# Please help me out here guys!



## siamesecat (Jul 3, 2005)

As many of you know we adopted a new cat last week. I have one issue I am dealing with. I had a small temporary litterbox setup initially for him. I use Swheat Scoop and he wasn't really knowing what that was all about. So I bought him some Tiny Cat and mixed in in. THAT problem solved, he was using the box. He never went outside the box he was just holding it.

Then I notice urine one day that had dripped down the back of the box and kind of puddled on the ground. Good thing we're in the bathroom. I cleaned it up and decided a bigger box might do the trick. The smaller temporary one just wasn't cutting it, he's a big guy.

I bought an uncovered Jumbo litterbox, put it in the room mixed Swheat Scoop with Everclean litter and he jumped right in. Things were going great for 3 days, everything getting in the box.

Today I went in to find the problem from 4 days ago. Urine had dripped down the back of the box and puddled on the ground. The cleanup is not so bad but I can't clean this up everyday sometime twice a day and I am worried if this behavior with affect how my other cats use the box. Also the smell isn't so great until I clean it up. He is not eliminating outside the box he is definitely shooting for the box but I don't understand if he's on the edge or what or shooting too high. (sometimes it has hit the back wall right above the rim of the box and trickled down.) He seems to prefer going near the side. I moved the box to our stand up shower (easier cleanup I can just wet down) He did it again. So he knows the box and where to go but it's not getting in there. Does anyone think a covered box will help here? What he has is the Jumbo box which is like 22x17x7.

Please help. Has anyone else's cat ever done this? I can't figure out what position he's in to be hitting the box this way so that most is not getting in the box. My husband would freak if I told him. Our other 2 cats have 100% perfect litterbox habits and I just need to try and solve this somehow quick.


----------



## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

Here's a thread from someone with a similar issue:

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=38484

If you check page two of the thread, Doodlebug posted pics of her litterboxes, which are large uncovered storage totes with cutouts. The high sides might be just the thing you need to keep the mess in the box.

I'll move this thread to Behavior for you, too


----------



## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Those guys.....they just like peeing against the wall. :lol: 

If you can catch him in the act, you'll find out if he's not squatting to pee like he's supposed to. I'm not sure what to do about it, though, other than a high-sided box to prevent it from splashing out.


----------



## kitty_kisses (Jun 27, 2004)

Otis was pretty bad for that as well.... I bought a covered box - it seemed to solve the problem well enough... 

Typical males - just can't aim :lol: :lol:


----------



## siamesecat (Jul 3, 2005)

OMG you guys are cracking me up! :lol: :lol: :lol: 

I will either try a deep rubbermaid type container or just get a covered box. I guess this is the first time I'm dealing with this so I'm lucky so far esp. with 3 male cats. There's a first time for everything!


----------



## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

We use covered litter boxes. The hoods have a 'lip' that goes around the top of the bottom tray, so anything sprayed on the walls drips into the litter.

Toby would start out peeing in a squating position and slowly raise up until he was standing and getting the wall...hence the covered boxes!


----------



## siamesecat (Jul 3, 2005)

I am pretty convinced I'll just get another covered box. I have 2 for the other guys but got this guy an uncovered one since I wasn't sure what he liked. Well it seems he "needs" to have the covered box at this point! :lol:


----------



## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

we had a similar problem with my last roommate's cat... the sides of the box were too low and he would sometimes pee as if he was spraying, even though he was neutered.

This was our solution:








its extra large and extra cheap


----------



## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

I remember your litterbox now, Nell! I knew someone else here had posted pics of their storage tote litter box. 

I use Rubbermaid storage boxes, although I have girls who are pretty neat so we don't need the high sides :wink: It cleans up much better than the standard litter boxes that I used to use. The plastic is studier, doesn't crack, and doesn't seem to hold the smell like standard boxes


----------



## Headstar (Jan 17, 2005)

my Jasper loves aiming it against the flap of the litter tray and needless to say the force of the spray opens it! :roll: 

he pees like a racehorse as well :lol:


----------



## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Rookie is batting about .750 with aim, but you know what, I'm so thrilled that she's TRYING to hit the box that I just don't worry about it. I just keep some Clorox Wipes handy to clean around the edges. I guess it's all in your perspective . . . it's so much better than her peeing on the couch or my bed, which she did for 3 months, that I'm happy with being close.


----------



## siamesecat (Jul 3, 2005)

Got the covered box action going. So far so good...so far. We'll see. We were good for 3 days before so I am still waiting to see. At least he knows where to go but it's more than just dribble sometimes. It was a puddle a couple times! 8O He likes to shoot for the edge and now the hood is containing it, so hopefully problem is solved. You guys all really helped me out on this one. THX!


----------



## Fizbi (Dec 14, 2006)

Nell said:


> we had a similar problem with my last roommate's cat... the sides of the box were too low and he would sometimes pee as if he was spraying, even though he was neutered.
> 
> This was our solution:
> 
> ...


I love it! 
I will have to try this for our collection of cats.

Harry


----------



## Fizbi (Dec 14, 2006)

I just talked to my wife, she love it!

We will expand on this idea by putting a couple of these boxes outside our house. There is already a hole in the wall where we can run a tunnel from the house to multiple cat boxes outside of the house. This way, the cat room will be cleaner and the boxes can be cleaned outside. It looks like our problem may now be solved.

We have a vent hole that runs from the furnace room that was capped off some time ago. This vent hole is already low to the ground and is not used for anything. I can open it back up and run a short tunnel to the external cat box. The cats will have more room and the oder will be restricted to the outdoors. 

You may ask, why not put a cat door to the outside?

We could do that too, but with 3 feet of snow all around, it's hard for the cats to find a warm dry spot to do their business. Also, we need to keep the neighbors cats out and other varments like racoons. They would find the door and try to get in.

Harry
Casper, WY


----------



## bizabet (Feb 10, 2007)

my Isaac does the same thing. Sometimes he just doesn't like to sit, and he was neuter plenty early. I've noticed he's more likely to stand up if the litter box is messier then he likes. Drs Foster and smith website has a new litter box with a really high back, and you can get a cover. I use covered ones (well, actually the cats use them) and then sit the boxes on rubber doormats, since I've had problems with the urine osmosing under the lid. REALLY like the tupperware bin idea!


----------



## Fizbi (Dec 14, 2006)

Stopped at Walmart this weekend and picked up the super sized Rubber Maid tub to make my own cat litter box. This thing works great! I carved a rectangular hole at one end that is up high to keep the cat business in the box. Not bad for about $10. 












We have 5 cats and all of them took to using it without hesitation.

8)


----------



## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Awesome...nice job.

May I suggest that the food and water dishes be moved away from the litter box. Cats don't like to eliminate and eat in the same area. You wouldn't like to eat in the bathroom right after you used it, right? :lol:


----------



## Fizbi (Dec 14, 2006)

doodlebug said:


> Awesome...nice job.
> 
> May I suggest that the food and water dishes be moved away from the litter box. Cats don't like to eliminate and eat in the same area. You wouldn't like to eat in the bathroom right after you used it, right? :lol:


Good idea. I will talk to my wife about it. She does the layout. I'm just the slave laborer.  

Harry


----------

