Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Sally45 on September 14, 2007, 23:24:52 PM
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We have a 2.5 year old Maine Coon girl and a 2.5 year old Norwegian Forest boy.
Both have never had any problems in using the litter tray ever since they came to us.
However, for the past few weeks, Meg (the Maine Coon) has started using the actual litter tray and will do her business near to the litter tray but on the area outside it. We clean it practically after every time it's used and the litter we use is World's Best (the clumping litter), so it's not as if it ever gets really damp or dirty!
What on earth could have brought this change in her?? Anyone got any ideas please?
Sally
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Try changing the litter, Not ideal I know but it may be that.
Rob
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It's actually advised not to clean a tray too thoroughly every day. The cat will associate the smell with where he or she toilets and if you scrub every trace away, it will get a bit confused!
There are also cases where if a cat is having trouble toileting, they will go somewhere other than their tray. Or, she's possibly anxious about something and this is her way of showing you.
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It's actually advised not to clean a tray too thoroughly every day. The cat will associate the smell with where he or she toilets and if you scrub every trace away, it will get a bit confused!
There are also cases where if a cat is having trouble toileting, they will go somewhere other than their tray. Or, she's possibly anxious about something and this is her way of showing you.
Hi Jack
Thanks for your reply.
When I said we clean it every time, I didn't mean scrub or wash it, I meant remove the doings! lol
Sally
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:welcome: to Purrs, Sally.
Has there been any change at all in the household routine that you can think of? Are either of your cats doing anything else out of character?
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:welcome: to Purrs, Sally.
Has there been any change at all in the household routine that you can think of? Are either of your cats doing anything else out of character?
Hi Christine
Thanks for the welcome - there's been no change of routine at all, that's why we can't understand why she's suddenly taken to doing her business just outside the tray and not actually in it.
Sally
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I would get a vet check up booked for her incase its cystitis or crystals. They can associate the tray with pain and stop using it.
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do they have their own tray? With tray problems the old 1 tray per cat plus a spare is worth trying.
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have you rcently started washing the trays with a different cleaner?
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Hi Everyone
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.
They actually share a tray, should they have one each??
No I've not changed cleaners recently.
The tray sits on an old piece of clean carpet, which she started doing her business on, so today I've taken that piece of carpet away, washed out and changed the cat litter and sat it down on some backing paper that's used for carpets, so we'll see how she gets on with that.
Fingers crossed!
Sally
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OK, when I had probs with the lovely Pavarotti, the first thing the behaviourist did was tell me to get one litter tray per cat and one spare one. That way if one is feeling intimidated by the other, they can use a different litter tray. The down side of this is you friends will think you are crazy. :rofl: :rofl: As I had five cats at home at the time, there were an awful lot of litter trays :rofl:
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I think extra trays is the first thing to try..................and hope this works ;D
I have 4 cats and three trays and during the summer only one is used by the birmans and they also go outside. As weather gets bad then 3 of cats start to use indoor trays most of time. I have another 3 spare trays for emergencies should anyone want their own tray :rofl: :rofl:
Wish they would let me use my tray in peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Wish they would let me use my tray in peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Gilly....you need to put a toilet in your house before you insulate them walls ;) :evillaugh:
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Is she weeing or pooing out of the tray? The first thing should always be a vet visit in case of illness.
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Is she weeing or pooing out of the tray? The first thing should always be a vet visit in case of illness.
Hi Desley
She's been pooing near to the tray, but missing! For the past two weeks, she wees just outside the tray too.
Since I changed the mat under the tray yesterday and cleaned it out thoroughly again, she's not done it again, so maybe fingers crossed eh, or maybe I'm speaking too soon!
Sally
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Not a solution to the actual 'missing' issue but I used to put Puppy training pads under the tray as my cat sometimes used to 'overshoot' the tray when she was having a wee so if there were any accidents you just whip the old one away - no residual smells and no having to clean up.
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Keeping fingers crossed that has solved the problem ;D
Ruth....................Oooooooooooooooo you are naughty :evillaugh: :evillaugh: :evillaugh:
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Not a solution to the actual 'missing' issue but I used to put Puppy training pads under the tray as my cat sometimes used to 'overshoot' the tray when she was having a wee so if there were any accidents you just whip the old one away - no residual smells and no having to clean up.
Hi Helen
That's not a bad idea, actually!
She went and peed outside the tray last night again, so I'm totally lost as to why she's doing this!
Sal
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Have you ever had cystitis? Its painful, she may not be squatting properly so she can make a quick get away. Crystals also irritate the bladder.
It would be a good idea to take her to the vets.
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Have you ever had cystitis? Its painful, she may not be squatting properly so she can make a quick get away. Crystals also irritate the bladder.
It would be a good idea to take her to the vets.
Yes, I agree, it is painful - I'll take her and get her checked out now that I've tried everything else.
Thanks
Sally
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kitty went threw a stage of doing her buisness behind the tv instead of in her litter tray,
I then changed the sort of cat litter i was using and she is fine now but she would much rather go outside,
Also i was using litter freshner i think this is also what was making her do her buisness elsewere,
Do you use litter tray linners? I got some and kitty also stopped using her tray the think it may of been the smell of them.
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kitty went threw a stage of doing her buisness behind the tv instead of in her litter tray,
I then changed the sort of cat litter i was using and she is fine now but she would much rather go outside,
Also i was using litter freshner i think this is also what was making her do her buisness elsewere,
Do you use litter tray linners? I got some and kitty also stopped using her tray the think it may of been the smell of them.
Hi tez
No, I don't use liners, so couldn't have been that - she's been ok recently, thank goodness, so I'll just keep an eye on her and see if she starts to do her business outside the tray again.
Thanks.
Sal
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thats ok,
Kitty hardly ever uses her litter tray now she goes out to do her buisness,
the good thing is if she is shut in she will still use her tray,
Glad to here its all sorted for now
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They are both neutered, aren't they?
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They are both neutered, aren't they?
Yes, Desley, they are indeed.
Sal
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