Cat didn't like new litter box

by Jenn
(Cleveland, Ohio)

The old litter box was a covered one. Pretty old and getting beat up, so I bought a new one. It has tall sides, but is open top.

My cat peed in it but pooped on the floor. I went out and bought a new covered box since I threw the old one away.

I got home from work to find poop on the floor. She hadn't even stepped in the new box. Any tips on getting her back in the box?

My thoughts: Cats hate change, and major changes, such as the litter box, can really stress a cat out. When changing litter boxes, it's a good idea to keep the old along with the new until the new becomes familiar.

Unfortunately, we can't do that here since the old box is gone. We also can't tell if the problem was triggered by the fact the box was uncovered or whether it was just the stress of the change.

Here's what I would do:

Place the new covered box in exactly the same spot as the old box you threw away. Use the exact same litter that she used before, to the exact same level as before. Make things as much like they used to be as possible.

Train her the same way you train a kitten, placing her in the box after every meal, after waking up, and after activity.

When you clean up her poop, as crazy as it may sound, it may help if you put it in the box so that she smells it in there the next time she has to go.

I would also use Feliway as some of our readers have said that it helps calm their cat and get them using the box. Other readers have had success with Cat Attract added to the litter.

I hope that helps and please keep us updated.

-Kurt