Cats with Attitude Problem-HELP!!

[Ninn]

Ok-quick story. We have 2 kittens, age about 5 months. Up until recently, they have been wonderful cats to have around-very playful and snuggly. They have always had 2 litterboxes-1 in the bathroom and 1 in the kitchen. They use the one in the bathroom as a potty, but had gotten to where all they did with the other was throw litter at each other and wrestle in it. I cannot have this all over my kitchen, so I got rid of the litter box. Fast forward-cats have decided to play dumb. They have "forgotten" how to push the bathroom door open to use their potty. They are now using my BRAND NEW CARPET IN THE LIVING ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They keep going potty in front of my dryer! I have cleaned the box, using the same litter. It's the same cleanser I always use, so it doesnt smell different. The only difference is the lack of a box in my kitchen. Without putting a box back in my kitchen, how do I get them to stop this? I cannot have litter all over the kitchen all the time. It's not like they don't have other toys to play with. They even let the dog give them a bath now! Why are they suddenly being so stubborn? What can I do about it? I can't be right behind them all the time to catch them at it, either. What can I do?

[doozie]

Maybe for the kitchen use a plastic storage bin with high sides,12 inches or so.... the litter wont get out much.
About 10.00 at a Kmart or Wal-Mart and plenty big enough too.
I used to have many cats and used a huge storage bin for the litter box...
Also, if you want to move the location of the box, you could try moving it 3 feet or so each day, until you get to the desired location, just an idea.

[mygoat]

For my cat, we have a storage bin with a hole in one end. the cat must step on a litter mat as he steps out. Maybe that would help?

[Ninn]

The thing is, they don't NEED a box in the kitchen. I had one of those huge hooded ones out there, just like the one in the bathroom. They weren't using it as a potty, just as a wrestling ring! They were consistently using the one in the bathroom as a potty. The minute I took away their wrestling box, they "forgot" how to open the bathroom door to get to their potty box. Up until that point, they both knew how to push against the door to get in and pull the bottom of it with their paw to get out. Since it is too wide for the frame, it never latches shut. They both still go in there to play in the cupboard, just not to use the potty box. I think it's a power struggle and I think I am losing. They have also started knocking everything off the shelf above that area down into the poop. It's making me very angry, as I waited until I was sure they were litter trained to even put down the new carpet-just to avoid this very issue! Now my brand new carpet, which was not even dirty enough to steam clean again yet, (just did it last week) smells like poop and pee pee! I have stuff which gets the smell out, even to the point that the cats can't smell it. It's not about training them-they are trying to get their toy back. I don't want a litter box in my kitchen, wether they use it for a potty or not. My kitchen is too small to have that huge thing in there just for entertainment. They have tons of toys, their own yarn ball, a dog, lots of people, even a stuffy to sleep with. They do NOT need a wrestling ring in the kitchen to be happy!! They are acting like 2 year olds! (which is really funny, i had a nephew that did this at age 2!!!) I just want to get them to stop! I am going to have to crate them, separately, unless someone is playing with them, just like a dog. It's the only way I can think of to get them to stop pooping on my new rug.

[doozie]

Are they both doing this, or not even using the bathroom box for anything??
I never had a problem like you are having...
The only other thing I can think of is trying a totally new brand of cat litter, and making sure the box is cleaned up more than once a day...Maybe prop the Bathroom door open for them too.

[gone-a-milkin]

those sound like OUTSIDE cats to me...are they neutered? could be a powerstruggle between cats...or between cats and dog. If they are unneutered male cats, it may be too late to change their behavior by neutering.they are at that TERRITORY marking age.

[Ninn]

I think it is actually only one of them. It's hard to tell, because they look exactly the same. They are both female, so it's not a male thing. I think it is seriously a power struggle thing, cuz she wants the other box back-which she is not getting. I will, however, compromise by putting a very small box behind the dryer in the living room for her. I just cannot have a litter box in the kitchen for any reason. Even if they only play in it, it just makes me think the kitchen is dirty all the time. Wouldn't matter if I cleaned the kitchen all day, I would still know it was there.

As for the potty box in the bathroom, it gets scooped 3 times a day. That should be plenty. If it's about one not wanting to share, then the little tiny one behind the dryer should take care of that.

[GoldenMom]

Even females will mark, especially when they are coming into heat. Five months is prime age to come into heat now that spring is coming. So that is a possibility.

I hope the extra box by the dryer works. If it doesn't you have to make a couple of decisions: which is dirtier-a litter box in the kitchen or excrement in/on the carpet? If you can't provide the litter box they want and don't want to continue to clean carpet, are you willing to make them outdoor kitties?

[TedH71]

Try a see-thru plastic box with a cover on top and cut a cat-sized hole in it and put litter in it. Guaranteed they won't bring out the litter because they will have to climb thru the hole in the top in order to get out. They might or might not go to the bathroom in it. You need to get an enezyme in the carpet that will eliminate the smell. Nature's Miracle doesn't work anymore. I forget what other enezymes are out there now.

[Ninn]

Actually, there is a phenomenal product out there called Kids N Pets. The bottle with the blue cap is for spot treatment, the bottle with the brown lid is for in your carpet cleaner. It can be used on just about any smell, too. When we bought this trailer, it had been left open for 2 years and every cat in the neighborhood had been in here-it really stunk. After 3 applications, you can't smell it. Even the cats and the dog can't smell it! We laid some new subflooring in some areas, just to be sure, and it is amazing stuff. It goes for about 7 dollars a bottle at my local supermarket. I will grab another bottle to treat that section of my rug until I steam it next weekend.

Unfortunately, they cannot ever be outdoor kitties. We live right on the main road and too many kitties become road kill around here. However, we do have a doggy cage to put them outdoors in for a while each day in the warmer weather, so they can play in the grass too.

I'm going to try the hole in the lid litter box idea-I think I can actually get a litter box designed that way at my local pet center. Thanks for all the tips.

[Ardie/WI]

Originally Posted by GoldenMom

Even females will mark, especially when they are coming into heat. Five months is prime age to come into heat now that spring is coming. So that is a possibility.

I hope the extra box by the dryer works. If it doesn't you have to make a couple of decisions: which is dirtier-a litter box in the kitchen or excrement in/on the carpet? If you can't provide the litter box they want and don't want to continue to clean carpet, are you willing to make them outdoor kitties?

I thought of the going-into-heat thing too.

[Ninn]

Well, problem solved. I put the other box back into the kitchen, just with no litter in it. They just wanted to have it to play in!! They could have cared less about the litter being in it or not! So, it is under the table that holds the microwave and coffemaker. It is out of my way and the babies are happy. I will be steaming my rug tomorrow and then Momma will be happy too! YAY!!!