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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/litter box fear
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Question
Hi,
About 2 days ago I heard my 3 year old cat using the litter box in the other room when suddenly I could hear him jump wildly from the box and race out of that room. We were the only 2 in the house. Since that time he is afraid of his litter box and has begun using my dining room for his bathroom :( I cleaned out the entire litter box, but he is noticeably afraid to get into it. I have now purchased a new litter box with lower sides and even added a different litter to the bottom layer of the litter box. He is still approaching with great caution, and I have not seen him climb into it. What do i do????
Carol Ann,
It may be an inconvenience, but I would temporarily move the litter box to the dining room where your cat seems to think it is safe.
Something may have moved or fell on it's own and scared the cat. Cats go by association and habit so, if something scared him, he will associate that with the litter box, especially where it was at, and refuse to use it. If you have a window in the room where the litter box is, some animal may have jumped up on the window/ledge and scared him. Anything that could have scared him when he was going to the bathroom he will associate with the litter box.
Try a larger litterbox with deeper litter. Sometimes that will help. Or try using children's play sand that you can get at Home Depot, or other building supply store.
I am including some links to good articles about improper elimination. Please read them. They will have good information that you should find helpful in dealing with the kitten's behavior.
(copy and paste or type the whole links into your address bar)
http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html
http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm
I hope this helps.
Tabbi
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Answers by Expert:
Dear Tabbi
Expertise
My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.
Experience
Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).
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