# Excessive litter box scratching



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

It's driving me crazy. I wash the entire thing weekly and scoop at least twice a day.

She will scratch the sides of the box for almost 5 minutes and it's very loud. I don't mind during the day but at night I worry about neighbours. I'm wondering whether I should lay a thicker rug beneath the box to absorb some sound. 

She is using it ok. It is covered and I put down World's Best Cat litter.

What could be the problem and more importantly a solution?


----------



## Aiden's Mum (Sep 26, 2015)

VeganCat said:


> It's driving me crazy. I wash the entire thing weekly and scoop at least twice a day.
> 
> She will scratch the sides of the box for almost 5 minutes and it's very loud. I don't mind during the day but at night I worry about neighbours. I'm wondering whether I should lay a thicker rug beneath the box to absorb some sound.
> 
> ...


----------



## Aiden's Mum (Sep 26, 2015)

Hi my cat does exactly the same and ive had others do it, I think you've just got a very clean cat, I have to scoop every time Aiden uses it when i'm here!


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Some cats scratch the side of their litter trays, and some cats scratch the sides (or edges) of the tray sometimes. The reasons for this behaviour may not be easy to fathom, but for a cat who has always done so, it could simply be a habit they picked up from their mother, as a kitten. If so, you are unlikely to break them of it, other than by them going outdoors to toilet (which I realise may not be practical).

Has you cat always done the side scraping? If it is a new habit, there is a possibility it could be related to a bladder or bowel issue, such as feline cystitis, or passing stools that are a bit soft or loose. Have you noticed any changes in her toilet habits or output? It might be worth observing the situation closely over a few days.

I have had cats who have scraped the sides of the tray, (and still have one who does it sometimes) and I've had a certain amount of success in _reducing _the behaviour, not necessarily stopping it. It is worth trying a few things out on a trial and error basis, but please do not expect too much, to avoid being disappointed.

Firstly I found the behaviour often reduced a lot if the cats had open trays, instead of covered ones. But the trays need to sited away from the wall, or the cat will just scrape at the wall instead. (though scraping the wall may make less noise, it could eventually damage your wall unless it's tiled.)

I also found XL trays helped to some extent.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Primo-XL-Li...62998&sr=1-2&keywords=extra+large+litter+tray

Providing XL open trays helped with a senior cat of mine who had started scraping the tray edges aged 16, after developing kidney disease. As an indirect result of his illness his stools became softer and smellier, and I imagine he feared getting his feet soiled if he scraped the litter in the tray. But being a very clean cat he still went through the burying movements, albeit to no practical purpose. But once he had the XL tray he seemed more inclined to scrape the litter. However if the trays had already been used earlier for pees, he would scrape the edges of the tray.

You're providing a good quality litter, which most cats like. I guess you could experiment with a decent quality clay clumping litter such as Biokats, but my experience is the type of litter only makes a difference in the sense the texture should be fine like sand, and the clumps should be easy to remove so the rest of the tray doesn't get contaminated. WB meets those criteria.

In conclusion I would say if the scraping is a fairly new habit, and your cat is aged 10 and upwards, or has had any other changes in her behaviour, or has lost weight for no apparent reason, it would be worth having her checked by the vet to see if there may an underlying health issue.

But if she has always had the scraping habit, all you can do is minimise the noise nuisance and then try to forget about it.  e.g. you could remove the lids of the trays at night and move the trays away from the wall each night. It won't be an overall answer, but may work as a management solution to prevent your sleep being disturbed or your neighbours being woken at night by the noise!


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

I took the lid off the box. It's much quieter now but she's now scratching the walls. She has a scratch mat but doesn't use it.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I'm afraid it may be something you'll have to live with, if none of the things I suggested ^^ have worked. At least you can move the tray away from the wall at night so she cant scrape the walls and disturb you, and perhaps you're less aware of it in the daytime.


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

chillminx said:


> I'm afraid it may be something you'll have to live with, if none of the things I suggested ^^ have worked. At least you can move the tray away from the wall at night so she cant scrape the walls and disturb you, and perhaps you're less aware of it in the daytime.


I meant the house walls


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Yes, I understood you meant the house walls. I was suggesting you move the tray at night further out into the room, so it is away from the house walls and therefore she can't scratch and disturb you, or your neighbours. Then move the tray back against the wall (out of your way) in the morning.

As I explained in my previous post, if this is a habit she has always had then you are not likely to change it. The one thing you don't want to do is risk making her afraid to use the litter tray, which she might do if she senses you are annoyed because then she may start avoiding the tray and using the floor.

If you don't feel able to live with the noise, then I suggest you buy a litter tray cupboard from Zooplus, and put an open tray inside it. She may still scratch the wall of the cupboard, but being wood and enclosed it will be much less noisy than scratching the tray.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/...er_boxes_nofilter/cat_litter_cupboards/214086


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

I'm going to buy some Feliway she is scratching walls, the wall by her food and cupboards. She scratches the cupboard for a long time up to 15 seconds. I think the litter tray is a bad habit which I won't change

I am yet to buy her a scratch post I wonder if she is using it as an alternative but the same cupboard she scratches is the one I stand in front of when I feed her

I feel she will damage my cupboard eventually


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

She has damaged the cupboard


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Cats have an essential need to scratch, partly to keep their claws trim, and partly to scent mark from the scent glands between their paw pads. If you are not providing any scratch posts at all, then she is bound to scratch your walls, carpets and furniture. 

You should aim to have at least a couple of scratchers in every room. Provide a variety - i.e. sisal covered posts, cardboard ones that lie on the floor, and carpet covered ones you screw to the wall. She will have her preference but the cardboard ones are cheap and popular with almost every cat I know of.


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

I do have a cheap floor one. She doesn't use it. I'll look at alternatives. She is quite tall


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

One of the tall scratch posts from Zooplus might be to her liking.

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/scratching_posts/scratching_posts/281653


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

Thanks I'll add this to the basket. Do you think I should get some Feliway?


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

chillminx said:


> Cats have an essential need to scratch, partly to keep their claws trim, and partly to scent mark from the scent glands between their paw pads. If you are not providing any scratch posts at all, then she is bound to scratch your walls, carpets and furniture.
> 
> You should aim to have at least a couple of scratchers in every room. Provide a variety - i.e. sisal covered posts, cardboard ones that lie on the floor, and carpet covered ones you screw to the wall. She will have her preference but the cardboard ones are cheap and popular with almost every cat I know of.


Scratching also exercises and stretches important muscles and joints in the back and legs and shoulders.

As the above poster mentioned provide your cat with a variety of scratching furniture pieces, flat, horizontal, and upright, may cats live curved things too. Make sure they are tall/long enough for the cat to get a full body stretch and sturdy enough so the cat isn't tipping it over or even wobbling it.

Be sure also to feed your cat a species appropriate balanced diet rich in meat and moisture.

The prolonged litter box scratching is just something some cats do. I have one who does it now and I have one now an Angel who did it all her 18 years of life. : )


----------



## claire8234 (Mar 8, 2013)

I don't have much to add as chillmimx has given you fantastic advice. We have a foster cat who did this and would scratch at the wall as well for a good few minutes after she had been to the loo. A huge open cat tray, sited well away from the wall made a big difference and once she was settled and happy she did do it less, she could also be distracted, just by calling her and giving her fuss. It can be a little annoying but I got used to it and would rather that than not using the tray!


----------



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

What food is she eating? If it is something which is upsetting her tum she may feel the need to spend an extra long time trying to cover it up.


----------



## VeganCat (Aug 22, 2015)

Bozita from ZooPlus


Paddypaws said:


> What food is she eating? If it is something which is upsetting her tum she may feel the need to spend an extra long time trying to cover it up.


----------



## Flycaster (Nov 3, 2015)

We have the cat's litter box in the bathtub (yeah, we use the shower stall.) And FWIW our cat, Luna, a 7 month old adoptee from fostering, also scratches the sides of her litter box (with top) and the walls of the tub. However, as the walls of the tub are smooth, there is no sound...lucky us. I'd say that some cats do and some cats don't...


----------

