# Kitten keeps standing in her Poop



## Chris Slinn (Sep 16, 2019)

I have two 14 week old kittens, bengal / maine coon cross. Both are brilliant at using the litter tray but one seems to have developed an issue with standing in her poop almost every time she uses the tray. 

I have an enclosed tray with the flap taken off and use non-clumping clay litter. I did watch her once (shame on me) to see if I could spot the issue and she has no problem digging a little hole, but seems to forget where she's poo'd and then ends up stepping in it while shes trying to bury. Its getting a bit annoying now as she ends up with litter and poo stuck all over her back legs which she then kicks off all over the walls and tracks it on the floor and furniture. When I'm in I can obviously intervene but if I'm at work she has free run of the house.

Has anyone had this issue? Its been two weeks now and it almost every time she uses the tray. 

Cheers


----------



## Tetley&Kenco (Aug 21, 2019)

Yep mine both did this a lot, especially Tetley.

They’re 5 months now and Kenco has grown out of it. Tetley is much better and only does it occasionally now and getting less frequent

Tetley never does it with his open topped tray, but is much more likely to do it with the covered one. Kenco also only ever did it with the covered one


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hello @Chris Slinn - I would give your kittens large open trays because then (as Tetley&Kenco found) your kitten is less likely to step in her poo. Use a fine grain litter and fill the tray to a depth of around 5 to 6 cms.

You will need a minimum of 3 trays for 2 cats. 2 kittens can sometimes manage OK with 2 trays, but there should never be fewer than 2 trays for 2 kittens.

If your kitten is getting poo on the backs of her legs and stuck to her feet it sounds as though her poo is too loose. Normal, firm poo does not stick to the backs of a kitten's legs.


----------



## Chris Slinn (Sep 16, 2019)

Thanks chillminx, I'll give the finer litter a try. Their trays are already large and I can remove the covers to keep them open.
The loose poo is a different issue but yeah, I figured that may have something to do with it as well. She's currently on pro-biotics to help with her digestion with a trip back to the vet next week to check a 'sample'


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @Chris Slinn - I'm glad you are following up on the problem with the loose poo.  . Have the kittens been wormed since you got them? [Panacur is usually the wormer used].

If you are going to collect samples of kitty's faeces for lab analysis, you will need a sample from 3 different days, [though they can be pooled in the same pot]. This is because parasites are not always shed in the faeces every day.

Meanwhile to rest and soothe her bowel, and firm up her stools, you could take her off the cat food for now and instead feed her home cooked chicken drumsticks for a couple of days. Serve the cooked chicken without the bone, but with the skin and plenty of the nutritious cooking water (stock). As soon as she passes a formed stool then transfer her back gradually to the cat food diet. (wet food only). It may take a few days before she passes any stool.


----------



## Chris Slinn (Sep 16, 2019)

The were wormed and de-flea'd a week before I picked them up, I have since done it again a week ago. Dronspot for the wormer, Frontline for the fleas.
They are currently on a dry only diet of Wellness Core Kitten, this is what they were on before I picked them up so I kept it the same but have been advised to start swapping to a wet or mixed diet, and perhaps a different brand to see if there are any allergies. Thanks for the advice.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Was that Frontline spray, (the one only available on prescription, or from the vet)? Frontline spot-on (available without a prescription) is no longer effective in many parts of the UK.

Swapping foods to a different brand won't detect allergies unfortunately. The only scientific way to detect food allergies is by use of an elimination diet. You may like to look at the pinned thread on the topic :

https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/elimination-diets.509821/

If you feel you don't want to 'go the whole hog' with an elimination diet, then avoiding foods that contain chicken, fish or beef might be a less demanding alternative. (chicken, beef and fish are the most statistically common feline food allergies). But you'd need foods that are guaranteed not to contain any of those proteins. The pinned thread I have linked gives details of where to buy single protein foods.

Dry food is out, when testing for food allergies, as it contains a mixture of meat proteins, and usually includes chicken, beef or fish. It also contains grains or potatoes and is therefore high in carbohydrates which cats struggle to process, because the feline pancreas is not designed to deal with a high carb diet.


----------



## Chris Slinn (Sep 16, 2019)

It was Frontline Spot-On. Recommended by my vet, I get it on a monthly account with the worming treatment. Where has the report come from that Frontline Spot on is no longer very effective? Its a worry if that is true yet its the go-to treatment recommended by vets. 

The dry food I feed is Wellness Core, which is grain free, but I'm going to start introducing wet food. I'll wait until I get the result back from the vets on the samples beofre I start going to the extreme of elimination diet. 

Thanks


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Chris Slinn

*Immunity to Frontline: *
Some reports suggest that fleas in some areas have become immune to this product. It has been found that fleas in areas where it has been used for years show a high degree of immunity towards *Fipronil, *the insecticide in Frontline. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting fleas and ticks in certain locations of the UK show resistance to Frontline flea and tick products. My vet no longer recommends it as a flea treatment (I am in the S.E. of the UK)

I stopped using Frontline about 5 or 6 years ago when it ceased to be effective for my cats. Since then I have used Advantage (different insecticide to Fipronil) and this year I have switched to Bravecto (a fairly new product which only needs to be given every 3 months). Bravecto is available from the vet, Advantage is available on line from pet pharmacies without a prescription and much cheaper than the price the vet sells it for.

Cats do not need worming every month unless they are outdoors most of the time catching their own prey and eating it. Every 3 months is adequate for treatment. They do need preventative monthly treatment against fleas though if they go outdoors at all.


----------



## Mar234k (Jul 1, 2020)

Chris Slinn said:


> I have two 14 week old kittens, bengal / maine coon cross. Both are brilliant at using the litter tray but one seems to have developed an issue with standing in her poop almost every time she uses the tray.
> 
> I have an enclosed tray with the flap taken off and use non-clumping clay litter. I did watch her once (shame on me) to see if I could spot the issue and she has no problem digging a little hole, but seems to forget where she's poo'd and then ends up stepping in it while shes trying to bury. Its getting a bit annoying now as she ends up with litter and poo stuck all over her back legs which she then kicks off all over the walls and tracks it on the floor and furniture. When I'm in I can obviously intervene but if I'm at work she has free run of the house.
> 
> ...


How has this been going. Any solutions you can help with. Or is it just time?


----------



## Chris Slinn (Sep 16, 2019)

Mar234k said:


> How has this been going. Any solutions you can help with. Or is it just time?


Everything is fine with her now. She just seemed to grow out of it. Maybe some kittens are slower at adapting than others.


----------

