very particular about their poop and wee, so if she's pooing out in the open or in the middle of the floor this is likely to be a sign that she's not a happy kitty just now and still confused about things.

Things I would try -
- Feliway - A synthetic hormone that is used like a plug-in air freshener which will help settle the cat.
- Putting down a tray with just newspaper (no litter) in it, as the shelter said she'll poop on paper, so maybe try offering her the option to do this but in a tray?
- Think about where her tray is located. Many cats will refuse to use a tray if it's somewhere cold, draughty or too near to where they sleep or eat. If you do need to move it, do it very gradually over several days - just a couple of inches at a time - otherwise she may become upset if its moves suddenly.
- If she does poo anywhere other than the tray, move the poo into the tray and then show it to her. Give her lots of fuss to reinforce poo+tray=good, and if you do see her using the trays at all (for wee or poo) give her lots of positive reinforcement - cuddles and fuss and treats.

Let us know how you get on.

Thanks for all this great advice.

She has certainly settled down by now and things are a bit better. I think she's quite content in her new home and - despite what the rehoming centre said - is very playful. Her main joy in life is curling up next to us on the sofa.

Feliway looks good and I think we'll get some. I've put peat into one litter tray, which she now seems to like to wee in. I think she probably likes the softer underfoot feeling. We've also tried some wood-based litter from Morrisons and that seems quite good.

And, to be honest, rolling up newspaper off the floor is actually easier than picking bits out of a litter tray.

The main snag now is actually getting her interested in going outside (it's been rather cold admittedly) - she doesn't seem to want to go out at all (we need to persuade her that outdoors is far better than a litter tray).

My experience is that cats are pretty curious creatures, but she doesn't seem at all interested in exploring the garden and just hops up onto the window sill whenever she's let out and stays there until we let her back in. Do you think she's very nervous about being outside? (There's certainly no danger of her running off - quite the opposite, it seems).

Good to hear that she is settling in better and is obviously very trusting towards you.Do you know anything about her background,it is possible she has been a house cat and not used to being out.She may be scared of the outside world because something happened,she may just feel you wont be there when she comes back.If she is reluctant to go out why do you not just keep her as a housecat.All of mine have been house cats and I've had no problems.It is actually nice to know that they are safe from all the traffic,yobs and any other dangers.More peolple are keeping cats indoors these days ,it is worth considering.

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can you put things next to the litter box so there is no going beside the litter tray?

also maybe it s the litter itself - perhaps your cat prefers plain plastic to pee on?

I am not aiming my little article at you but it does have a picture of how I have stuff either side of the litter box that make it not possible to go anywhere but the litter box [ignore the article lol]

kitty litter article :: ScreenShot006.jpg picture by whiteb89 - Photobucket

the picture of the blue litter box

the other litter box is in the middle of the floor for takign the picture and is not in its usual spot

I have taught my cats so that I can pee them

I had a long standing peeing problem here and I used a lot of things to win

one thing was to pee them - I put them in litter box and stroke them and speak softly what a good kitty etc

if the cat jumps out and does not pee I will do it again but I will not do it more than twice because the cat may not have anything in the bladder so I cannot force the cat to pee

it has got to the stage that when I put the cat in the litter box she will swish her tail for a few minutes and then squat down

this may be worth teaching your cat and you can pee your cat before you go to bed

with an empty bladder the cat is less likely to do it in the wrong place and then you pee it again when you get up and slowly the habit will be ingrained

good luck

When getting a new cat, I always thought you should confine him or her to one room for at least a week before gradually letting them out into the rest of the house. I find that keeping them to one room helps them adjust to the new surroundings and to make them feels secure and bond with their new humans. To let them roam the entire house and even outside within a week is too stressful, they need to build up confidence, surely? I may be mistaken.

Hi i jave similar problem. Cat poos at back of litter loo but not wee. She wees in corner by flap but it spills out everytime, I have to use puppy training pads.

Its puzzling she will turn round to poo and not wee.....any ideas?