My wife and I have 3 cats. We’re trying to get rid of all our litter boxes except for 1 super-high tech self-cleaning wonderbox .
Now, 2 of the cats use it, no problem. The 3rd is just terrified of it. Not that it moves, he just doesn’t want to go into the hole. Doesn’t like small confined spaces, unlike most cats.
I’ve tried keeping his other litter box dirty (he just pees on the floor instead of going in the clean box), tried tempting him in by throwing his favorite treats, but that doesn’t work either.
Once he goes in a couple of times, I’m sure he’ll be fine continuing to use it. Any ways to coax him in to get used to it?
I know you’re trying to get rid of the other litter boxes, but I really don’t think that’s a good idea. Ideally, you’ll have at least one litter box for each cat. Sometimes cats just don’t like a litter box, or will develop an aversion to one, and when that happens you damn sure want to make sure they have a backup, or else you’re going to be finding pee spots and wee turds everywhere.
Also, it’s very possible this cat is never going to like the litterbox. Some cats just don’t like going in enclosed spaces. If a cat doesn’t like a litterbox, there’s not much you can do to change their mind. Keeping the other box dirty is a bad idea – if he’s peeing on the floor, you want him to stop that asap, or else he’s going to come to think of the floor as an acceptable place to go pee. Let him keep the old litterbox.
Get a large box and rip open one side for an “entrance”. Put it over kitty’s original litterbox. As he gets used to that, gradually make the hole smaller (or use smaller boxes).
I’m not explaining it well, but it’s not a complicated concept. I think it is worth easing your kitty into this transition, because the last thing you want is a cat who’s afraid of the litterbox.
I didn’t explain my rationale for wanting to do this completely, but one reason it’s important is that my wife is pregnant and can no longer clean the litter boxes. So I’ve been doing it, but I travel frequently for work, and may be gone for long stretches of time. The self-cleaning box solves that issue, and the cats have been fine sharing 1 litter box before, especially if it stays clean. Most self-cleaning boxes are just crap, though. And now that we have a good one, I want to try whatever I can to get the 1 rogue to use it…
Not that you asked but … since they are indoor cats, the risk of toxoplasmosis is VERY VERY VERY low. You may want to google it to find out more information.
I am a huge worrier, but in your wife’s shoes, even I would be comfortable changing the litter box if I wore gloves and one of those little paper mask things.
We did that for a while, then her doctor found out and said no way in hell. Wasn’t worth the risk, however small. So once again, time to force kitty in the hole.
Serious question here – would giving him a vet-approved mild sedative to chill him out a little bit help? Then gently coax him into the box and see how he reacts?
Isn’t there a blood test for toxoplasmosis? I’ve heard that most people who have cats have it, and a blood test will tell you that - that you only have to worry about getting a new case of it while you’re actually pregnant. Is that true?
It is true that you can get tested for toxoplasmosis, and that once you have it, you don’t have to worry about getting it while pregnant. You can also get the cats tested for toxo, although if that test is negative, you still have to worry a bit about the possibility that one of them will get it from a passing mouse. But your odds of getting toxo are extremely low if you scoop the litterbox every day - it takes a while for the feces to start shedding virus. Cite from CDC on that last point.
Yes, your wife can request a blood test to look for toxo antibodies. If they’re there (as is highly likely in a cat owner), then she doesn’t need to worry. Only first infections caught while pregnant are dangerous to the fetus.
If you put treats in the box, there’s no way in hell your cat will use it to poop in. Cats don’t mess where they eat. In fact, I’ve used this fact to STOP the cat from peeing outside the box on his “favorite” area rug - I put a small dish of cat food on the rug. Now he won’t pee on it.
Seconding the notion of one litterbox for each cat. It may not even be the litterbox that your picky cat dislikes - he may not share a box, period. It may be that when you had multiple boxes, he had “his” box worked out with the other kitties and you didn’t know it.
Have you tried the rolling litterbox? I replaced my Littermaid with one of these and I like it even better. Your wife can empty the waste with very, very little chance of contact. They’re around $30 at PetCo (PetSmart never has them in store here, but it’s on their website.)
Do NOT sedate the cat without the vet’s OK. Sedation tends to leave animals confused and anxious, and those aren’t emotions you want to associate with the new litter box.
Wow that litterbox looks scary to go in, I don’t blame your cat.
Cats are territorial and that may be the issue here, that box may ‘belong’ to one cat, the second cat has a ‘easment’ to use it, the 3rd has no such agreement. If this is the case a second one might help.
Also cats don’t like dirty boxes, forcing them to use the same box may be setting them up for poor litterbox habbits later in kitty life.
You say that kitty #3 does not like confined spaces - why force the issue, get a automated litterbox for that cat that is not enclosed. Though I really doubt it is some fear of confined spaces, cats naturally seak them out.
There are also disposable litter boxes. For around $4 each, you get a liitterbox that is good for about a week. Then you just throw the whole thing out, no scooping. Since this is a time-limited situation with your wife’s pregnancy, maybe they would be an option.
Everyone, thanks for the replies. But yes, we have rats (live in the hills), and while we keep the cats away from the areas where the rats are, we don’t want to risk my wife doing the scooping. And, I’ve seen all 3 cats share 1 litter box, plus the cat that won’t go in is the dominant one that pretty much runs the house.
He also had to be coaxed into using the box he does which we kept uncovered until he used it, then put the covering on. Before that he wouldn’t go in because unlike most cats, he doesn’t like crawling into small spaces.
Basically, we do have alternative options available to us, I am aware of those, and I appreciate the suggestions.
But, before I do those, I want to try one last-ditch effort to get this one cat to use the covered box.
So, back to the OP.
**
Assuming the cats are willing to share a box and one of them is just a bit afraid of even going in… and assuming once he’s been in there once or twice he’ll be OK with it (like with his current covered litter box)… are there any ways I can coax him in there gently a couple of times, because picking him up and shoving him in clearly won’t work (and no, I haven’t done that… heh).**
Have you tried Cat Attract cat litter? It’s like kitty krack. It really encouraged my litterbox shy cat to use the box. It’s got herby stuff in it that cats like.
Other than that, no, there’s nothing you can do short of shoving him in there. Like I said before, treats inside will only make him avoid using it, even if he learns to go in it.
Unless you have a lot of time on your hands and you can opperant condition him into it. When he walks next to the box, give him treats and affection. When he walks away, ignore him. When he turns in the direction of the box, treats again. When he moves towards the box, treats. When he turns away, ignore. Eventually (and this may take days), he may choose to step into the box. Or he may not.
Cat Attract didn’t work either. But thanks for the treats info, stopped that immediately. (He’s never eaten in there.) I’m actually now trying to put cat attract into his normal box for a bit, so he associates it with a litter box, and then put it just in the other box. Sigh.