OT - cat with litter box problems
The vet did say we could try another med. I guess I was assuming it would not be any more effective than the first one we tried, but I don't know why I was assuming that. Seems like we might as well give it a try. Thanks.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I have a dog that refuses to use the doggy door. She is 2 years old and won't even try. She loves going outside but when the other dogs go out the door she just sits there or tries to go out the sliding glass part. I let her out all day but she just doesn't get it. Fortunately our house has linoleum so it is easy to clean up after her and I lay puppy pads all over and she uses them but I know it can get frustrating at times.
WLS 10/28/2002 Revision 7/23/2010
High Weight (2002) 240 Revision Weight (2010) 220 Current Weight 115.
on 8/20/11 4:12 pm
It's very frustrating.
5'10"
Just taking a shot here but..... I was wondering, is it possible that your kitty is associating the litterbox with the time when you were away? That is, she is associating going in the litterbox with a time of loneliness/sadness? The reason I say this is because I have a cat, Milo, whom we got from a shelter two years ago, along with his brother, Elvis (sadly, Elvis died not long after we got him - heart problems). Both cats came from a "hording house" where there were supposedly 40 cats. I also suspect there may have been abuse. From the time we got them, Milo would not poop in the litterbox, only pee. He picked a corner in the living room where he would poop. Even peeing in the litterbox seemed to induce severe anxiety and panic (like a PTSD reaction). We tried everything to modify his behavior. Then, on Christmas Eve, six months after we got him, he did his poop in the box! Milo was actually happy and did this crazy little "dance" and meowed like "I DID IT". We praised him to the hilt. He has always pooped in the box since then but still with much anxiety. We think he must have had a traumatic experience associated with going in the litterbox.
I wish I had a solution or suggestions for you. Just wanted to share a similar story. It's sad how animals can have emotional issues just like us humans do.
Michelle 
(OH member since 2004 - new user name)
HW 285 / SW 270 / GW 140 / LW 135 / CW 185
RNY 6/8/2009 
Starting size 26/28, now size 12/14
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." -Hebrews 13:8
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Kat
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
My daughter has a similar issue. She has a 14 year old cat. Several years ago she rescued 2 and her roommate had one. Once she brought 2 of the 3 into the apartment, her cat started having litter box issues. Sometimes she would use it and sometimes not. Eventually she stopped using it altogether. Then she noticed her cat would use the towel she placed outside the tub to stand on when she showered. Well...my daughter moved back home last November, and peeing on towels and carpets WAS NOT AN OPTION in my house. I had to replace the carpet because of my dog. So...she bought wee-wee pads, and they work perfectly for us. I keep a wee-wee pad in our bathroom, not perfect but better than carpets or towels, and she keeps wee-wee pads on her floor in her room along with the litter box for the other 2 cats and one by the back door. Now my dog sometimes uses it!!!! Of all things.
She will not use the box at all now. I wonder if when you were hospitalized the box became too full and that's what made her stop using it? That is kind of what we figured happened to my daughter's cat - or possibly she was upset other cats moved in. Whatever the issue we found wee-wee pads in various places is the only place she will go. We also have to be careful not to leave anything laying on the floor like clothing or something or she will use that.
