Litter Box Issues

[Hugh Buchanan]

Hello:

We have an F3 Savannah kitten, she is 8 months old this month. She has been urinating and pooping outside her litter boxes for several months now and I am really concerned. At first, we thought it was just an accident. I have never had a kitten do this and only experienced it with older cats and aging health issues. Our kitten is in perfect health... however, she is in and out of heat every two weeks. We are trying to get her scheduled to be spayed but the waiting times for the vet don't seem to coincide with her heat times. She was scheduled to be spayed this Thursday, but now she has gone into heat again and I do not want to spay her during a heat cycle. I fear it is risky.

!). She has peed and pooped in all spots where our old male cat peed when he was old and sick.
2). Lately, she is pooping in spots he never peed in, something new.
3). She uses her litter boxes, but also pees in the spot where it was if you MOVE the litter box.
4). Her litter boxes are clean and big. She has two in private places. We are using FelinePine because the breeder suggested it and we thought it would be what she was used to.

Last night I was reading several posts from a Wild Cat Rescue organization in Oregon about the Savannahs they have acquired. They have a couple F1's and anF2. The posts said that, "Many people are not aware of what they are getting into with Savannahs and they end up here because the owners can't handle it." Several people asked why and the response was that Savannahs are "untrainable." I don't want to believe that my Savanah is untrainable. Any cat that can bring me a toy and lay it at my feet to engage in play is not stupid!

Is this a typical Savannah trait? Not successfully trainable for litter boxes?

Do you think this will stop once she is spayed?

Should I change litter?

I don't want this behavior to continue much longer and I need to nip it in the bud, but there is no sense getting upset about a cat that will not change because it is their natural instinct.

Please help!

Boni Buchanan

 

[DumaLove]

I think the most important thing would be to get her spayed, which you are obviously working on already.

I would also try changing the litter to something like Dr Elsey's Cat Attract scoopable litter. My F2 stopped using pine pellets consistently once he was neutered, even though that was all he'd ever used. The new litter, along with a MUCH bigger box has helped tremendously.

 

[Hugh Buchanan]

Thank you.

Do you think that her being in heat is at the root of this problem? or, is this Savannah behavior?

 

[WitchyWoman]

Spaying her will help. You also have to use a product such as Anti Icky Poo http://www.antiickypoo.com/ or
http://uniquedistributors.com/petodel.html everywhere she and your former cat peed and pooped even if you have cleaned them previously. These are available on line and come highly recommended by several breeders here. With anti icky poo you can also buy an injection tool to get deep down into carpets and furniture.

Until she is spayed, you should confine her in a room that's easy to clean, such as a bathroom, with her litter boxes, cat bed, water dish some toys and let her out only under supervision. Keep her confined at night and when you are not home.

I think it's her hormones that are the biggest culprit so changing the brand of litter in both boxes probably won't make a difference. You can, however, try Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter in one box and keep her regular litter in the other.

Once she is spayed, I think it takes a bit of time before all the hormones are out of her system so she may need to stay confined in one room for awhile. Hopefully one of our breeders will chime in with more accurate info about that.

It is a fallacy by animal rights organizations that savannahs typically have behavioral issues including inappropriate elimination. Any cat who is not spayed/neutered, not properly socialized, not feeling comfortable/secure in its environment or ill can have a host of behavioral issues. These issues are not breed specific.

 

[DumaLove]

Most likely her being in heat in the root cause. There are LOTS of hormones raging!! But it is possible to have litter box issues with any type of cat. I would start with the change in type of litter. Also what type of litter boxes are you using?

 

[Hugh Buchanan]

Thanks both! I really appreciate this!

I have two small plastic square litter boxes one in each bedroom. One litterbox also has her food source on an opposite wall. (not sure that is a problem or not, I may need to relocate the food or the box to separate them more.) I am using Feline Pine because her breeder said to get it, but, I think it is kinda big for a little kitten, huge barrels. My old cats never used Feline Pine they were indoor outdoor cats. What a blessing that was.

I think I have to get bigger litter boxes right away... and I ordered the cat attract litter. I have heard of the icky poo and will get it, the vet sells it.

Yesterday. she outright pooped down in the basement in a brand new spot! I will put some litter boxes down there because there aren't any at present.

Yes, her hormones are RAGING! She is howling and rubbing up against our legs, acting like a crazy woman. However, she will allow you to hold her when she is in heat, and will NOT when she is not in heat.

She is a sweetie, I dread getting her spayed, but we have to get it done soon.

 

[admin]

Thanks both! I really appreciate this!

I have two small plastic square litter boxes one in each bedroom. One litterbox also has her food source on an opposite wall. (not sure that is a problem or not, I may need to relocate the food or the box to separate them more.) I am using Feline Pine because her breeder said to get it, but, I think it is kinda big for a little kitten, huge barrels. My old cats never used Feline Pine they were indoor outdoor cats. What a blessing that was.

I think I have to get bigger litter boxes right away... and I ordered the cat attract litter. I have heard of the icky poo and will get it, the vet sells it.

Yesterday. she outright pooped down in the basement in a brand new spot! I will put some litter boxes down there because there aren't any at present.

Yes, her hormones are RAGING! She is howling and rubbing up against our legs, acting like a crazy woman. However, she will allow you to hold her when she is in heat, and will NOT when she is not in heat.

She is a sweetie, I dread getting her spayed, but we have to get it done soon.

Hugh, AR groups use that nonsensical rhetoric to disparage the breed to push their own agenda...you really need to get your girl spayed ASAP...if you make an appt now for a week from now, all should be ok.

A litterbox in the basement would be great, since she goes down there...and I use Dr. Elseys litter in general - have never had a litterbox issue...litterbox issues is the number one reason cats are dropped off at shelters, so it has nothing to do with the fact that your baby is a savannah...

 

[Patti]

Your girl needs to get spayed, no two ways about it. Please talk to your vet about the best tming for this. It is true that a cat in heat may have increased bleeding risk, but he may just have to bite the bullet and go for it. Alternatively, you can try putting her on Superlorien or other birth control to stop the heats then spay her.

Inappropriate elimination is the #1 reason cats OF ALL BREEDS are relinquished, this is not unique with Savannahs which is a domestic cat breed. I think you will find once she is spayed this behavior will resolve, especially with concientious use of Anti-Icky-Poo, Cat Attract litter, and larger litter boxes. Please keep us posted!

 

[deeisme77]

I agree with Patti. SPAY her even if she's in heat. I work for a quality vet and we so it all the time. Several a week. No big deal. Also - switch litter AND clean all urine/poop places THOROUGHLY with Nature's Miracle "Just for cats". If she is going where your old cat did - obviously the smell is still there and sometimes, regardless of spay, they remark and remark a place they can smell. It becomes habit rather than hormonal. Spay asap, Nature's Miracle the heck out of the spots and switch litter. I LOVE Swheat Scoop cat litter Good luck!

 

[Hugh Buchanan]

Thank you all so much. I am very glad I have this place to come for help.