Kitty uses wrong position for litter box

[whoever]

My cat isn't very smart about the litter box. She walks in and then starts to do her thing, not noticing that her rear end is still sticking out of the box, which creates an unpleasant mess next to the box. Any suggestions for how to train her to walk further in or turn around before she goes?

She used to use the toilet, however, since I got another kitten, I haven't been able to train him too and have had to resort to the litter box.

[Michael]

Do you think a covered box would help?

[veggiewriter]

Getting a gigantic box might help...more 'room' to scratch around and sniff out just the right place (inside the box) to go.

Hmmm... also, since the kitty was using the toliet until just recently, maybe he/she doesn't like the smell of the litter you're using and doesn't want to 'get it on her'? Since you've got a kitten now, you're probably using a non-clumping litter. Are you using a natural-type one? Or one of the gravel-like ones? My cats (even the ferals) will all use the pine types as well as the wheat types. Might be worth a try.

[sky73]

If my cat is annoyed with smell in her litter box, she'll keep her butt hanging out (I have a covered dome box) and poop on the floor. I'm pretty sure it's not an accident. :notvegan:

By the way, how did you train you cat to use the toilet and how long did it take?

[epski]

Is this a pretty consistent problem? Does it only occur when there's already some stool in the box? Seems to me a covered box would prevent it from peeing outside, and would keep it from getting close enough to the edge so it would have to pee on the litter.

[sky73]

Is this a pretty consistent problem? Does it only occur when there's already some stool in the box? Seems to me a covered box would prevent it from peeing outside, and would keep it from getting close enough to the edge so it would have to pee on the litter.


Is this in reference to my post? In my situation, the box doesn't have poop in it, but she's very particular about the smell. When it's time for her to poop, she'll sniff every square inch of litter and if it doesn't smell that great, she'll either try to sneak over to the shower when I'm not looking or poop outside the box. The box is covered, but it has an opening and she has no problem peeing inside on the litter. :stinkeye:

[vggiegirl]

My two cats are young, but rather large. Guinness was longer than the box was wide (using the "Giant" box) So I ended up buying a 19x22x6 Cement mixer tub, with a piece of plexiglass along the back. No more probelems! He kept trying to pee widthways and would overshoot the box. Everything is fine now!

[Kiz]

My cat Melly went through a phase of this. She'd get in the box and carefully place her rear end out of it. Didn't matter that it was the large size box. I supervised her for a while, and each time she put her rear out of the box I'd just reposition properly before she "went". She caught on after a few demonstrations, and stopped hanging here rear out after that.

[epski]

Is this in reference to my post? In my situation, the box doesn't have poop in it, but she's very particular about the smell. When it's time for her to poop, she'll sniff every square inch of litter and if it doesn't smell that great, she'll either try to sneak over to the shower when I'm not looking or poop outside the box. The box is covered, but it has an opening and she has no problem peeing inside on the litter. :stinkeye:

Actually, it was to the OP. Interesting, though.

[reigningkatz]

Get a deeper box, like a Rubbermaid storage box without the lid. Make sure it isn't so high it tips over. Your kitty will have to stand on her head to poop outside the box. This also works well with sprayers that stand in the box and hose the wall. About 12 inches high and they hit the sides of the box.

[epski]

Yeah, the last time I saw my cat use the kittens' box, she peed on the floor, 'cos her ass stuck out too far. I had to push her forward. Got her a little sprinkled, but she didn't seem to mind cleaning herself.