How many litter boxes does your cat need?

[Imzadi]

My kitty always had one medium size box. But every once in a while, when I was out of the house working doubles several days in a row, like 14 hours each day, she'd poo elsewhere - not in the box. I figure she was anxious with me being away so long.

But one time a few weeks ago, I was home and she literally took a dump right next to me on the carpet. She is quite a vocal kitty. She has no problem letting me know when she has a problem. But there was not a peep out of her before hand. And her litter box wasn't that dirty.

The following week, suddenly she starts pooing next to the box, not in it. She will still pee in the box, thankfully. I'm happy she's doing it on the floor and not the carpet. So I spritz it with Clorox Cleanup.

But, I start to think maybe she has a bowel problem and it's her way of saying she needs to be taken to the vet.

The next day, she goes next to the box again. So to test whether she really has a problem or not, I place another box of kitty litter right next to her usual box where she had been pooing.

It's been about a week. I think she likes having both boxes as she alternates using BOTH boxes. She hasn't gone anywhere else.

I think she just wants to make more work for me, as I have to scoop & clean two boxes now.

Does anyone else have a cat that needs more than one box?

 

[PrincessBelle94]

We have 2 cats, so 2 boxes. One is upstairs, one is in the basement.

ETA- Before we got the 2nd cat, we only had one litter box, upstairs, and she was just fine with it.

 

[OK!]

Hmmm....no, but every now and again my cat opts to poo next to the box instead of in it. Maybe I'll try dueling litter boxes and see if he likes that better. Thanks for the idea!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

My cat got to the point where she would not use the litter box unless it was CLEAN. She would poop next to the box if it were dirty at all.

Have you thought about getting one of those boxes that automatically cleans itself?

 

[SharkyGoddess]

We have three indoor cats and two large cat boxes. We completely dump ours twice a week too. The alien cats seem to prefer it that way.

 

[OctMtnWoods]

1 kitty with 1 box that needs scooping multiple times a day. She pees a lot. I'm very greatful that she's never gone outside the box. We used to have one that did that every once in a while if the box itself wasn't scrubbed clean to her liking. Kitty with an attitude I guess.

When we had 2 kitties, we had 2 boxes.

 

[Imzadi]

Hmmm....no, but every now and again my cat opts to poo next to the box instead of in it. Maybe I'll try dueling litter boxes and see if he likes that better. Thanks for the idea!

NOOO!!! Your cat may get spoiled by it, and you will end up with two boxes to clean, too. Believe me, this was not a suggestion. I wouldn't do that to you.

Have you thought about getting one of those boxes that automatically cleans itself?

My cat won't cover after she poos. Like I said, she's quite vocal. She meows after she's pooed to let me know it's time to cover. If I don't, my nose will also alert me that she's gone, so I do have to cover right away.

From what I've read, those automatic boxes only work if the cat covers their poo. Otherwise, you get poo stuck all over the rake.

 

[Imzadi]

My cat got to the point where she would not use the litter box unless it was CLEAN. She would poop next to the box if it were dirty at all.

Kitty with an attitude I guess.

What's with these cats developing cattitude? Don't they know who's (supposed to be) the Alpha Cat?

 

[Frankiesmom]

We have 2 cats, 1 box. My DH scoops daily- I have not and never will touch the litter box; If I had to do it- I would throw away the box and get a new 1. I have never heard of that issue with a cat, I'm sure the vet would be able to tell you.

 

[Ladybugsy]

My kitty, aka..."The Boss"... was a feral cat for a year and a half. I found him, had him neutered, which he still hasn't forgiven me for, btw, and took him to the groomer. (That's a whole crazy story in itself...lol). He started using the litterbox right away without problem. I bought him an automatic litter box, never had one single mishap. A YEAR LATER...my MIL brings her dog with her for a visit. This was just this past Christmas. My kitty started peeing in my favorite chair!!! The one where I sit and pet him. Then he started pooping in it. He also pooped in a box I had on the KITCHEN TABLE He's always been kind of moody, so when he stared to want me to hold him all the time, I figured something was up. Prior to this, as you cat owners know, I was considered "Staff"...not "mommy"...lol. So, The Boss, who is NEVER allowed outside got fleas from the dog so bad that he was in distress. I took him to the vet, and the vet said he was very allergic and was miserable. Also, he had been eating the fleas and gotten tape worms. He had lost about a pound. Well, she gave him 2 pills and a shot of cortisone, along with some flea protection that lasts 2 months, and he seems to be better. I started putting his litterbox in the room where my chair is and slowly moved it over the course of about a week back to it's original spot. Well, it was working fabulousy. No accidents, happy kitty. Then BAM! He peed in my chair twice in 2 days. I always clean the chair as well as I can. I spray it until it is soaked with ODOBAN, and even tried cayenne pepper, suggested by the vet, to get him to stay away from my chair. No go. Now I have to throw away my chair, and dh is mad, and I just want him to go back to being trustworthy again. The vet says he's all better. He just "prefers" my chair now. I put tinfoil with sticky tape on it every night and he seems to leave it alone. Dare I hope he goes back to his original potty habits? I'd like to keep the cat AND my dh...lol.

 

[monsterkitty]

My cats pee in one box and then go to the other box to poo in it.

Freaks.

 

[HelenePA]

2 cats 2 boxes.. the only time they pee'd anywhere but the box is when the kids locked them in MY bedroom. I could have killed all involved.. kids and cats. I opened the door and the smell hit me like a wall.. odoban is a wonderful thing when you have cats around (or kids who are potty training)

 

[Imzadi]

I just want him to go back to being trustworthy again.

I could have killed all involved.. kids and cats.

Yes, my cat knows she's on probation. When I even hear her scratching around anything other than her scratching pad, I'm all over her now to see what she's doing.

She knows I sleep dead to the world, but lately, if I hear her doing something, my head whips up, and I'm staring right at her. She really does look at me like this --> when I do.

 

[AlexTina]

My cat will poo next to his box if it is dirty, he has also pee'd outside of his box on a couple of occasion when I have been sick or something and haven't kept the box up to his standards . So now I just make sure I clean it several times a day and all is well, I think cats are just very particular .

Tina

 

[brytorlyn]

NOOO!!! Your cat may get spoiled by it, and you will end up with two boxes to clean, too. Believe me, this was not a suggestion. I wouldn't do that to you.




My cat won't cover after she poos. Like I said, she's quite vocal. She meows after she's pooed to let me know it's time to cover. If I don't, my nose will also alert me that she's gone, so I do have to cover right away.

From what I've read, those automatic boxes only work if the cat covers their poo. Otherwise, you get poo stuck all over the rake.

That is one spoiled kitty!! You cover her poo???

And yes the poop does stick to the rake and every now then the little trap door would stick a little and when it would finally give it was like a poop and litter explosion!! TWANG! and poopy litter flew everywhere.

Now we use crystals. They absorb the urine odour and really neutralize it. As for the poo...our cat doesn't like to cover either but she is nice enough to poop on a schedule. She is very social and seems to like to poo when we are in the bathroom (usually when DH is in the shower..ha ha on him because then HE has to scoop...I trained her that way ) so we often scoop immediately. The crystals do kinda absorb the moisture and dries up the poo helping with the smell....maybe too much info there.

 

[Imzadi]

And yes the poop does stick to the rake and every now then the little trap door would stick a little and when it would finally give it was like a poop and litter explosion!! TWANG! and poopy litter flew everywhere.

You need to put that in an Amazon.com review.

 

[pppiglet]

10 cats here and 6 litter boxes. They prefer the two in the laundry room. I scoop them all 3 times a day. We had one that pooped next to one of the boxes in the laundry room, so I added a 3rd one for a couple of weeks and then no more problems. I just took it away this weekend (it was too hard to reach) and so far no accidents.

 

[HelenePA]

10 cats here.

Okay I gotta ask.. how do you walk with out tripping over a cat? I swear my 2 are always under my feet.. I'm always walking on top of them, tripping on them.. they also like to lay on the stairs. so yes sometimes I step on them I couldn't imagine 8 more in my house!

 

[Charade]

We have two cats and two boxes. My vet said we should have one more box than cats.

 

[pppiglet]

Okay I gotta ask.. how do you walk with out tripping over a cat?

Well, when they are sleeping, you'd never know I had 10 cats! It's feeding time when the fun begins. Otherwise, they keep each other occupied and not under foot very much.

My vet said we should have one more box than cats

I can't imagine having 11 litter boxes - 6 is plenty!