# cat keeps kicking all the litter out of the box?



## domino22 (Jul 3, 2010)

Hi, okay my 8 month old cat used to do this when she was little, i figured she was just playing or couldn't get used to me changing her litter, but has recently started doing it again. 
I normally give the litter boxes (i have two kitties and two boxes but they both share them) a thorough scrub once a week, emptying all the litter out to clean them. I then put fresh litter in that doesn't have any of their scent on, now neither seem to be bothered by this but when Gabbie (the 8 month old) was little and i would put fresh litter in she would dig like a maniac, throwing all of the litter out of the box. She acted like she was desperately looking for something but also just really seemed to enjoy throwing the litter everywhere. 
I thought she had grown out of it but then yesterday i cleaned the boxes out and the big box she was fine with, but the smaller box she just went mad and started flinging the litter everywhere! Took forever to clean up i tell you! Does anyone else's cat do this? Is she just playing with it or is she unhappy with the box in some way do you think?


----------



## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I think she's just happy and overjoyed, she can't help herself. My girl is a big litter kicker, so I solved that with a covered litter box. But when the litter is completely changed, both my cats like to get in and roll in it. I usually have to pick them up out of it and distract them with toys.


----------



## Rissa (Aug 1, 2010)

My cats are litter kickers as well, and they've never had trouble using their boxes, so I can only assume that they just really enjoy the "digging" action. Half the time they don't even succeed in covering up what they've done!


----------



## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

they sell open litter boxes with high sides at places like petsmart. I had to buy one of those for some fosters i had once. They were REALLY messy!


----------



## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Yup! Some kitties just love to dig and play! Our Toby 1995-2007 would roll in the litter after I had cleaned the boxes. Our Marmalade 1996-2008 would kick the litter around and then *spin around* to try to see what was making that 'shush-ing' noise behind him, which was the litter he was kicking around and making the noise with it hitting and sliding down the sides.

Covered litterboxes or high-sided litterboxes will solve this issue.
I'm with ya' ... I hate having to sweep up scattered litter. atback


----------



## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Mia is a litter sprayer. One night I saw her burying her leavings from the outside with her front paws. She was reaching over and scooping to cover it up. Not playfully. Just being tidy but she threw some of the litter too far.

Things are better with a high sided box and a few inches between the top of the litter and the side of the box.


----------



## go4me77 (Jul 16, 2010)

I am reading this thread and I see the "High sides" thing. My husband bought a cat carrier for the cat he got when he was single and then he just used the lid at a litter box. I think it's a good idea and now our 2 kittens use the same box. (previous cat is outside for now, until the kittens get bigger) but our kittens STILL kick a lot of litter out. 

I've tried putting less litter into the pan but then they don't seem to have enough to cover the business they do.

I have placed a small pile rug under the pan to help catch some of the excess litter and it works well, but not perfect.

Finally, I too was wondering why my kittens kick so much litter out. I guess I am with everyone else when they say they are excited or happy. Interesting!


----------

