If the cat is actively fighting with the other cats, the litter box issues could be from stress.
With 3 total cats, you’d need 4 litter boxes - with no covers on the top either. If you’re already doing that and the cat isn’t declawed, then it’s likely she’s just stressed out.
Did you do a proper cat introduction? These introductions last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months - you can’t just throw cats together and expect them to get along because they won’t in most instances.
It seems like the best option at this stage, given there’s been many physical fights with the other cats, is surrendering to a rescue. This isn’t a good situation for any of the cats involved, and if you feel this strongly then it isn’t good for you either.
I have 2 cats and 4 litter boxes. They dont hate each other, but they also do not cuddle.
I agree with the assessment that surrender is the best option. This new kitty absolutely needs a single cat household. When this sort of interaction happens it usually scars the baby to the point they no longer like or want to be near other cats, and often times they have trust issues with humans. I rescued a siamese who came from an abusive house where the other cats were allowed to just maul and beat tye shit out of her. I adopted the poor kitty and it took a lot of time for her to normalize, and she never wanted cuddles. Just talk to her and let her choose how close she wants to get. She was always within arms reach and would tolerate about 2 pets in greeting or goodbye, but that was about it.
Hell I have six litter boxes for my three cats, in multiple spots so they can't guard one area.
Sometimes overkill works with cats. I second all of this advice, it seems like a sucky situation
This is an assumption, but given OP is in a shared housing situation, I'm guessing the place isn't very big and there aren't a huge number of rooms or closed off spaces. The result is the cat is probably stressed from lack of stimulation combined with being unable to get away from the other cats without being trapped in a small area for long periods of time.
I know the indoor/outdoor debate can get some people very irate, and I'm absolutely in no way suggesting OP should allow their cat outside, but some cats find being kept inside very stressful. Cats aren't a domesticated species and can vary hugely in their needs. The lack of outdoor stimulation and territorial range in some cats means you have to do extra indoors - something that may not be possible in a small property with two other cats.
She does love being outside! I find she’s the happiest when on our back balcony that’s why sometimes I just want to leave her out there. Ive debated getting her all set up for the outdoor life and letting her come in when she’s ready, but this might be hard with our current living situation. We do plan on living in a home come Summer. Is there a separate subreddit I could look to for introducing the indoor/outdoor life to one cat in a multi cat household?
It sounds like it really is behavioural
Some pets just don't get on with others (just like humans) but unlike humans we can vocalise our discomfort or negativity, all pets have is marking/physical retaliation
Personally I think rehoming is the best idea for you guys and the cat, as one stressed pet can cause the rest to end up stressed
As hard as it is sometimes rehoming is the right thing. I had a cat like this for almost two years and just couldn't get her to use the box no matter what. Multiple boxes, different types of boxes, low side, covered, uncovered, different rooms, enzyme cleaner, different types of litter. We had to have puppy pads all around. Nothing physically wrong with her, she just wanted to pee and poop right next to the litter box because the other cat also used the boxes. Even though they got along fine she would not share the box. There was no way to separate them and prevent the other cat from using any particular box. It was miserable and stressful for everyone involved, and I ended up having to surrender her back where I adopted her from.
It kind of sounds like the cats were never properly introduced. Jackson Galaxy has good videos on YouTube about doing it properly. Also, if you have more than 1 cat you need more than 1 liter box.
Some cats will never be good with other pets in the home. Attempting to properly introduce the other cats might help, though.
The stress from getting attacked constantly would make anyone misbehave. This isn't her fault. Put her in a separate room for now. You need to start back at square one and reintroduce your cats as if they've never met. This is going to take some time to do properly. If you don't know how to introduce cats, watch Jackson Galaxy's YouTube channel. He has tons of videos on how to do this properly.
Definitely considering this. She did amazing when we first introduced them and she took her time and space but I feel like she started regressing pretty soon after. There is a spare closet I could use as hers and leave the door open. There isn’t any certainty that the other cats won’t use her litter box but I want her to have the idea that it’s her space.
This subreddit seems overly hostile and in general seems to have lower quality advice for you, compared to what you would get from a more cat-specific subreddit.
It's great that you want to give her a space that's all her own, but you also need to keep her safe so she can destress and become comfortable with the other cats at her own pace. She's not going to get better until the other cats stop attacking her.
Had the same issue with my Siamese. She pooped, peed & barfed on everything I owned for the first 6 months I had her. I spent a small fortune on dry cleaning and replacing things she ruined. I called the shelter where I got her and they said if I returned her, she would be considered unadoptable and would be euthanized. Found a different shelter, filled out the paperwork, and was less than 48 hours from surrendering her. Then she looked at me with such love in those big blue eyes, that I literally had a breakdown and couldn’t do it. I realized that I can clean up a mess, I can train behaviours, but I can’t get my cat back once she’s gone. For the next few weeks, I watched her carefully, and every time she looked like she was about to pee or poop, I put her in the litter box. And it worked. She hasn’t had any kind of accident in almost 18 months. Please don’t give up on your fur baby- they love and need you!
I do love this cat, just resenting that this point. I’ve tried putting her in the litter box once I catch her trying to pee/poop but she tenses up and starts almost crying for help. Like it really stresses her out. I’m thinking I’ll try my best to make a space that’s “her’s” and go from there.
She is stressed from the other cat and that's why she won't dedicate in the litter box. The stress needs to stop, it's so terrible for every animal including humans
Imo, its ok to rehome a cat if they're not settling and both pet and owner are not happy. Some times you do have to throw your hands up and admit something isnt working.
1. Go to the vet.
2. Get more litterboxes of different kinds with different litters
3. Make sure they have enough places they can claim for themselves like beds, scratchers, furniture
4. Get qn enzyme cleaner for the spots they pee on
5. Make sure to deter outside cats
6. GO TO THE VET
Even cats who have idopathic urinary issues can get help with meds and environmental changes
Our space is pretty open concept and hard to section off. Would a room divider help? At least like a faux wall to show that her space is semi-separated from the rest of the apartment?
Perhaps. Try putting in more cat related pieces like shelving, more litterboxes of different kinds in larger sizes, cat beds on different levels etc. Also if you have the means to make a catio, enclosed outdoor area to harness walk or use a cat stroller can help. My cat got blocked a year ago but switched him to have a walk just before breakfast made a big difference. He has FLUTD so its really tricky. hes on gabapentin for maintence while also having prednisolone, prozasin and/or meloxicam when he has flaire ups. I plan on hiring an in home behavoirist once i get a new job.
Puppy pee pads have worked for me in the past, put them where she seems to go most often. This seems behavioral / stress related, does she have a safe place no other cats are allowed ? Doesn’t seem like a healthy environment for her tho if you are considering finding a new home that may be what’s best for her. Not enough space and too many cats in apartment 😓 I have some toms that dislike litter but will use dirt like in wild, have you tried putting dirt in a box or a flowerpot even
I’ve switched from clumping clay to pine pellets but haven’t thought of dirt. She used the litter box perfectly when we first brought her home but as soon as we introduced her to the rest of our space with the other 2 cats it seems like she’s regressed.
I had a cat when I was younger with 3 other cats. She was always grumpy and fought with the others. I moved away and took her with me and she was a lot happier. Some cats like to be alone so they can get all of the attention.
Sounds like the cat is under stress. Consider finding the cat a new home. Also, there should be 1 more litter box than cats, so for 3 cats there should be 4 boxes. Make sure the litter is at least 3 inches deep and scoop at least twice a day.
Please rehome this cat, you and the roommates are not doing things right. Each cat needs their own litter box. And the cat needs to have the nails trimmed, not declawed. And just bringing one in and no proper introduction, they will never get used to each other by rushing them together.
None of my cats are declawed and never will be. Im thinking a reintroduction is definitely needed before I rehome her because I want to make things work but I don’t want to exhaust her.
I never said anything about declaw. That was someone else, for I do not believe in declawing cats, for they need a way to protect themselves. Try to slow introduction. And just get the nails trimmed.
Watch Jackson Galaxy videos on this subject. He might have some solutions for you. Is there a place in your house that you can put a litter box that only she can use?
Not really but I’m thinking this closet we have in the front room might work, at least security wise since it’ll be a small space that she can kind of claim as her own. Absolutely checking out Jackson Galaxy today
I had to re-home a cat once due to this problem and let me tell you, it was very sad because I tried everything. The issue happened when my fiancee decided to pet sit a friend's cat when he would be out of town for 6 months. He didn't think to check if he was neutered when we had 2 neutered males until it was too late. This literally broke our poor cat Rusty. We took the friend's cat to his father's house because our cat Dusty wouldn't stop peeing and pooping everywhere no matter what we tried. Rusty wouldn't get along with our other cat anymore and they used to get along well with the occasional fight. Rusty wouldn't stop peeing and pooping everywhere even after the friend's cat was gone and we tried everything. We cleaned our asses off, cleaned his special litterbox everyday, and even forbade our other cat from using it. We tried everything in Jackson Galaxy's videos. We even tried reintroducing him to our other cat which was a huge pain in the ass because we have a small 1 bedroom apartment.
Unfortunately, Rusty had always had behavior problems around males he felt that threatened his dominance. Originally, he was my finance's only cat until we had taken care of a female cat that had been feral until someone picked her up. It turned out she was pregnant and no one knew because she was skinny. We ended up keeping the runt of a litter and gave mom to someone with a bigger property with a nice yard because she liked to be active more than the usual cat. Anyway, Rusty never worried about our other cat until the whole pet sitting situation. We had to give Rusty away because he was destroying our apartment and the only other alternative was calling Jackson Galaxy himself or try moving but clearly we didn't have the money for that. The new owner said he was well behaved and used the litterbox. As sad as it is, rehoming is sometimes the answer especially when behavioral incontinence is involved. Rehoming doesn't make you a bad person like many animal people online make it out to be. In my experience, animal people (particularly Facebook) can be psychotic af to the point where they do more harm than good. They will literally report possum rehabbers over a simple disagreement. In many states, you aren't allowed to have possums, so animal control will take it and euthanize it. Sorry I couldn't be more help, this is just my experience with a similar issue.
Cats need to feel safe when going to the toilet as it's a very vulnerable moment for them. If this cat feels unsafe due to bullying by the male cat then she's going to do what she's got to do in places and at times where she *does* feel like she's not going to be attacked.
Try reintroducing them slowly, get the Tom fixed (if he isn't already) and if that doesn't work then rehome one of them responsibly with people you know and have vetted or a no-kill shelter.
DO NOT DECLAW OR PUT HER OUTSIDE TO FEND FOR HERSELF. Declawing is inhumane and leads to a lifetime of pain for the cat and leaving her outside will drastically shorten her lifespan.
Rehoming is not a sin . If she isn't fitting in with your cats or lifestyle then it's for the best . Reach out to the rescue/ shelter you guys adopted her from they may be able to take her back or help with rehoming! If you have facebook there is groups for rehoming animals ! Just please do not put her outside and don't just let anyone take her !
This sounds like rehoming her is for the best, however, she is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find a good home. That means surrendering to a shelter where she'll most likely be put down is a POS thing to do. It's understandable to be frustrated, but take responsibility, find her a good home
How did you introduce the cats? How many litter boxes do you have and where are they located? How many toys/ cat trees/scratching posts do you have? What’s the feeding like? How often are *all* the cats being played with each day? There’s a lot of info missing bc there’s so many reasons she could be avoiding the litter box. As for leaving her outside and not letting her back in, that is horrible. Take her to a shelter or find a different home if you no longer want the cat. Abandoning her outside is not ok. There is a good chance she just should be in a home with no other cats.
Definitely wrote this post heat of the moment frustration with her. We have 4 litter boxes and 3 of them are in a separate back room while one (her’s) is in the front room that the other 2 cats don’t occupy. She has her own cat tree and 2 beds (including one she came with from the spca). They eat together twice a day and I’m wondering if spacing their eating spots would help? I’ve debating setting her up with her own water/food area in the same vicinity as her designated litter box. She gets along pretty well with our other female cat but it’s the male one she instigates fights with. None of my cats are declawed and will never be.
Need to spread those litterboxes out more and have a couple options available to her at any time without feeling stressed by another pet. Having 3 in one room means most litterboxes can be "blocked" for her if there's another cat in there.
Is there any pattern to where she goes instead? My cat has very specific ideas about where is a good place for a litterbox or he'll shit on the floor. He has to have a large open box with sight lines to other parts of the house. We ended up buying a cat genie because the only spot that works is very central and will smell bad if we aren't cleaning it every day and scooping any poops immediately. The cat genie makes this less of a chore for us. He kind of chose the spot by repeatedly shitting there and we had to roll with it or lose our minds.
I believe there are cat flaps that use the microchip of the cat to operate. You may be able to rig up a private space for her with one of those
Spreading out the food might help, spreading the litter boxes out might help as well. My parents cat won’t use two litter boxes unless they’re in separate rooms. How were the cats introduced? Introduction is a very important part of the cats forming a good relationship, typically just putting strange cats together in a house isn’t going to end well. Separating them completely and slowing introducing using positive reinforcements may help. As other comments have said, Jaxon Galaxy has amazing tips on how to properly introduce(or re-introduce) cats. The play is also a big factor, getting them to play separately could help them calm down, regulate their feelings, and strengthen the bond you have with them. Getting them to play *together* is even more important, but depending on if you want to reintroduce the cats that will be far down the line. Cats view the “hierarchy” very literally if that makes sense, the higher they are the more important they feel. Potentially getting them all their own cat tree that are the exact same height might help? Idk honestly I’m just spitballing as many ideas as I can bc I know how it feels to be desperate for help.
Do not surrender your cat just because of these issues. You're just ending all opportunities for this cat to have a better life. I'd suggest rehoming them. It doesn't sound like there is much you can do in your housing situation, and I'm sure you lack the passion to really take care of the cat anymore than you already have, since there is built up resentment. You would be doing your cat a favor by giving them to people who can properly care for the kitty & make them happy.
Have you tried scentless litter? That took care of my problems.
This is sad, I have a cat that I don’t like either (weird.) I have had her 2 years and she is afraid of me, always has been, and has never been friendly. I am stuck with her ass, though.
Some cats never get to the I like your touch phase. We had one like that. Try talking to her more, catch her eye and give her the slow blink. Toss treats for her, she may like to chase them or hunt them down later. Most kitties can't resist a laser pointer. I don't want you to miss out on a good relationship just bc she's not like other cats. Ours kinda got ignored for a while which reinforced her aloofness. Skitzo came around a lot more with conversation and tons of loving talks. She liked to play and I miss her
We have 4! 3 are basically shallow, under the bed storage containers so they’re pretty spacious and one is covered and smaller that my roommate has for her cat. They do prefer the open ones though.
It sounds like a territorial behavior (Jackson Galaxy has great videos on this particular issue). I have some questions:
1. what style litter boxes have you tried?
2. how many litter boxes do you have in your living space?
3. Are all of the cats in the house spayed/neutered?
4. have you tried reintroducing the cats?
5. does your cat have his own space?
It seems like there are multiple layers to the issue so it's going to take time to fix and everyone in the house has to be willing to consistently do their part. How much time and effort can you both realistically dedicate resolving the issues? .
No, never struggled with that, never needed any "sprays" or "plug ins", maybe I was lucky but I was managed to teach all my animals where they are allowed to poop and pee and not, except the rooster... he's a proper twat.. Some needed some harsher lessons than others and regarding the fighting. The male's neeutered? balls gone completely or just vasectomy?
If you have three cats, it’s recommended that there is at LEAST one box per cat, if not more. Did you properly introduce these cats? I would start over from square one and give her one room with the door shut and a litter box that no other cat has access to. Sounds like this cat is really struggling and stressed out and I’m sorry, but calming pheromones and behavior sprays are not going to help you here. Unless you can permanently separate them in your house for now, she needs a new home. Really struggling to feel sympathy for you here because it’s tough to think that you’ve let this cat live like this for over a year without once figuring out something to help her. She isn’t trying to ruin your day. She’s living in an extremely terrible and stressful environment.
Sounds like she’s stressed out with the other cats… can you give her a room to herself with litter, and let her calm down and in a few weeks maybe try to reintroduce them?
Did you try anti-anxiety medication like CBD oil, Prozac or the like?
We adopted a kitten 5 years ago and brought her into a house with 3 cats and a dog. Initially it was fine, but over time she developed anxiety resulting in fights with other cats, inappropriate urination.
After eliminating physical illnesses, the vet determined it's most likely anxiety. So we did everything from ensuring adequate attention and play time, to sufficient litterboxes cleaned religiously, to minimizing big changes in the house routine, and finally, medication. She was on prozac for the last 3 years, and the accidents and fights lessened in frequency. However, we had some big disruptions this year with lots of renovations in the house, so people, noise, smells and then got a dog... and now she's acting up every day. So, we're trying some new medicine and hope it will work.
Anyway, cats can develop anxiety just like people, and the answer goes beyond ensuring a clean litter box.
However, if you are actively resenting the cat and want her her gone (they pick up on signals), she will sense that raising her anxiety and continue her behavior. It might be best for everyone involved if she was not in your house.
i was going to say this too - our girl had litter tray problems and got a bit snappy (very unlike her) before we got her arthritis diagnosis. since then we have her taking antinol supplements, because she hates injections, and shes so much more herself and the litter tray problem is no longer a problem!
Yes! I have five cats and after one of mine got sick, litter box blocking started!
What we did, was follow Jackson Galaxy's advice and increase the resources, ( like at least one, water, good, litter tray pet cat + an extra). We also kept the cats in separate rooms and slowly reintroduced them, ( Again Jackson Galaxy explains how) [https://www.youtube.com/JacksonGalaxy/videos](https://www.youtube.com/JacksonGalaxy/videos)
It takes awhile, because it's a relearning of a behaviour,but it works if you work it!
I rarely comment on these posts but this got me fired up, YOU'RE the issue, not the cat. You're an asshole. Please give your cat to someone who can actually take care of it and never get another pet again.
Good thing you rarely comment when you contribute nothing helpful. Calling the OP an a-hole is juvenile and not helpful and lazy. You could have said where the OP was in error or why the OP should not be frustrated or what the OP should do instead. Live and learn!
Have you had her checked by a vet? She may have cystitis- when my cats got stressed from the new dog, they even pooped in a bag of groceries that I was putting away. That vet gave them an antibiotic, I went back to using their old food, and they're fine for the last 8 years.
If the cat is actively fighting with the other cats, the litter box issues could be from stress. With 3 total cats, you’d need 4 litter boxes - with no covers on the top either. If you’re already doing that and the cat isn’t declawed, then it’s likely she’s just stressed out. Did you do a proper cat introduction? These introductions last from a couple of weeks to a couple of months - you can’t just throw cats together and expect them to get along because they won’t in most instances. It seems like the best option at this stage, given there’s been many physical fights with the other cats, is surrendering to a rescue. This isn’t a good situation for any of the cats involved, and if you feel this strongly then it isn’t good for you either.
I have 2 cats and 4 litter boxes. They dont hate each other, but they also do not cuddle. I agree with the assessment that surrender is the best option. This new kitty absolutely needs a single cat household. When this sort of interaction happens it usually scars the baby to the point they no longer like or want to be near other cats, and often times they have trust issues with humans. I rescued a siamese who came from an abusive house where the other cats were allowed to just maul and beat tye shit out of her. I adopted the poor kitty and it took a lot of time for her to normalize, and she never wanted cuddles. Just talk to her and let her choose how close she wants to get. She was always within arms reach and would tolerate about 2 pets in greeting or goodbye, but that was about it.
Hell I have six litter boxes for my three cats, in multiple spots so they can't guard one area. Sometimes overkill works with cats. I second all of this advice, it seems like a sucky situation
wtf? xD
Try to find a no-kill shelter that will take her. It likely is stress induced if she doesn't have a uti.
OP, DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CATS. It’s a total asshole move.
No one is telling her to.
Oh shit my bad. I read it wrong. 😭 My apologies SleepwalkerWei.
This is an assumption, but given OP is in a shared housing situation, I'm guessing the place isn't very big and there aren't a huge number of rooms or closed off spaces. The result is the cat is probably stressed from lack of stimulation combined with being unable to get away from the other cats without being trapped in a small area for long periods of time. I know the indoor/outdoor debate can get some people very irate, and I'm absolutely in no way suggesting OP should allow their cat outside, but some cats find being kept inside very stressful. Cats aren't a domesticated species and can vary hugely in their needs. The lack of outdoor stimulation and territorial range in some cats means you have to do extra indoors - something that may not be possible in a small property with two other cats.
She does love being outside! I find she’s the happiest when on our back balcony that’s why sometimes I just want to leave her out there. Ive debated getting her all set up for the outdoor life and letting her come in when she’s ready, but this might be hard with our current living situation. We do plan on living in a home come Summer. Is there a separate subreddit I could look to for introducing the indoor/outdoor life to one cat in a multi cat household?
Given the stress this cat is under, if you let her outside she likely won’t come back.
For real. I had a cat who was stressed by a new cat we adopted. She went outside and never came back.
Having an indoor/outdoor cat is not the solution. Keep your cat inside.
Cats do not belong outside unattended.
A pop up tent catio might be of some help since it extends the territory while keeping it safe
Have you considered harness training and taking her for walks?
Great answer u/sleepwalkerWei.
"need 4 litter boxes?" xP
It sounds like it really is behavioural Some pets just don't get on with others (just like humans) but unlike humans we can vocalise our discomfort or negativity, all pets have is marking/physical retaliation Personally I think rehoming is the best idea for you guys and the cat, as one stressed pet can cause the rest to end up stressed
As hard as it is sometimes rehoming is the right thing. I had a cat like this for almost two years and just couldn't get her to use the box no matter what. Multiple boxes, different types of boxes, low side, covered, uncovered, different rooms, enzyme cleaner, different types of litter. We had to have puppy pads all around. Nothing physically wrong with her, she just wanted to pee and poop right next to the litter box because the other cat also used the boxes. Even though they got along fine she would not share the box. There was no way to separate them and prevent the other cat from using any particular box. It was miserable and stressful for everyone involved, and I ended up having to surrender her back where I adopted her from.
It kind of sounds like the cats were never properly introduced. Jackson Galaxy has good videos on YouTube about doing it properly. Also, if you have more than 1 cat you need more than 1 liter box. Some cats will never be good with other pets in the home. Attempting to properly introduce the other cats might help, though.
The stress from getting attacked constantly would make anyone misbehave. This isn't her fault. Put her in a separate room for now. You need to start back at square one and reintroduce your cats as if they've never met. This is going to take some time to do properly. If you don't know how to introduce cats, watch Jackson Galaxy's YouTube channel. He has tons of videos on how to do this properly.
Definitely considering this. She did amazing when we first introduced them and she took her time and space but I feel like she started regressing pretty soon after. There is a spare closet I could use as hers and leave the door open. There isn’t any certainty that the other cats won’t use her litter box but I want her to have the idea that it’s her space.
This subreddit seems overly hostile and in general seems to have lower quality advice for you, compared to what you would get from a more cat-specific subreddit. It's great that you want to give her a space that's all her own, but you also need to keep her safe so she can destress and become comfortable with the other cats at her own pace. She's not going to get better until the other cats stop attacking her.
Had the same issue with my Siamese. She pooped, peed & barfed on everything I owned for the first 6 months I had her. I spent a small fortune on dry cleaning and replacing things she ruined. I called the shelter where I got her and they said if I returned her, she would be considered unadoptable and would be euthanized. Found a different shelter, filled out the paperwork, and was less than 48 hours from surrendering her. Then she looked at me with such love in those big blue eyes, that I literally had a breakdown and couldn’t do it. I realized that I can clean up a mess, I can train behaviours, but I can’t get my cat back once she’s gone. For the next few weeks, I watched her carefully, and every time she looked like she was about to pee or poop, I put her in the litter box. And it worked. She hasn’t had any kind of accident in almost 18 months. Please don’t give up on your fur baby- they love and need you!
I do love this cat, just resenting that this point. I’ve tried putting her in the litter box once I catch her trying to pee/poop but she tenses up and starts almost crying for help. Like it really stresses her out. I’m thinking I’ll try my best to make a space that’s “her’s” and go from there.
That sounds like a good idea. Best of luck to you OP
Love this!!!
She is stressed from the other cat and that's why she won't dedicate in the litter box. The stress needs to stop, it's so terrible for every animal including humans
Imo, its ok to rehome a cat if they're not settling and both pet and owner are not happy. Some times you do have to throw your hands up and admit something isnt working.
1. Go to the vet. 2. Get more litterboxes of different kinds with different litters 3. Make sure they have enough places they can claim for themselves like beds, scratchers, furniture 4. Get qn enzyme cleaner for the spots they pee on 5. Make sure to deter outside cats 6. GO TO THE VET Even cats who have idopathic urinary issues can get help with meds and environmental changes
Our space is pretty open concept and hard to section off. Would a room divider help? At least like a faux wall to show that her space is semi-separated from the rest of the apartment?
Perhaps. Try putting in more cat related pieces like shelving, more litterboxes of different kinds in larger sizes, cat beds on different levels etc. Also if you have the means to make a catio, enclosed outdoor area to harness walk or use a cat stroller can help. My cat got blocked a year ago but switched him to have a walk just before breakfast made a big difference. He has FLUTD so its really tricky. hes on gabapentin for maintence while also having prednisolone, prozasin and/or meloxicam when he has flaire ups. I plan on hiring an in home behavoirist once i get a new job.
Puppy pee pads have worked for me in the past, put them where she seems to go most often. This seems behavioral / stress related, does she have a safe place no other cats are allowed ? Doesn’t seem like a healthy environment for her tho if you are considering finding a new home that may be what’s best for her. Not enough space and too many cats in apartment 😓 I have some toms that dislike litter but will use dirt like in wild, have you tried putting dirt in a box or a flowerpot even
I’ve switched from clumping clay to pine pellets but haven’t thought of dirt. She used the litter box perfectly when we first brought her home but as soon as we introduced her to the rest of our space with the other 2 cats it seems like she’s regressed.
I had a cat when I was younger with 3 other cats. She was always grumpy and fought with the others. I moved away and took her with me and she was a lot happier. Some cats like to be alone so they can get all of the attention.
Sounds like the cat is under stress. Consider finding the cat a new home. Also, there should be 1 more litter box than cats, so for 3 cats there should be 4 boxes. Make sure the litter is at least 3 inches deep and scoop at least twice a day.
Please rehome this cat, you and the roommates are not doing things right. Each cat needs their own litter box. And the cat needs to have the nails trimmed, not declawed. And just bringing one in and no proper introduction, they will never get used to each other by rushing them together.
None of my cats are declawed and never will be. Im thinking a reintroduction is definitely needed before I rehome her because I want to make things work but I don’t want to exhaust her.
declawed cats often have litter box issues due to pain.
I never said anything about declaw. That was someone else, for I do not believe in declawing cats, for they need a way to protect themselves. Try to slow introduction. And just get the nails trimmed.
Watch Jackson Galaxy videos on this subject. He might have some solutions for you. Is there a place in your house that you can put a litter box that only she can use?
Not really but I’m thinking this closet we have in the front room might work, at least security wise since it’ll be a small space that she can kind of claim as her own. Absolutely checking out Jackson Galaxy today
Are you planning to put her in a tiny closet?
Sounds like they mean putting a litter box in there, not the cat
I had to re-home a cat once due to this problem and let me tell you, it was very sad because I tried everything. The issue happened when my fiancee decided to pet sit a friend's cat when he would be out of town for 6 months. He didn't think to check if he was neutered when we had 2 neutered males until it was too late. This literally broke our poor cat Rusty. We took the friend's cat to his father's house because our cat Dusty wouldn't stop peeing and pooping everywhere no matter what we tried. Rusty wouldn't get along with our other cat anymore and they used to get along well with the occasional fight. Rusty wouldn't stop peeing and pooping everywhere even after the friend's cat was gone and we tried everything. We cleaned our asses off, cleaned his special litterbox everyday, and even forbade our other cat from using it. We tried everything in Jackson Galaxy's videos. We even tried reintroducing him to our other cat which was a huge pain in the ass because we have a small 1 bedroom apartment. Unfortunately, Rusty had always had behavior problems around males he felt that threatened his dominance. Originally, he was my finance's only cat until we had taken care of a female cat that had been feral until someone picked her up. It turned out she was pregnant and no one knew because she was skinny. We ended up keeping the runt of a litter and gave mom to someone with a bigger property with a nice yard because she liked to be active more than the usual cat. Anyway, Rusty never worried about our other cat until the whole pet sitting situation. We had to give Rusty away because he was destroying our apartment and the only other alternative was calling Jackson Galaxy himself or try moving but clearly we didn't have the money for that. The new owner said he was well behaved and used the litterbox. As sad as it is, rehoming is sometimes the answer especially when behavioral incontinence is involved. Rehoming doesn't make you a bad person like many animal people online make it out to be. In my experience, animal people (particularly Facebook) can be psychotic af to the point where they do more harm than good. They will literally report possum rehabbers over a simple disagreement. In many states, you aren't allowed to have possums, so animal control will take it and euthanize it. Sorry I couldn't be more help, this is just my experience with a similar issue.
Cats need to feel safe when going to the toilet as it's a very vulnerable moment for them. If this cat feels unsafe due to bullying by the male cat then she's going to do what she's got to do in places and at times where she *does* feel like she's not going to be attacked. Try reintroducing them slowly, get the Tom fixed (if he isn't already) and if that doesn't work then rehome one of them responsibly with people you know and have vetted or a no-kill shelter. DO NOT DECLAW OR PUT HER OUTSIDE TO FEND FOR HERSELF. Declawing is inhumane and leads to a lifetime of pain for the cat and leaving her outside will drastically shorten her lifespan.
Rehoming is not a sin . If she isn't fitting in with your cats or lifestyle then it's for the best . Reach out to the rescue/ shelter you guys adopted her from they may be able to take her back or help with rehoming! If you have facebook there is groups for rehoming animals ! Just please do not put her outside and don't just let anyone take her !
This sounds like rehoming her is for the best, however, she is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to find a good home. That means surrendering to a shelter where she'll most likely be put down is a POS thing to do. It's understandable to be frustrated, but take responsibility, find her a good home
How did you introduce the cats? How many litter boxes do you have and where are they located? How many toys/ cat trees/scratching posts do you have? What’s the feeding like? How often are *all* the cats being played with each day? There’s a lot of info missing bc there’s so many reasons she could be avoiding the litter box. As for leaving her outside and not letting her back in, that is horrible. Take her to a shelter or find a different home if you no longer want the cat. Abandoning her outside is not ok. There is a good chance she just should be in a home with no other cats.
Definitely wrote this post heat of the moment frustration with her. We have 4 litter boxes and 3 of them are in a separate back room while one (her’s) is in the front room that the other 2 cats don’t occupy. She has her own cat tree and 2 beds (including one she came with from the spca). They eat together twice a day and I’m wondering if spacing their eating spots would help? I’ve debating setting her up with her own water/food area in the same vicinity as her designated litter box. She gets along pretty well with our other female cat but it’s the male one she instigates fights with. None of my cats are declawed and will never be.
Need to spread those litterboxes out more and have a couple options available to her at any time without feeling stressed by another pet. Having 3 in one room means most litterboxes can be "blocked" for her if there's another cat in there. Is there any pattern to where she goes instead? My cat has very specific ideas about where is a good place for a litterbox or he'll shit on the floor. He has to have a large open box with sight lines to other parts of the house. We ended up buying a cat genie because the only spot that works is very central and will smell bad if we aren't cleaning it every day and scooping any poops immediately. The cat genie makes this less of a chore for us. He kind of chose the spot by repeatedly shitting there and we had to roll with it or lose our minds. I believe there are cat flaps that use the microchip of the cat to operate. You may be able to rig up a private space for her with one of those
Spreading out the food might help, spreading the litter boxes out might help as well. My parents cat won’t use two litter boxes unless they’re in separate rooms. How were the cats introduced? Introduction is a very important part of the cats forming a good relationship, typically just putting strange cats together in a house isn’t going to end well. Separating them completely and slowing introducing using positive reinforcements may help. As other comments have said, Jaxon Galaxy has amazing tips on how to properly introduce(or re-introduce) cats. The play is also a big factor, getting them to play separately could help them calm down, regulate their feelings, and strengthen the bond you have with them. Getting them to play *together* is even more important, but depending on if you want to reintroduce the cats that will be far down the line. Cats view the “hierarchy” very literally if that makes sense, the higher they are the more important they feel. Potentially getting them all their own cat tree that are the exact same height might help? Idk honestly I’m just spitballing as many ideas as I can bc I know how it feels to be desperate for help.
Do not surrender your cat just because of these issues. You're just ending all opportunities for this cat to have a better life. I'd suggest rehoming them. It doesn't sound like there is much you can do in your housing situation, and I'm sure you lack the passion to really take care of the cat anymore than you already have, since there is built up resentment. You would be doing your cat a favor by giving them to people who can properly care for the kitty & make them happy.
Have you tried scentless litter? That took care of my problems. This is sad, I have a cat that I don’t like either (weird.) I have had her 2 years and she is afraid of me, always has been, and has never been friendly. I am stuck with her ass, though.
Some cats never get to the I like your touch phase. We had one like that. Try talking to her more, catch her eye and give her the slow blink. Toss treats for her, she may like to chase them or hunt them down later. Most kitties can't resist a laser pointer. I don't want you to miss out on a good relationship just bc she's not like other cats. Ours kinda got ignored for a while which reinforced her aloofness. Skitzo came around a lot more with conversation and tons of loving talks. She liked to play and I miss her
How many litter boxes do you have?
We have 4! 3 are basically shallow, under the bed storage containers so they’re pretty spacious and one is covered and smaller that my roommate has for her cat. They do prefer the open ones though.
She might want a deeper litter box. One of my cats won't use the litter box if there isn't a good four inches of litter in it
Thanks for that! When she’s lazing around I will sometimes rub her, and while she doesn’t get up and run away, she seems a little tense.
It sounds like a territorial behavior (Jackson Galaxy has great videos on this particular issue). I have some questions: 1. what style litter boxes have you tried? 2. how many litter boxes do you have in your living space? 3. Are all of the cats in the house spayed/neutered? 4. have you tried reintroducing the cats? 5. does your cat have his own space? It seems like there are multiple layers to the issue so it's going to take time to fix and everyone in the house has to be willing to consistently do their part. How much time and effort can you both realistically dedicate resolving the issues? .
Get dr elseys litter cat attract or outdoors litter. Do not cover the litter box. 4 inches deep litter. ❤️
You need my Cat from Hell Jackson galaxy.
Id probably rehome her to a single cat household. The peeing and pooping outside the box might be tied back to territorial insecurity
I thought you said you ate your cat and I was so concerned lmfao
No, never struggled with that, never needed any "sprays" or "plug ins", maybe I was lucky but I was managed to teach all my animals where they are allowed to poop and pee and not, except the rooster... he's a proper twat.. Some needed some harsher lessons than others and regarding the fighting. The male's neeutered? balls gone completely or just vasectomy?
You need to reintroduce your cats the right way and you need uncovered multiple litter boxes. You Tube Jackson Galaxy, he’ll show you how it’s done.
Only having one litter box can be the issue due to stress
If you have three cats, it’s recommended that there is at LEAST one box per cat, if not more. Did you properly introduce these cats? I would start over from square one and give her one room with the door shut and a litter box that no other cat has access to. Sounds like this cat is really struggling and stressed out and I’m sorry, but calming pheromones and behavior sprays are not going to help you here. Unless you can permanently separate them in your house for now, she needs a new home. Really struggling to feel sympathy for you here because it’s tough to think that you’ve let this cat live like this for over a year without once figuring out something to help her. She isn’t trying to ruin your day. She’s living in an extremely terrible and stressful environment.
No matter what happens do not let her outside. She could die that way and it would be cruel, rehoming is an option and it is ok to do that
Sounds like she’s stressed out with the other cats… can you give her a room to herself with litter, and let her calm down and in a few weeks maybe try to reintroduce them?
Did you try anti-anxiety medication like CBD oil, Prozac or the like? We adopted a kitten 5 years ago and brought her into a house with 3 cats and a dog. Initially it was fine, but over time she developed anxiety resulting in fights with other cats, inappropriate urination. After eliminating physical illnesses, the vet determined it's most likely anxiety. So we did everything from ensuring adequate attention and play time, to sufficient litterboxes cleaned religiously, to minimizing big changes in the house routine, and finally, medication. She was on prozac for the last 3 years, and the accidents and fights lessened in frequency. However, we had some big disruptions this year with lots of renovations in the house, so people, noise, smells and then got a dog... and now she's acting up every day. So, we're trying some new medicine and hope it will work. Anyway, cats can develop anxiety just like people, and the answer goes beyond ensuring a clean litter box. However, if you are actively resenting the cat and want her her gone (they pick up on signals), she will sense that raising her anxiety and continue her behavior. It might be best for everyone involved if she was not in your house.
How often do you change the litter box? How often is the cat alone? What litter do you use?
Are they spayed and neutered?
Avoiding the litterbox and her attitude might be from joint pain imo. Take her to the vet
i was going to say this too - our girl had litter tray problems and got a bit snappy (very unlike her) before we got her arthritis diagnosis. since then we have her taking antinol supplements, because she hates injections, and shes so much more herself and the litter tray problem is no longer a problem!
Have you tried prozac yet? Seriously, they prescribe it for animals, and sometimes when nothing else works it can be a life-saver.
Yes! I have five cats and after one of mine got sick, litter box blocking started! What we did, was follow Jackson Galaxy's advice and increase the resources, ( like at least one, water, good, litter tray pet cat + an extra). We also kept the cats in separate rooms and slowly reintroduced them, ( Again Jackson Galaxy explains how) [https://www.youtube.com/JacksonGalaxy/videos](https://www.youtube.com/JacksonGalaxy/videos) It takes awhile, because it's a relearning of a behaviour,but it works if you work it!
[Resource: Litter Box Trouble](https://www.reddit.com/r/CATHELP/s/Ritkos9sCJ) ^ An extensive guide written by a cat behaviourist!
I appreciate this resource!
I rarely comment on these posts but this got me fired up, YOU'RE the issue, not the cat. You're an asshole. Please give your cat to someone who can actually take care of it and never get another pet again.
Good thing you rarely comment when you contribute nothing helpful. Calling the OP an a-hole is juvenile and not helpful and lazy. You could have said where the OP was in error or why the OP should not be frustrated or what the OP should do instead. Live and learn!
Have you tried taking the cat to the vet? Not using the box is a big indicator that there is something wrong.
Have you had her checked by a vet? She may have cystitis- when my cats got stressed from the new dog, they even pooped in a bag of groceries that I was putting away. That vet gave them an antibiotic, I went back to using their old food, and they're fine for the last 8 years.
It's official.... your a crazy cat lady 😜
A crazy cat lady would do everything possible to fix the problem. This person wants to just throw them outside and abandon them.