# Litter box Aggression.......Help!



## dbok1 (Feb 12, 2004)

Hello everyone, I'm new here and thought this would be a good place to start before I called my vet.

Here is the problem: A few months back I started to clean the litter box with the door closed so the cat wouldn't get in the way. One day after cleaning I opened the door and there she was "hissing, puffed tail and all. I didn't think much of it, but it kept happening over and over again every time I would clean the box with the door shut. She has been getting more and more aggressive each time. I bought a new box and she went CRAZY.

Last night I quickly cleaned the box with the door open just to see what would happen......she didn't get aggressive but I could tell she didn't like it. Does anyone have any sugguestions or thoughts??

At this point....anything will help, as cleaning her box is not something I look forward to.


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## dbok1 (Feb 12, 2004)

I forgot to mention one important thing. This only happens when I change the litter and NOT when I clean it, like after she goes poo. Only when a litter change takes place!

Thanks


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## queen of the nile (Aug 16, 2003)

What type of litter do you use? Is it scoopable?
Maybe instead of a complete change you can scatter a thin layer of the used litter on top so that it smells the same as before. Maybe she doesn't like the smell of the brand you use and rather prefers her own... scent? :lol:


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## bjohnson (Jan 24, 2004)

sounds like maybe your cat just likes its own flavor and doesnt want it to go away! here is how i can compare. my cat... when i clean his poo out and finish, he always jumps in the litter box, looks around with this look on his face like "what the ****??? where is my p00???!?" and he starts batting litter everywhere and starts going crazy in his box!!!

almost immediately after i clean his box he pee's in it again no matter if he just went pee or not.

but i dont know all i know about cats are from the last 3 months i have had my kitten


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## dbok1 (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks for your replies....but I guess I should give more details. She doesn't mind when I clean her "poo", it's the actually act of changing litter. I've been using the same litter for 2yrs (crystals). So I know it's not that....she gets aggresive when I do a litter change and clean the box. Once she realizes that it's clean everything is fine.........the problem is only when I'm done....she goes nuts! Then back to normal once she see's everything is fine.

It's hard to explain.......


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## ForJazz (Dec 30, 2003)

Well, even if you scoop her poo, she has still left her scent in there. It sounds like she's being territorial -- and that makes total sense. That is *her* special place where she has put *her* scent. When you change the litter altogether and don't let her in there, she probably feels like a mother eagle when you go mess with their nest while they watch. Are you keeping her out of there for a reason? It sounds like she had a much milder reaction when she could see what was going on -- sounds like she knew what was going on but was a little confused because it wasn't that bad this time.


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

Maybe you can leave a little scoop of the old litter in the new box....just an idea so that way all the hard work of making the box her own isn't all thrown away. My cat Sugar loves to watch me scoop and clean the box and goes to pee right after I clean it, argh! :wink:


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## dbok1 (Feb 12, 2004)

Well if she is being protective or teratorial.....anyway of changing that tpye of behavior. I don't want to have to watch over my back every time I change her litter. 

Like I said this only happens when I do a complete litter change (usually with door closed).

Thanks


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## ForJazz (Dec 30, 2003)

Yes I know -- and complete litter change is when you're taking her scent out of there TOTALLY. That's why it makes sense. Because when you scoop, her scent is still there -- so that doesn't bother her. 

You said there was less aggression when the door was open, right? You could continue doing it that way and see if she mellows out. Otherwise you could do as a few people have already said, and keep one scoop from the old litter and lay it over the top of the new litter. If the entire process is what freaks her out, is there someone you know who could come over and play with her as a distraction for a little bit during this time? If you shut the door, had someone play with her with a wand toy or something, and then quick changed the litter and laid one scoop of the old litter over the top, she might not even notice you did anything, and by the time you were done with it, you wouldn't be around for her to hiss at.


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## Littlebigcatdaddy (Jan 16, 2004)

Just curious-

Do you know what your cat's backround was before coming to you? It would really help explain her behavior...


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## felinefanatic (Feb 8, 2004)

could it be the NOISE that disturbs her ? if you are rustling around in there making strange noises, or even the loud noise of pouring the litter into a clean empty box..... especially if she cannot see what you are doing, the noise is disturbing, 
and did you mention earlier, if she can see you its not so bad ? maybe when she sees what the noise is all about, it is not as frightening.


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