# peeing RIGHT outside the box



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

This morning, there was some pee in the twins' room on the litter box mat - and it's only where they had spilled some litter out - so really I'm hoping it's *only *because of that!  They had peed inside the box, too, so that's a good sign (right?).


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

If it's the first time this has happened, I wouldn't worry too much. I've had this problem too. Mine started doing it more often, so I removed the mat in front of the box and then they stopped. If they do it again, try taking the littermat away. It's nice to have it there, but if they are peeing ON it, you're better off without it.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Okay, thanks.


----------



## horseplaypen (Apr 1, 2004)

That happened to me too as my cats were growing up. I caught Ariel doing it once and she was actually in her litterbox when it happened, but her butt was just an inch over the edge. She actually looked really surprised when she turned around to cover up her pee and couldn't find it. :roll: My theory is that they just sort of outgrew their box - or they had a really poor sense of where their body was in space. After a couple of weeks they stopped peeing over the edge, but I bought them a bigger box anyway.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

It's a BIG covered litter box. I'm hoping it's just a one-time thing - that maybe it was because of the litter scattered outside. If they would stop their death cage fights in the litter box, it would help. :roll: I keep reminding them that they're *girls*!

It's an adventure every day going home to see what's happened while I'm at work. 8O


----------



## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

marie73 said:


> It's an adventure every day going home to see what's happened while I'm at work. 8O


I just told my mom yesterday that sometimes, I like to delay going home from work because as long as I haven't arrived there to see with my own eyes what's occurred, I can imagine that they are all being as good as gold...cuddled together sleeping, cleaning each other, playing happily with THEIR TOYS and not getting into anything.

My reality never matches my fantasy. :roll:


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Neither does mine!


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

marie73 said:


> It's an adventure every day going home to see what's happened while I'm at work. 8O


If you stayed home you'd find they did all their mischief in the first 10 minutes after you left and spent the rest of the day sleeping. :lol:


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I believe it - I wake all four up every day when I get home. :roll:


----------



## Frostine (Jun 4, 2007)

This happened with Muffin once too. She had scratched a little pile of litter onto the floor in front of the box, then the next time she went on the pile instead of in the box. Only happened once.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Got home - everything seems to be just fine. (fingers crossed)


----------



## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Great news!  

Hope the little munchkins don't miss the box again... and that they will eventually stop fighting INSIDE the litterbox :lol: 

_Think outside the box, kitties!_


----------



## Littlemin (Nov 13, 2007)

I am having this problem with Lexi. She been doing it for a while though. I think ive figured out the problem. My male cat Zaius bullies her & ive caught him trapping her in the cat box which is covered. I think in her case shes afraid to go in the box #1 she smells Zaius #2 shes afraid he wont let her back out. I ordered one of those littermaids I know there a mixed reviews but im hoping it will help with both situations. Im keeping my fingers crossed because if it works theres hope for me to get another area rug for my living. She was also peeing there & since I threw it out she been doing it in front of the box only.


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Littlemin - I think if you can put another litterbox in a different location, that would solve your problem.


----------



## Littlemin (Nov 13, 2007)

coaster said:


> Littlemin - I think if you can put another litterbox in a different location, that would solve your problem.


Great idea although it may be a slight prob. I need a spot where my dog cant get to it.

Thanks


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Littlemin said:


> coaster said:
> 
> 
> > Littlemin - I think if you can put another litterbox in a different location, that would solve your problem.
> ...


Good luck. I have 4 boxes and a dog that likes to snack on what's inside. I buy the covered boxes and just turn them to the side where it would make it harder for her to get in there. I'd rather come home and have to pick up her crumbs that have my cat peeing around the house. That's the way I look at it.


----------



## ChevyIIMan (Nov 8, 2006)

Dusty has a smaller box in the basement, when she pees she feels the need to strech out as far as possible so in the smaler box she will pee just over the edge. I never noticed it till one day i heard her digging in the box and turned aroudn to see her scooping litter out of the box. I though she was just playing till i saw the mess.

Even in her larger box upstairs she pees right against the wall, but poops everywhere in the box.


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

One of those high-sided Rubbermaid litter boxes they sell at Petsmart should help with those problems.

click here


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Sorry this is a little off topic, but not too much...
HAve any of you seen this monster? I swear, my 70lb rott/shep mix could curl up and sleep in here. It's been getting great reviews and I saw MORE than 1 person saying they downsized from a few littleboxes to just this one. I don't see that happening with a brood my size, but I wonder if I could ditch 2 of my other boxes if I had one of these. I have one of my boxes in a corner under a table and could substitute this one very easily...it's tempting..- if they would ALL use it, I could care less what it looks like. Plus I like those little scoop holders on the side. Nice!
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751239#RatingsDetail


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

That's a biggie indeed. My local store doesn't have that; I haven't seen it before. It's bigger than the Rubbermaid, though the Rubbermaid has higher sides.


----------



## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

It's not as big as it looks. I saw it at Petsmart or Petco...can't remember which. I thought it looked cool at first, but then decided that:

a. While overall it was about the same dimension as the litterbox that I have in my front hall closet, the right 5" was taken up by the holders.
b. The sides were WAY too low for my boys. :roll: They were higher than the cheapo litterboxes, but not really any higher than the sides of an XL covered box's base.


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

I saw it in real life and thought it was huge. Def. bigger than the rubbermaid. Sides were still higher than my boxes (if you took the tops off). I use the contoured cover boxes that have high sides and the sides on those are lower than this one - not by much, but still a little lower - plus those boxes only have high sides in the back. I was able to compare because my store had them side by side so it was easy to see. I have not encountered any other box this big and I use the ex-large hooded ones.


----------



## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

I should have added that I have NEVER seen a litterbox (sold as such) this big it was much bigger than the other litterboxes.

I just thought the storage area at the end seemed like wasted space...


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Kitty's Mom said:


> I should have added that I have NEVER seen a litterbox (sold as such) this big it was much bigger than the other litterboxes.
> 
> I just thought the storage area at the end seemed like wasted space...


Yes and no about the storage space. It does seem larger than it needs to be, but I think it's great. It woudl be nice not to have to deal with containers or bags holding to hold the icky litter scooper (and i am pretty good about cleaning it too, but it's still a nasty thing to have around). That's one thing I've always hated was finding a good solution to where you place the litter scooper...I have one box that has a small little holder attached to the side, but that thing is a joke it always falls out and the baby scooper that goes inside of it doesn't work well anyway...


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

I just hang up the scoop on a hook.


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

coaster said:


> I just hang up the scoop on a hook.


I have been thinking of doing that for the longest time. Where do you leave it though, is it near one of your boxes? Most of mine are in rooms of the house that are frequently used and I don't want to have a poop scoop displayed in a place where visitors could see it.


----------



## Kittys Mom (May 7, 2004)

I bought a rubbermaid scooper with a holder that works really well. You can see it hanging on my big box in the front hall closet in this thread:
http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=45281

Here it is on petsmart.com, it's the cat litter caddy and scoop on the lower left of the picture.


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Thank you. What have I been living under a rock? How did I never see this? Great idea! Thanks!


----------



## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Rookie pees just outside the box every now and then. I think it's just an accident. You know what, compared to the summer where she was peeing on my bed and couch, just outside the box sounds pretty good. I'll give her an A- for effort.


----------



## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

I tend to just put my scoop on top of the litter tray box (Toby uses a covered litter tray) but I like the idea of a proper holder


----------



## Bethany (Jul 19, 2006)

I just throw my scoops on the floor.


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Julie, my boxes are all in closets, so the scoop can't be seen unless one looks right in the closet.


----------



## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

Must be nice to have closets...I have more boxes than I do closets in this whole shoebox of a house.


----------

