The reason I started this site was to help cat owners find solutions to their litter box woes. I never want to hear about a cat being taken to the shelter because of peeing (or pooping) issues. There are solutions! Sometimes they are quite simple. That’s why I LOVE getting emails from you guys like this one from reader Maxine:
“Lucy started pooping outside of her litter box, not a lot, but a portion, and I didn’t know what to do. Well, one of your emails had some suggestions for this problem, so I tried the easiest one first – I bought a plastic storage container (bigger than the standard litter box), poured a little of her “used” litter in it, filled it the rest of the way with new litter, and she hasn’t missed the box since! She just got too big for the standard size and I had been looking for a larger kitty litter box, but couldn’t find any. Hadn’t even thought about what you suggested, so thank you! No more problem.”
Here’s an example of the type of clear storage box she was referring to: Sterilite Under Bed Storage Box
I’m doing the Happy Litter Box Happy Dance over here! Thanks, Maxine, for making my day!
Readers, please send me your success stories and I’ll post them here. Hopefully they can help others! Email me at caroline(at)highpaw.com.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Darn! I have an elderly cat who does this, and I hoped for something that would work. However, I already use an under-the-bed-box. She came into the shelter because she had been kept from the litter box by another cat, although she dropped the habit for awhile. I finally told the shelter to remove her from the website and said she could live her life out with me, because no adopter wants a cat who does this. And honestly I wouldn’t consider it too awful if the poop were firm – but it’s not. Any other suggestions?
I’ve been making my own litter boxes ever since we adopted a family of feral kittens, needed a box that was very deep (18-24″ deep) because feral’s tend to spray upwards, males and females, causing pee to go every where but where its suppose to, covered boxes, forget it, just gives them a lovely “urine shower” along with the odor (that is if they will enter a covered box at all). Sometimes I will take two boxes cut off the rim and the bottom, use the remainder to make high sides.
Our vet said feral cats spray upwards as high as they can as a preventive against predators, guess if the urine is up high on a tree or whatever, predator thinks its a much larger cat and covered boxes make them feel trapped.
The hardest part is cutting the plastic container, they crack and shatter easily, the good part, I can make 3 for what 1 costs at the pet shop.
Nancy, know exactly what you mean, have same problem with 3 kitties we adopted that were my Mom’s, they are nearly 19 and its more out of the box than in and like you, not firm, guess we are fortunate because our home is nearly all tile, does make for easy clean up. The bad part they sleep on the furniture, if you get my drift, was finally able to find vinyl upholstery fabric in a solid color that matches the print on our slipcovers and cut it to cover the seat with an old towel on top. Our vet says its just their age, they do it in their sleep and don’t even realize they’ve done it. Just realized I said 3 kitties, sadly its 2 now, lost one a week ago.
I switched to those a while ago. It’s more like a “litter garden” for them. The litter also doesn’t stick and harden to the floor of the box. I had to go a step further when my Himalayan started peeing on my couch. I took the litter out of her box and instead tried to duplicate the “couch experience” by using puppy pee pads on the bottom with a tiny bit of shredded newsprint for her to shuffle around. It worked like a charm. She never pee’d on the couch again. Sometimes you just have to think outside of the box.
You can use the bigger rubbermaid boxes w/ or w/o the lids, obvious w the lid you’d want to cut a hole in a side… They are SO much cheaper than a covered big litterbox. Durable too.
Nancy E.
Your elderly cat may be doing this because her poop is soft. It can be uncomfortable to pooh, then she avoids the box because she associates it with the discomfort. Talk to your vet, maybe probiotics or something will get her firm again.
What a fantastic success story! Yay for Lucy and Maxine. We’re joining you in the Happy Litter Box Dance!
My 18 yo kitty quit using the box after always being spot on. I took her to the vet and found she had arthritis in her spine and back by her tail it was bad. The vet thought she may be having extreme pain trying to get into the box and suggested I cut down the side of the box to give her an easy entry. I cut it down to one inch on a large, low box and put a rug on the outside to catch any litter. She was very happy with the arrangement and thanked me with appropriate behavior. Yea!
What are the measurements. I’ve tried looking for them on Amazon, but couldn’t find them.