I have a new cat. 6 months old. She refuses to poop in her box. She poops on the rug. Weve tried new litters and boxes, we've moved where they are. Weve locked in to a room with a box. She still likes the dining room rug. Help! It's an open floorplan and the dining room isn't private. I just dont get it..
Responses (1)
www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/feline-behavior-problems-house-soiling
You need to have the rug cleaned for get a quality cleaners and do it yourself. A cats nose is 4 times as sensitive as yours so even if you think there is no scent the cat can smell where poop and pee have been and the scent pulls the cat to that spot. Look for a product called Odoban. Home Depot sells it or you can find it online. It's my go to product. Once pee or poo has been cleaned up and everything dry use Febreze from the grocery store to finalize the clean up. Its a scent neutralizer.
Put some of the poo back in the box and dont cover it up. Let the scent drae it back. Get the cat out of lock up. You've just associated the litterbox with punishment. Not good. You praise and give treats for litterbox use not lock a cst in a room with it. How much would you love your toilet locked in a room with it.
Make sure your cat does not have a UTI urintary tract infection. That's the first thing to check when this happens.