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Ask the Veterinarian/My cat wont stop pulling her waste out of the litter box
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Question
Hi, My name is Ashley and I've had my cat for almost a year now,
and she's recently been pulling out her feces and urine clumps out of her litter box.
I have tried cleaning it more frequently and it happens even when she goes in a fresh box.
I don't understand why she is doing it and I don't know what I can do to keep her from pulling it out.
I got her from a friend of the family because she was the runt of the litter and not in great condition. Riddled with worms and so thin, and she's in perfect condition at this point and time.
please help me.
Sincerely,
concerned owner
She might just be an over-zealous scratcher when she is trying to cover it up and it's ending up on the floor. I have never heard of a cat deliberately grabbing their feces and dragging them to the floor.
I suggest you might want to get a litter box with higher edges and a different litter so that she feels like she is accomplishing the task that she is trying to do, namely cover it up. You should be cleaning out the clumps daily of both urine and feces. That will help as well.
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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