Need suggestions on litter box training!

[AlameaSavannahs]

Hi Everyone!
We are the proud owners of a male F5 and female F2 Savannah (ages 11 months). Our brother in law purchased them and decided to give them to us because of unforeseen family issues. We have had them for 9 days now. The problem he had prior to giving them to us was the refusal to use the litter box. We didn't have any problems until four days ago. Once in awhile they will use it; other times they will only pee in it. I'm not sure if it's the male or female? Any suggestions? We keep it EXTREMELY clean, and actually have two of them. When he/she doesn't use it, it's always right outside the box. We tried clumping litter, natural pellet litter, non clumping litter...not sure what else to do. The female is in estrus...would that contribute to the problem? Thank y'all in advance!!

 

[admin]

So... Are they both intact? If they are intact they will spray... Also... Three litterboxes are recommended... Usually one box or cat plus one...

 

[WitchyWoman]

In addition to what Paige just said, you can try Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter. Just sprinkle 1/2 inch on top of regular litter.

Also have to consider if the boxes are big enough and if they are in a location that is relatively private so they aren't disturbed when using them.

If you're not going to breed, get them neutered/spayed and see if the problem resolves.

 

[AlameaSavannahs]

ty for the replies! I have the litter boxes (2) in our bathroom...I had them in there only so I could slowly introduce them to the rest of our family and to make the introductions less stressful. They are both intact and we do plan on breeding them eventually...

 

[admin]

Well, an F5 is most likely not fertile... And if you have them in the house together, they are both probably going to spray...

Do you have papers for them? A cattery? A mentor?

 

[Patti]

It's very likely that one or both of your cats are marking if they are intact and over five months of age. If you plan to keep them intact you might want to consider building them a secure outdoor enclosure asap, or convert a room that can easily be washed down on a daily basis.

 

[AlameaSavannahs]

I do have the Breeder slips on both...purchased out of Majestic in Tx...

 

[admin]

I do have the Breeder slips on both...purchased out of Majestic in Tx...

Ok... Good... I thought you posted in the chat box that you did not have papers... If you need the pedigrees to find out who the parents are, you can get that from TICA!

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

If the cats are peeing in the boxes but not pooping, that tends to indicate there is something not comfortable in the litterbox situation. There are many things that might cause this... basically a stop for a pee is shorter than for a poop so when they know WHERE they should go they will pee there but poop outside.

So are the cats declawed at all? This is a major cause of pooping outside the box so figured I'd ask that first.

Are the litterboxes automated or covered? Those can be turn offs for some cats. The best case scenario for a cat is a large open box.

The litter type, as suggested above Cat Attract litter is a good option, it's fine in texture which many cats love plus the additive which attracts them to it.

The location of the boxes. As mentioned above they need to be private but not too out of the way that the cat can't be bothered to go there, as the cat is pooping right in front of the box though, I don't think it is too out of the way!

Are the poops well-formed and not at all soft? If not well-formed I'd suggest a vet visit and a fecal PCR test as a gastrointestinal infection causing loose stools will also lead to a cat not using the box...and if in the past the cat had diarrhea, they can learn negative associations with the litterbox...associating the box with the pain of passing the stools.

I would add that if you are intending on breeding them, you need to learn lots FAST! You need mentoring, it may seem easy and a lot of fun but it's more complicated than you might think and when something goes wrong you are going to need support. Make sure you have a great vet already too...

 

[Patti]

I do have the Breeder slips on both...purchased out of Majestic in Tx...

I thought you said in the chat box that they are from A1 Savannahs?