Cat wont use litter tray??

PrincessPlaty

I re homed a lovely little male cat who is around a year old approximately 2 months ago.

He hasn't been spayed as yet (appointment booked), and everything is fine with him apart from the problems with the litter tray...

He will do his wees in the litter tray however he insists on doing his other business on the floor next to it....

I was recommended to get a second litter tray, he still went on the floor.
I was recommended cat nip, he still went on the floor.
I tried moving them to exactly where he was going on the floor, he moved the litter trays and went on the floor!
I put newspaper down on the floor, he moved it and went on the floor.

I have run out of ideas! He doesn't go outside very often despite me being told he was an outdoor cat and when he comes back in he does his business on the floor!

Anyone got any suggestions?

scaredy_cat

a covered litter tray? or put the litter tray in a bigger box lines with newspaper so you can wrap it up once he's done it and reline with newspaper?

puppypants

One of my two cats will not poo in the litter trays. She will wee in them, but insists in doing her business at the side of the bath,then scratches at the bath panel to try and cover it!! I've had to stop leaving towels or the bath mat hanging over the bath as she would pull them off to cover her poo!

Very frustrating indeed. I shall be interested in your replies.

Rosie X

Sagz_2

It sounds like he has a surface preference, what sort of floor is he 'messing' on?

If it's carpet then can you put a piece of old carpet in the litter tray and put it on top of his regular spot. If it's a hard surface try leaving the litter tray empty and again put it over the spot where he ususally goes.

As he gets used to the tray you can start slowly changing him over to litter.

On a different subject, if he's not been neutered yet you should take care when letting him out, it's breeding season and if he gets the whiff of a female he will be off!

PrincessPlaty

Its laminate flooring he is doing it on, I shall give the empty litter tray a go!

When he goes out he doesn't leave my garden, to be honest this is the other thing that concerns me they told me he was an outdoor cat and spent his nights outside, he will sat at the back door and miaow to go out il open it he will walk out if i close the door on him he is back at the door instantly miaowing to come in, he went out once and didn't come back was a bit worried but had to go out so i just hoped he would be there when i came back... he had managed to get himself stuck in my locked shed that i don't have keys for!!
He is very naive, doesn't really like people if anyone comes in the house he runs and hides and doesnt come out again until they have gone.

rising_from_the_ashes

PrincessPlaty wrote: »

Its laminate flooring he is doing it on, I shall give the empty litter tray a go!

Congratulations on your new arrival:T

TBH if he isn't fussed about going out then don't worry about it - and a blessing in disguise until he's had the snip.

Re the tray, I'd try putting litter at say the back (so he's something he's used to using to wee on) and leaving the front empty in the hope that he uses this for "no 2s".

Hopefully once he gets used to going in the tray, you'll be able to fill the whole of the bottom with litter.

Best of luck and would be interested to know if it works!

rising_from_the_ashes

ETA one of mine prefers the plastic surface of the bottom of the tray and will move all the litter away before going - and, like puppypant's cat will spend ages scratching the plastic trying to cover.... cats eh!

big5

Used to have a cat with terrible aim - he'd get in the litter tray, spend 10 minutes scratching the litter around to his liking, then squat with his bum over the edge of the tray so the poo went on the floor. :rotfl: Once we were able to let him outside, we got rid of the litter tray as he was much happier doing his business outdoors.

calicocat

Mine was like this when I recued her.......I ended up with 5 litter trays with different types of litter in until I found one she would use and then had no problems apart from the odd aiming issue. She is still (10yrs later) a bit stupid when I comes to covering it,as in digs in entirely wrong spot,but at least she uses tray.......she miaows until I come to remove it. Funny little ways they have. I have heard of this happening if the tray isn't big enough too,so if your tray is small this won't help.
Good luck

PrincessPlaty

I have a big tray and a small try currently with 2 different types of litter.

Tried emptying one so he had the hard flat surface that wasnt my floor..... he is still going on the floor :rotfl:

snozberry

Try experimenting with different types of litter because he might not like the feel of what you have under his paws.

I have several trays dotted about the house but my boy will only use the lidded tray. He has to have his privacy (shame that he doesn't realise that I like privacy when I go to the loo but hey ho!)