We have a cat that is roughly 11 years old. We have had her since she was born. Our problem is from Day 1, this cat will never use the litter box. We’ve always had two or three cats and all of our other cats have always used the litter box with no problem. I’ve tried putting out a separate litter box just for her, sticking her nose in it, using a large crate to keep her in with her own litter box and nothing works. She has a corner in the living room that she always poops and urinates in.

A year and a half ago we got a Sheltie. We bought a crate for him that we no longer use. He’s fine being blocked in the kitchen where there’s more room. I’ve told the family that whenever this cat is in the house she must be in the crate. I line it with puppy pads and a carpet remnant. She will go to the bathroom on that.

I can’t win with this cat and tired of cleaning up after her and the smell. My next step with her is to find a no-kill shelter. She is a nice cat but I wish we could get her to use the box.

Any advice/ help you could give me would be great.

Patti

Dear Patti,

I have talked with Dear Sally, the official cat behaviorist of CAT CHAT® about your attitude towards your cat, and we are both really distressed by it. We don't understand how you can live with a cat eleven years, allow a litter box avoidance issue to continue all that time, and now you’re suddenly asking for advice and in the same breath talking about ditching the cat.

Before I give you some feedback about your problem, it’s important that you know that ditching your lifetime companion animal in what you call a “no kill” shelter is pretty cold and means you don’t really know what such a facility is about. Please get a copy of The Cat Bible so you can learn that “no kill” does not mean pets are not euthanized, it often just means they have longer before the final solution is enacted. An aging cat is unlikely to ever be adopted by someone else, especially with the problem she has developed and practiced with you, so you would be condemning her to life in a cage or a terrible death with strangers and other animals, often by mass gassing.

But Sally Bahner and I do not want you to "solve" your problem by passing it off on someone else - you have waited far too long before seeking answers to the cat’s litter box refusal but there are questions to be asked.

Have you not cleaned or replaced the flooring or carpet where the cat relieves herself during these 11 years?? No wonder she keeps going there – it is saturated with the smell of urine and feces to attract her.

Clean this area thoroughly then spray liberally with X-O, Simple Solution or any odor neutralizer. Maybe you also should try a litter box there – the old smell and habit will draw her to the area, but now she will find a box there.

Try Cat Attract litter by Precious Pets – Dear Sally says it really does draw some reluctant cats to the box. But even before you do that, throw away ALL your old litter boxes and replace them with new ones. You don’t need to buy a specific litter box – there are Sterilite and other brand low plastic containers, get two or three of those.

Make sure you have one litter box per cat plus one for the house.

By the way - where's the box she's "supposed" to use? (In the deep dark basement??)

You might be able to retrain her to use a litter box  by confining here to a separate room with a box as opposed to the crate. I am really surprised that you would think that putting your cat’s face in her "mistake" would solve this.

Has she been vet-checked? She needs a blood profile and a urinalysis – she could have a low grade urinary tract infection or some urinary stones or crystals which are irritating her.

Sally says she is sure the addition of the dog hasn't helped much either, especially if your cat is already kind of spooked. We can't tell from your email whether you have other cats now but she may have issues with them as well.

You need to be willing to follow a plan since it sounds as if any efforts have been haphazard. I think your best bet is to set up a private consultation with Dear Sally (her page is on www.CatChatRadio.com).

Good luck to you,
Tracie Hotchner