# My 5 month old kitten refuses to pee in litterbox!!



## tara87 (Sep 24, 2009)

I got a kitten that is about 5 months old and I got him when he was about 9-10 wks old. When I first got him, he would poo and pee behind the chairs and in dark corners. Eventually after scolding him and showing him his box, he started pooing in his box. In fact he hasn't pooed outside his box since unless he is locked in a room without the litter box and he has a poorly stomach. Well he hasn't taken to peeing in the box yet and it has been 3 months. He will occasionally pee in the box and most of the time that is where he goes but if I am not watching his every move or if I left him a lone in a room, he would go behind chairs or in cupboards and pee everywhere! I have his food/water in a whole other room apart from his litterbox because I hear cats dont like to do their business near where they eat. So his litterbox is now in the bathroom (which is a non traffic area) and his food/water are in the kitchen, he should have NO excuse for not using his box. He is the fussiest kitten. He will take 1 poo in his box then go pee somewhere else as if it is too dirty for him. I changed the litter out and put a new liner in the box with some fresh litter and he walks in it and seems happy then goes and pees behind a chair. I need to break this habbit bc I will be getting an apt with carpet and I can't afford to pay rent and pay to have new carpet put in bc my kitten doesn't know how to use the litterbox!!!! HELP ME ASAP!! It is really frustrating bc now I have to lock him in the toilet anytime I go out because he can't be trusted.


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Ok.... hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions?

What does his litter box look like - is it a covered one/low one etc?
What kind of cat litter are you using?
How often is the tray cleaned - how often do you take the 'lumps' out, and change it completely?
Do you have more than one litter tray in the house?
Do you have any other cats?
Do you have children?
Any other pets in the house?

Also... where did you get him from, do you know anything about his background and breed (if any).

Sorry to be so nosy! but it may help


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## ChinaBlue (Feb 3, 2008)

Okay firstly I would perhaps take him to the vet to check he doesn't have a UTI though this sounds more behavioural and physical.

Secondly it may be an idea to provide him with a second litter tray. If the original tray is open - try a covered one. Also try a totally different type of litter - if you have clumping perhaps try a non-clumping or maybe recycled paper (Yesterdays News), or wood pellet type. Or even better try the Cat or Kitten Attract litter.

It may be worth taking out the litter tray liner - some cats hate the feel of that through the litter.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

sOME CATS DON'T LIKE TO POO AND PEE IN the same place - soyou could try two litter boxes and some cats like a covered box for privacy, and some like a very clean litter box so if you use a clumping litter you can take the lumps out staight away and leave it nice and clean for him, and other don't like particular litters. Fom what you say I think he would like a covered litter box to pee in.


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## tillysdream (Sep 23, 2009)

All good advice given above... TWO hooded litters, one for pee and one for poo 
Though reading between the lines, sounds like it may be a very nervous shy cat. I don't mean to be harsh but 'scoulding' the cat and locking it in the bathroom all day will just make the cat more unhappy/nervous and make the toileting problem worse. Though I can completely understand the reasons you restrict access to the rest of the house, but this will just make cat more unhappy/stressed. A happy, healthy cat will use the litters no problem. But as others suggested a visit to the vet would be good, to rule out any medical reason, which a sterile urine sample would determine. 
Merlinsmum asked some good questions regarding your household, which may add to the cats stress peeing...
Good luck!


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## tara87 (Sep 24, 2009)

*Merlins Mum*-What does his litter box look like - is it a covered one/low one etc? It is a low and open litter box.
What kind of cat litter are you using? I am using a gravel type of litter. I have tried clumping litter, sandy litter, wood pellets (that was awful and it made mess everywhere)
How often is the tray cleaned - how often do you take the 'lumps' out, and change it completely? I clean the box every day and completely change out the litter every 2 wks or so. When I do that, I also boil water and deep clean his box so it smells nice and clean. I dont want to change it out completely every wk as I will be going through a lot of litter then but if thats what it takes, I will do it.
Do you have more than one litter tray in the house? No just one litterbox that is open.
Do you have any other cats? Yes in America which in about 2 months, sailor will be introduced to them as I am going back to America.
Do you have children? Nope. Its just me and my boyfriend.
Any other pets in the house? No, he is the only pet.

*china blue*- I stopped using litter tray liners about 3 wks ago and he still pees outside the box.

*Spid*- My bf is already fed up with the idea of one litter box and would die with the idea of 2 in his house. He wants sailor to learn to go to the bathroom outside since he is an outdoor cat.

*Tillysdream*-My kitten is actually VERY outgoing and loving. I don't know how to properly scould my cat. He does naughty things such as taking our food off our plates while we are eating, peeing outside of his litterbox, picking up food out of his bowl and eating them on the floor (he only does that with biscuits) So what is a good way to be assertive with him? I also haven't locked him in the bathroom for long periods except night time when we are asleep bc if we let him loose he pees on the carpet. No cats do this, not even nervous ones that I have met. I just want it to stop so that he can sleep with us again. =(


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

How fed up is your boyfriend with the peeing? - cos it could be a choice between two covered trays OR peeing on the carpet! 

Is your boy neutered as that could be a bit of the problem as he will be coming into his hormones and could be scent marking. They don't always spray up walls. 

Scolding a cat rarely works. 
Eating off you plate - don't let him on the table and keep putting him on the floor eventually he will learn - or shut him out of the room whilst you eat. Gently consistant wins the day - 

Taking his food out of his bowl - you can't really stop this other than to provide a lot bigger bowl - maybe he doesn't like what it is made of or it is too deep. You can't scold him for this - my two still do this at times - they are cats not humans. 

The pee-ing has been covered. 

All you can do is try differnet things and find what works you can't bend a cats will to yours I'm afraid.


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## tillysdream (Sep 23, 2009)

spid said:


> How fed up is your boyfriend with the peeing? - cos it could be a choice between two covered trays OR peeing on the carpet!
> 
> Is your boy neutered as that could be a bit of the problem as he will be coming into his hormones and could be scent marking. They don't always spray up walls.
> 
> ...


Yip I agree Spid, I would rather have two litters than a cat peeing on a carpet.
The OP asks for advise, but then disregards it....
Also neutering the cat may eradicate this problem completely, its a bit early for a male cat to want to scent mark at 5 months, but its not unheard of.... Or could be cystitis and that really needs to be treated asap, before a pattern of behaviour is developed. So, all in all, a trip to the vets is deffo in order...


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## tara87 (Sep 24, 2009)

I wouldn't mind having 2 or even 3 litterboxs in the house! The problem is I go back to America in about a month and until then I live with my bf and he says either the cat pees in the box in the bathroom or it will have to be monitered at all times. Its ridiculous but that's what he said to do! I got the kitten while I was over here and with my 2 cats in America, I have 2 different boxes. 1 is in the laundry room and the other is in the living room. So I will take Sailor to the vet anyways just to make sure he is a healthy cat but I would rather not start problems with the bf by buying a 2nd box. Come to think of it Sailor is getting a bit too big for the box he is in now, so maybe I can just get him a bigger box and new litter and see how he does with that. I will keep the other box on the patio outside until I see how he does with his new one, that way if he doesn't like it I can just bring his old box in. 

As far as eating off the plate, we don't eat at a table, we just eat on the couch and Sailor jumps up and steals stuff off of it. I repeatedly put him down literally 100 times and he jumps right back up. He also will come sit on your shoulder and just watch you eat. He has tried to bat food out of my hands and mouth. He is not starving. I feed him a lot and he is satisfied with his food but he has an obsession with human food. 

Him picking up his biscuits and eating on the floor doesn't bother me at all. It gets annoying cleaning it up but compared to what my cat in America does, it doesn't bother me. My cat in America sits at her water bowl and scoops water up with her paw and tries drinking off her paw then shakes it off on the floor. 

Tillysdream- I didn't disregard the advice, I am just trying to be considerate of my bf. It isn't so worth it when its just 1 more month over here. By the time I get to America, I will buy him all the litterboxes in the world for every room of my apt. I just need to know temporary advice that might help but that might also stick with Sailor so he isn't in and out of bad behaviour. 

I also haven't spayed Sailor and don't plan to. Is that bad?

What age do kittens get stuck in their ways? If he has certain bad habits, can they be broken by a certain age or if I wait too long will he have them forever??


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## thompsonk (Jul 4, 2009)

Is he going to be an outdoor cat?

Personally as its only another month I would tell the bf if he doesnt want a 2nd tray for 1 MONTH to try and stop the cat peeing on the carpet or he moves out for the month simple as that! God knows my OH wouldnt win ANY war when it comes to my house (or anything for that matter!)

Neutering him would probably help with the peeing.

As for the eating off the plate,as a last resort I would put him out the room when you are eating.

xx


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2009)

Hi my cat will not wee in his tray if he has poo'd, he runs to us when he has been so I change it, then straight after he poo's. I feed raw so he poo's once every two day's.
It's better to feed on a plate rather than from a bowl especially if cat is white. (Some say to lift it a lil higher helps with digestion), but never tried this.


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

If you want an entire male around, getting into fights when he defends his territroy (and the ensuing vets bills) and spray marking his territory (possibly inthe house as well as outside - very smelly) then don't neuter him. He will change his character in al likelihood and become more domineering and agressive. I'd certainly have it done ASAP as hormones could be kicking in now. 

If you bf can't deal with 2 trays for a month (rather than pee on the carpets)then he needs his head examining - he needs to learn to be considerate to you too! Just my opinion - but my hubby wouldn't get away with treating me or the cats like that.

Use a water bottle to spray the cat when he tries to eat off your plate and when he does keep on doing it - put him out of the room.


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## tara87 (Sep 24, 2009)

It is my bfs house that we stay in though. I came over here for holiday and am supposed to go back in November. While being over here his friends cat had kittens and I fell in love with one so I took him. Sailor is outdoors but sleeps inside at night and if its raining or too cold, he will stay indoors during the day as well. I can't always be watching him to make sure he doesn't pee on the floor. I also can't tell my bf to leave lol considering its his house. If it were my own place I wouldn't mind having 2 or 3 litterboxes, as long as my cat wasn't peeing on the carpet, I don't mind what it takes. 

I feel bad neutering Sailor. I don't think that is the main cause of him peeing on the carpet. I will take him to the vets soon anyway but like I have stated, if there are any ideas at all on how to fix the problem, they are much appreciated.


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## tara87 (Sep 24, 2009)

Spid- What do you mean if I want an entire male around? If I neuter him and his personality changes, are you saying it will become domineering and aggressive or it will be that way if I DON'T neuter? 

Yeah the other problem is that we live in a very small cottage so there isn't much room for a 2nd litterbox anyway! My bf says its unhygenic to have so many litterboxes and he says outdoor cats should be going outdoors to the bathroom. He doesn't know of anyone who has litterboxes inside, much less 2of them!! When I bring Sailor back to America, I will be deciding how many boxes he has and waht not and I am perfectly fine with 2 boxes considering that is how I many I have at my moms house with my 2 other cats. 

Lol, my cats are my babies so I try and do what I can to make sure Sailor doesn't get in trouble by peeing on the carpet but I also don't want to piss the bf off. He has been quite considerate in a lot of areas with Sailor and I can see his frustration bout peeing on the carpet but yeah, I wish I could have a 2nd box around at times.

BalooJ- Yeah usually after Sailor poos it is so stinky, I go remove it anyway! But if I am asleep upstairs, I won't know if he pooed and can't go downstairs just to check if he has that way he can pee. Maybe I just need different litter and a bigger box? I don't know. 

What do you mean by eating off of a plate and better digestion?? If I feed him in a bowl or plate, it will still be on the ground and he will have to crouch low to eat?


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## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

I'd just like to point out very cautiously that if he is an outdoor cat and he isn't neutered, there's also the risk (or indeed probability) of making many tiny cat babies with random unspayed female cats. Might want to put that into consideration when you say you don;t want to get him neutered.

Peace
Akai-Chan


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

tara87 said:


> Spid- What do you mean if I want an entire male around? If I neuter him and his personality changes, are you saying it will become domineering and aggressive or it will be that way if I DON'T neuter?


If you DON'T neuter he will change in personality - he will go through cat puberty and become territotial and probably srpay to mark his territory, he will get into fights to defend that territory and the femnales in it and he will sow his seed whereever he can. If you neuter him now his personality will NOT change (as he is young), he should stop scent marking (which could be what the peeing is) he is much less likely to fight and definately won't makle loads of little babies. He won't miss his nadgers, won't worry about being a virgin etc (all human feelings transposed onto a cat), you won't be cruel for doing it, in fact you are a better perosn (IMHO) for doing it - because you will be preventing loads of kittens being born and potentially ending up in resuce and/or euthanaised. My advice - neuter him now before you leave for America.

Personally, I think in your situation you are either going to have to make Sailor a wholey outdoor cat until you leave or put up with pee smelling carpets (and the smell will stay for a good long while after you've left if you aren't washing the areas with the proper stuff - washing powders etc leave a trace of amonia smell and don't get rid of all the smell - you need proper stuff for remeoving pet odour from the ppet shop)

I do think you have had loads of advice from people that have years of experience and the bf is the sticking factor - apart from my two new 'suggestions' we have covered everything and there is no more that I know of. I would just hope it hasn't developed into a habit before you get to America and no number of trays will deter him. And ask the vet about a urinary tract infection (very common in boys especially if you happen to feed dry food) just in case the poor soul is in pain.

I'm ducking out of this thread now. I've said and helped all I can. I hope you find a solution.


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