We got two cats from the shelter recently, because our cat was lonely (he'd stand at the window or door and cry and cry if we were even outside in the yard!). Anyway, even though we had three litter boxes in the house, the two new cats seemed to prefer to use the one in the library. And one of them also did not cover her stinky poop.

So DH got a covered dome litter box for that room; the other new cat will not use it. She would go right next to it and go on the carpet and then scratch at the carpet. We were thinking it was the same non-covering cat but caught the other one in the act. We had to go back to the flat open one (in addition to the covered dome).

Who knows what cats do? The shelter said cats are weird; some won't use anything but clay litter, some want clumping litter, some won't urinate and defecate in the same litter box! As for the stink, have you told the vet about it? If it is really outrageous, s/he may recommend a different kind of food.

thanks mattie,

we are giving her diet food by vet's recommendation because she is inactive and eats too much, she is too fat. LOL maybe that's why it stinks like that.

it is 1PM and I am yet to see her go in the box. I am waiting for the most 2 hours and driving to get a new flat box. I removed the cover from the new box but she still wouldn't use it. maybe because it is deep. i am glad to hear other cats have same issues. my SO said yesterday that he'll give her up if it continues. he won't, but we are frustrated.

When you find the cats feces anywhere in the house take it, and put it inside the new box and leave it in there for a while until she gets used to it..This works for dogs to get them to go where you want them too, not sure about cats, but its worth a try......

lots of good options mentioned already;

you might post this on the Pets Forum also;
there are lots of knowledgeable animal lovers over there.

Best luck.

oh what a great idea to put her feces in the new box! I'll do just that if I find her feces. I didn't find pet forum, didn't know there is one. I'll check it out. I went and bought new box that is as flat as the old one that we threw away. she clearly urinated somewhere in the house because she didn't go in neither box yet. thanks everybody, what a pain, i never even had or wanted pets and now stuck with one LOL

I have a 18 year old cat who was diagnosed with senile dementia 3 yr.s ago. After multiple trips to the vet for what I was sure was a UTI as she stopped peeing in the litter box. She'll poop in it but that is it. And it must be scooped immediately upon the poopy drop.

My solution was to get pee pads (the human kind-they are better) I buy them by the caseload and I'm sure Costco thinks I have a real issue for someone my age-Ha!

I Fold in half and tuck the loose end under the litterbox so there is about 10 inches of doubled soft pad for her to do her business on. And I replace as soon as I see it's soiled. Usually 2x a day. Also, cat is on valium to quiet her nightime howling like she's a b***h in heat episodes.
and if she gets really loud, well I can take one myself!

I know it's getting to be time, but she's not in pain-just nuts. Of And i swtiched to the domed litterbox too, but I actually put it in the bathtub of an unused bathroom so if by chance there are any "oops" I can just clean & wash it out. MUCH better, works for crazy old kitty & works for me. It has stopped the accidents. For some reason she likes to pee on the pads.

And for pet stains & odors get "natures miracle" This stuff works great, I even use it for laundry stains as it is an enzyme based cleaner. I buy a big jug and keep some in a spray bottle. It works great on just about any type of stain.

The vet & I can't figure it out. Cats are odd creatures.

~Cat ;0)

Off this topic but step related.... before we went back to the flat litter box in addition to the domed one (now I get to clean four litter boxes every day - I am going to look into the self cleaning ones!) Anyway, SS8 came downstairs the other day while I was working and told me that the cat had pooped on the floor next to the litter box again. I sighed and thanked him for telling me and said that I'd clean it up in a minute when I took a break. And SS, the eight year old, responded - "Oh, I already cleaned it up. I just wanted to let you know." I love these times when I know that we must be doing something right raising him. :)

PO1, is your cat still angry with you for taking her litter box away or is she using the replacement one by now, I hope?

Catlettuce, what a great idea the pee pads are! I think I'm going to get some just to be safe - especially because one of our moronic new cats likes to jump into the litter box at the same time either of the other cats is using it - which makes them tend to jump back in. Remember that we have FOUR litter boxes, two in the same room. Our cats are really weird, I think.

Update time. I went a bought flat box like the one we had before and she goes there now just fine. New deep one stands right next to it in hopes she'd like that. She wouldn't go into a big one, i removed hood off and still no luck. i wonder if it is because it is deep? But at least she would not pee anywhere else and appears to be calm.

oh how sweet, SS cleaned it! i hope he didn't clean it the way SD21 cleans litter box. Throws clumps into a trash can uncovered and no trash bag. Imagine that.

dimentia in cats LOL

thanks again

Something that occurs to me, since you say the cat's poop is stinky- do you give her regular milk and/or fatty foods? Our now deceased elderly cat at one stage did what we used to refer to as "laser poo" :-) - as soon as it hit the litter tray you were reeling at the other end of the house. We changed her diet to special cat food from the vet and lactose-free milk. Cats have a sensitivity to lactose and while Motley's digestion could cope with regular milk when she was younger, it couldn't when she was elderly. She loved milk so lactose-free was the best solution for her. And no more "laser poo"!