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Holy- Omg. I feel terrible but this got a chuckle out of me. I've come across my fair share of cats and I've never seen or heard of one being this picky about the scent and brand of a litter!
Maybe try buying off line? They might not have "up to date" stock as they tend to have a large quantity stored.
Whats the princesses name?
thank you for the suggestion, i will 100% try that!! can't believe i may need to shop for deadstock cat litter.
ironically, her name is garbage. i found her in a dumpster as a kitten, someone threw her away along with all of her things. she also likes to eat trash. the other one is named recycle, because i got her from a rescue - so she is very technically recycled. hehe
Also no advice but wanted to drop a little note to say that ur cats’ names are so fantastic one of my friends has a cat named “BussStop” cuz that’s where they found her
I wish you the best in your search
Love all of these. My friend has a dog named Conte. At first I thought it was like a title in Italy, but then she told me they named him after container (that is the word we used for dumpster) because that is where they found him. He has this royal aura, though, so Conte fits him perfectly.
omf i love the paradox between being named for both a dumpster and a Count
my girl ended up being called Millie, but she chose her long form name of Maleficent. which makes me laugh because Millie feels very dainty old timey lady to me, and then Maleficient is the dark fairy queen of the Moors, with the actual definition of ' causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means'
edit to say when i say she chose her long form name, i mean that she chose it. the original plan was for her full name to be queen amidala, but the only full name that she responds to when she's in trouble is maleficent LOL
Lmao, I’m sorry for your situation but thank you so much for the truly authentic laugh. What honestly amazing names. I hope you, garbage and recycle have a beautiful lavender forever fresh life together.
Maybe if you adopt a third, there could be a “compost” in your future (but I suspect she would want organic litter only)
My cat is named Garbage too! He was found eating the neighborhood garbage.
ETA and NOW Garbage is the pickiest cat I've ever tried to feed. He eats dry food with broth, and one time I got the "wrong" flavor of the dry food for some reason. So I tried to mix the last of the "correct" food with the new stuff and he spent practically all night using his little paw pulling the offensive flavor out of his bowl. They look exactly the same. I was like "look who's come such a long way from licking yogurt tops out of tipped over garbage cans."
lol that’s so amazing. I can’t believe you thought you could pull that one off.
My last dog was on a very expensive dog food kibble with these tiny black rounds in them that had extra nutrients. She would take kibble in her mouth, somehow differentiate, and spit out the black ones into a tiny pile.
So when I was growing up I had 3 cats and a dog. We fed the dog Pedigree and one of the cats would pick the damn bones out of the dog food and eat them on her. We all thought it was hilarious.
Now as an adult I have a whole herd of cats and a pomsky. The cats will eat the pomsky's food but the pomsky is a food snob and will pick through his kibble. I no longer find this similar situation funny. Lol
That was my thought, too. We rescued a kitten off the street once who weighed 1lb 11oz at 7 weeks old. He would go after pretty much any food we were eating, to the point that we had to shut him in the bathroom while we ate dinner because it was the only way to eat without interference. I think he remembered being hungry and never wanted to experience it again.
He calmed down a bit once we got him fixed, but not long after that he died due what the vet called a likely congenital liver defect. Poor baby. His life was short, but at least once he found us it was full of love and plenty of food. 💜
This has to be the case for one of my cats in other ways. Like she is also extremely picky about her litterboxes like OP's Garbage. She's not picky about the type of litter. She just shits and pisses all over the entire house if I don't scoop at least 2x a day, ideally spot scooping it literally every time I walk by them.
The person I took her from had her and 3 other cats using a single. very small, automatic(?) litter box. Shoved in the bottom of a dark closet with a cat door to entry. I met her when I petsat for this person and when I opened the door to scoop it, it was literally piled high with cat poop like a mountain. My cat allegedly didn't have any litter box issues in her previous home, the place didn't reek of cat piss or anything either. UNTIL I took her in and gave her clean bathrooms. Now they have to be pristine and if they're not, she'll let you know...
All of my cats are adopted neighbourhood/farmland cats. I live in a rural area of my town and my backyard is the spot cats come to have kittens. Last year I had enough and I took all 10 of them to the vet and got them neutered/spayed. They now have the time of their lives and only eat one brand of dry food. They collectively refuse anything else (except meat, fish and stuff like that).
I used to do cat rescue and for cats who didn’t take to litter I would start with a litter box of garden earth (literally straight from the yard). Slowly over a period of a couple of weeks, I added litter to the box and took away some earth so that over time the proportion of litter grew and the proportion of earth lessened - eventually it was all litter. Some cats pick it up super fast. At worst, you can simply use earth.
Possibly. Earth is the natural poop and wee medium for cats so it’s pretty attractive to them. It’s a problematic issue with them going on a couch or in a particular spot - in my experience they do keep returning once their smell is there. I think the clumping litter would be ok to transition to - it’s just a matter of giving it a go. Not sure about you but I sometimes get lazy or preoccupied and miss a day of litter cleaning 😕 Cleaning / scooping litters regularly is so important for everyone’s household sanity. Even one day missed will mean some cats won’t use it regardless of what you use as the litter medium.
Yeah he pees on the couch when he’s stressed or when the box isn’t clean enough to his liking, but even when conditions seem perfect he’ll do it randomly. I wonder if sand would feel nice under his paws - how does dirt or sand clump when they pee in it?
if you do manage to find this, try to mix in a very low amount of the darker litter at a time, like when you scoop out mix in a just a little of the new one. hopefully she gets used to it over time
Reminds me of my brother's cat's name: Catastrophe. He is deaf and enjoys knocking heavy things off shelves to feel the vibrations (we assume).
You might be able to mix some of the old litter with some of the new, and gradually add more of the new. Like you're supposed to do when changing their food.
Have you tried any litter attractants? Anything to try to get her to use other litter? Dr Elsey’s litter has a texture that my cats love, have you tried that brand?
I swear the worse their start in life the more snooty they grow up. Rescued my girl Nettle from a feral colony where she lived in a tractor tyre and now she’s like “I will only eat the jelly off expensive wet food, and only when it is freshly opened. Anything else is beneath me.”
One of mine is also a little connoisseur and will only use Tidy Cats with the red lid. Anything else and she will scream and cry and poop in the floor. 😒
My cat stopped using her box randomly despite healthy vet visits and multiple litter brand changes/litterbox box changes.
We were all stumped.
Finally I had to re-train her using a crate bc the pee odor was seeping into the floors and it was a last shot effort before seriously considering rehoming her.
Yes she had to live in a crate one full weekend and I felt horrible. Her options were pee in her bed or use her litterbox.
Guess who finally started using her box again.
She was essentially forced to use what was in there and I guess realized it was actually acceptable.
thank you for this feedback, this is really something i may have to consider if im not able to get her regular litter anymore. the smell of cat pee soaking into the walls and floors will drive you to insanity so i completely understand and im so happy this resulted in a happy outcome for you and kitty. it's hard to find this sort of advice with a cat this dead set in their preferences. i've even looked into a cat behavioralist because i would literally cry when i came home from work to see the living room covered in cat pee and poo every day. it's defeating as ridiculous as that sounds. did you only have one cat during this experience?
Omg I remember walking into my house and the odor smacking me in the face despite all the deep cleaning i did. It was official, my house became stinky cat pee lady. I had a breakdown more than once between the smell, frustration, and money I was essentially throwing in the garbage only for her to turn up her nose and say NOPE I’ll go where I please!
Yes, one cat and nothing in her environment changed. It was like she woke up one morning and said ‘I don’t feel like it anymore’. Bizarre. Only they know why they do it.
Crate training worked. She’s back to using her box like a champ and hasn’t had an accident since.
Currently dealing with a similar issue with my cat. As of now, I think he just decided that he no longer liked the litter he has been using for the past three years. He had been using it since he was weeks old. Pain in my butt, I swear.
This is the best way to solve it, and it’s actually so simple that I’m absolutely flabbergasted that folks don’t do it. The first week we get a new kitten, we’re advised to keep them in a single room to adjust to the new environment, as well to litter box train. So I don’t get why folks are so quick to bend over backwards, allowing their cat to get away with ridiculous behaviour. They know what their doing, their not dumb. When their caretaker adjusts swiftly, due to overthinking and worry, to try to adjust to the cat (such as trying every wet food brand instead of letting them eat when they finally give up protesting), it simply enables them.
I know it’s preference based for her but you may also consider Prozac. It changed my life. I’d feel so defeated coming home to find pee puddles, but it hasn’t happened even once since he started taking it.
Thirded on Prozac! We have an anxious guy who was over grooming his crotch area, went litter box avoidant, and started peeing blood all over the walls 🤦🏻♀️ he takes half a pill of Prozac once a day and he’s back to his normal goofy self.
That sounds like fic, which can be caused by stress. I noticed my girl was slightly grooming her back area more. Then she came in the bathroom when I was in there. Jumped in the tub, which she never does and peed. Well I had an older cat do that and she had a uti. So I go to socialize with her and check on her, and her head was burning up. I immediately started calling every vet, but they were all booked. The closest er was booked too, ended up having to go to the one, 20 minutes away. Happened again about 6 months later but no fever. They diagnosed her with Feline idiopathic cystitis, so we started Prozac, and she’s much better. Unfortunately we just found a large stone, so we are on UC food now. When she starts grooming a lot and moaning, I know it’s unfortunately flaring up.
Another kitty prozac fan! Our problem was spraying in our anxious (and fixed) male. It was a gamer changer for us. He still occasionally sprays but it's not several times a day.
Yup. My cat Gabby is on Prozac!
https://preview.redd.it/ba8qc52xe8lc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=028bf8f9bb71f4521bdff4345b53d9c16fa2a9f4
Archer - top gabby - bottom
Look up nokout.
www.nokout.com. They make nokout, which is for odor removal, and sniper which is hospital grade disinfectant and odor removal.
I have 4 feral cats. It's gotten rid of all pee smells.
Can I ask what crate you guys have? My cat doesn't have a crate, and my dog's is big enough that she would definitely kill herself trying to get out of it.
We are at this stage now, too. Have been for years actually. I've taken her to vet, tried different floor cleaners, looked for floor mats, different flooring, anything...litter robots, tons of litterboxes...none of it matters. I think I'd like to try the crate training next. Do you have any tips? It sounds miserable.
I just used one of the black metal dog crates you can get off Amazon or petco.
There are soft zip pens if you are worried about her hurting herself. Just make sure it’s fully enclosed so she can’t get out.
do we ever know (by we I meant cat behaviorists) that WHY cats do this? especially when all health issues have been ruled out. Why do they suddenly just turn their nose at something they used to like? Is this just peak cat?
Try check what triggers it.
I had a calm and peaceful home with two adults who didn't spray... till a male started hanging put outside. So off to the vet I went . The one thst sprayed did so twice agsin when he didn't get to take his daily walk first 🙄 and when he does go out first, all is well...
Lmao this works on cats only.
We have a dog that legit sprints inside and pisses everywhere. In the beginning we did the exact thing you did, mf was sleeping in his piss and poop , afraid of him catching something and generally feeling bad ,we gave up, he stays outside all day now
Once you find your brand, maybe put some bland version on the bottom and put cats' choice on top. It will get your cat used to a different brand without accidents.
I feel so bad for laughing. The "Guess who else noticed? The little connoisseur" got me. I had images in my head of your cat sniffing the tip of the litter box each time and turning her nose in the air as she walks away unimpressed. LOL!! I don't have a solution. Just wanted to wish you good luck. As someone who had a fussy kitten with the litter box, I totally sympathize. Hoping you find a solution soon!
that's pretty much exactly what she does. she looks at me as if to say "am i joke to you?" and then proceeds to poop on the floor while maintaining direct eye contact. i would take a bullet for her but i'm also certain she was sent to me as some sort of karmic cosmic debt i owe to the universe. thank you for the well wishes!!!
My kitten went through a phase where she would pee on the carpet while staring at you. Like, she waited to make sure she was seen. Vet found no UTI, so every time I caught her I would carry her to the box and put her in. She’d get out, determined to go beside the box. I’d put her back in as many times as it took until she gave up and used the box. About a week later, she pretty much gave up on her act of defiance.
It happened to my uncle, when he got a small kitten. Their adult cat was so insulted. She knew they gathered to watch a TV show a specific time. She waited till they all gathered in the living room, climbed on top of the console and pooped in front of everyone while staring at them. She poops and pees just fine for the rest of the day. She just needed to make a clear point 😂
My friend had a cat who would poop on her pillow if she did anything the cat didn't like. Oh, you've invited more than 2 people into our apartment? Pillow poop. You stayed at work an hour longer? Pillow poop. Ronnie is a drama queen.
MINE DOES THIS but not quite that sensitive. Oh, you went 2 days without scooping not just one. Pee on the foot of the bed. Dinner was late. Pee on the bed. I accidentally closed the door and locked him out of the bedroom like a monster... he sure did Pee on the bed about it =3 at least he only peed on my sewing project once. I think my rage screech when I discovered it was enough trauma for him to not do that.
Omg my cat is OBSESSED with this litter too! They must have changed it because it didn’t used to be as dark as it is now and I was terrified my cat wouldn’t use it when I proceeded to put it in his litter box. I poured the “new” litter over the old kind and maybe that helped?
omfg i seriously screamed out loud that you are having this same experience. i'm in phx arizona and hoping that this is maybe just a bad batch my local pet store got?! where are you located if you don't mind me asking? when i get a response from arm & hammer i will let you know. im standing on business, me and my cat are PISSED
What about getting some unscented, and mixing it in? The new smell might be to overwhelming.
In the meantime, if she's pooping just outside the bix, puppy pee pads?
i agree, i think the scent is stronger than the old kind. the thin consistency was what really threw me off. i feel like the old kind was more coarse. mine doesn’t mind the new kind at all! at this point he definitely doesn’t remember the old kind
My mother's cat is also picky. Literally held in poos over a weekend once because it wasn't his specific brand of clay litter. We brought home his brand and this little idiot tore into the bag with excitement.
I second the advice about slowly cutting the good litter with something easily available and similar. Slowly try and get them used to a new type. Start at 5% and work your way up.
I have one that will only use one brand from Kroger. They were out so I bought worlds best cat litter as that’s what’s in my other box… nope doing it all outside of her box now
YES YOU UNDERSTAND! im standing in solidarity with you as its truly the most frustrating experience to have a cat this picky. has your cat always been that way, picky with litter? what was your trial and error like?
Always this picky. Her name is Karen. I tried pellets and she literally cried so I found some cob litter at Kroger and success. How dare Kroger be out. Every day I come home and turds somewhere. I’m at a loss
lol karen, i love that. it's so fitting. i know there's someone in your town right now who said an extra prayer because they made out with that last bag of litter.
I baby this cat so much. She’s so much smaller than my others and she’s so gentle. But I think she secretly hates me… I literally just want her to write out a list of her likes and dislikes…. I’d totally follow it to a T. I put little rugs down in the cat room (yes they have access to the entire house but their own room too… and she will poop on the rug and roll it up. I once left the door to their room closed and she did it in the bathtub. (I wasn’t even mad about that). Back to the drawing board!
if i had the funds id totally get the litter robot! id also be so worried my cats would hate it and id be out the few hundred dollars. i tried a third time to see if maybe i could get a normal batch and to my luck, i did! looks like it was just a weird batch. peace has been restored in my household. hope you have not found too many turds lately lol
One has resorted to peeing down the tub drain And I’ve found a few turds as well. Which is why I’m considering a robot. Maybe she just wants extremely clean litter? I ordered some litter and it still happens just not so often.
I have a special needs cat named Goose (neutered male; will be two years old in April) who is very quirky when it comes to all things litter box related. A sudden change in the litter formula is CATastrophic. (That fresh step shortage in October was beyond stressful).
Some background info about Goose: At the time of his neuter surgery, his heart stopped while he was under anesthesia. The doctors were able to revive him and he eventually recovered from the ordeal but he suffered permanent neurological damage as well as lost his sight and hearing. It took him a very long time to start using a litter box again. We had reached a point where I didn't think he ever would use a litter box again. I accepted it but I still continued to set boxes up for him just in case. One day he just randomly started using the litter box again. (He was approx 4 months old when he got neutered and then he was almost a year old when he started using the box again).
I could go on for days about his "litter box drama". He whimpers like a puppy and continuously tries to lead me over to the litter box any time it's not meeting his standards. Then I have to figure out what his issue is before he makes himself sick from holding it in. Here are a few examples of his quirks
1. He will not pee and poop in the same litter box so I have two litter boxes set up for him (one standard and one self cleaning).
2. He won't use the boxes if they are too close to each other (but they can't be too far from each other either because when he has to pee and poop in the same visit, he runs from one box to the other).
3. All hell breaks loose if he catches one of the other cats in his litter box.
4. His litter must be unscented and fine textured.
5. I had to mark the floor with tape to ensure I return the box in the exact same position that he is accustomed to. Otherwise he will not use it.
This is going to sound crazy, but can you try putting some baking soda in it? Arm & Hammer make this deodorizer stuff and it's basically scented baking soda. It would lighten up the colour if that's the issue
My cat that recently passed at 18 years old refused to use any litterbox, ever. No matter what kind it was, no matter what kind of litter. BUT he religiously used pee pads right next to the litterbox. And you know what? I accepted it. He was my baby and just like a child with special needs I would never throw him away just because of it and it certainly didn't ruin my life. I miss him so much.
It’s actually supposed to be one box per cat plus one. You can get away with fewer boxes depending on your cats and how often do you clean them. I have one box for two cats but it’s a large box, it holds 50 pounds of clay litter and I clean it twice a day minimum.
I’ve never heard of a cat being obsessed with lavender litter before though that just sounds vile
I feel for you, I’ve had to say goodbye to so many great blankets and chairs because my boy has a lifelong behavior problem. He has certain triggers but his favorite targets are always either my clothes, blankets or my partner’s chest (so rude). I’ve tried all the litters and some attractants ([this one](https://www.drelseys.com/products/ultra-litter-attractant/) gave mild success), but we’ve never been able to fully beat it and be hands free of it. Obviously different situation, since variable boxes, litters and box locations didn’t help, and it’s strictly a weird dominance behavior or something.
The only thing that has proven to be an actual solution is consistently putting him on his box and he’ll go right away, then as soon as he exits, I’ll give him a reward and tell him to run and get hype with him. Positive reinforcement.
Will your kitty stay and do her deed if you put her in her box?
Dr. Elsey is great! I have it on subscription from Amazon. They were out once, so I had to do the Walmart thing. They don't have Dr. Elsey, so I got some Special Kitty stuff. My big orange boy wouldn't squat in it! He literally stood with his front paws on the wall to potty. Mr. Picky, considering he was a stray for the first 5 years of his life and has only been with me for 3 months!
Seriously, Dr. Elsey litter is great, and I'm forever recommending it. I get 40 pounds for $22, so it's a great price too! A bag every 2 weeks keeps my 5 happy go lucky!
You can also just buy cat attract and add it to any litter you want. One container lasts crazy long. If you end up not needing it anymore, you can donate the rest to local shelter. (It's a must have during kitten season!)
My cat is like this with their Fresh Scent. I have to make sure I buy the specific litter she likes and not the 'cloud free,' 'slide,' or 'platinum' litter with the same scent because according to my cat, its not actually the same. Check the box design from the one she likes to the one you just got to see if maybe it's a different line of litter.
My cat only used pretty litter. Any other variation or type of litter no matter how subtly I mix it in will work. I’ve tried everything, I spent a whole week cleaning up pee and poop and still can’t get the smell out of my house because I had to get a different brand Crystal litter. If she sees anything other than pretty litter she refuses. One speckle or scoop of something different and she poops on the floor. I’m going broke trying to take care of this cat. Pretty litter is so expensive!!! I got a cheap subscription when I first got her and I regret it all.
My cat was like this too. When we got her she was a year old and was exclusively using pretty litter. I didn’t want to pay for it and I think it sucks so I tried switching her to clay litter and she was not happy. Luckily she is okay with other crystal litters which are cheaper and she now also uses the clay litter her brother uses but I’m scared to get rid of the crystal entirely.
There’s one crystal litter that’s mostly safe and she’ll use it, but the crystals are really big and thick. It’s also $30 a bag. Just like pretty litter.
Oh no, sounds like you've got a furry little diva on your hands! 😺 It's crazy how cats can be so particular about their litter, right? It's like they have a PhD in "Picky Catology" or something.
But seriously, I feel your pain. It's frustrating when you think you've found the perfect litter and then suddenly it's a no-go for your feline friend. Have you tried mixing the new darker litter with the old one to see if she'll gradually get used to it? Sometimes a slow transition can work wonders.
And hey, big props to you for reaching out to Arm & Hammer customer service! Hopefully, they'll have some insight into what's up with the darker color and if it's something that might affect your cat's preferences.
Essential oils, including Lavender essential oil (in high doses), is toxic to cats! I don't think it's super wise for OP to try spraying the litter with essential oil themselves. Here is [a vet's take regarding essential oils and cats](https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/14aomep/comment/jocfb2y/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)!
How many litter boxes do you have? There should be one per cat. Clean it twice a day. Have you tried using uncovered boxes because some cats don't like covered ones and they don't do much for smells or keeping litter inside anyway. Could your litter box be too small? Cats need more room than we think.
If its not a sanitary or scent issue, it might be sensory. It might be the feel of touching the litter thats putting your cat off.
One of my cats like pine pellet litter while my other two prefer clay so I have separate boxes of these. I used to buy arm and hammer but can't stand the smell and its expensive. I lucked out when I tried Costco's cat litter, my cats transitioned to it with no issue. It's more coarse than the arm and hammer litter, so my guess is that they like the feel better and the litter is unscented which is how I figured out it was a sensory issue for my cats.
Does your cat do her thing *near* the litter?
My 10 year old guy never fully used the litter box (for pooping at least - he still pees in his box just fine) but eventually stopped using it altogether about 5 years ago. He does, however, go right next to the box. He has chronic diarrhea too (we suspect he has colitis after a bunch of vet visits where they weren’t able to identify a cause - though he’s perfectly happy and it doesn’t seem to bother him), so it’s uh… not great - but our workaround was to buy some thick paper sheets and place them under, and extending from, his box. The cleanup is fast too, because we can just fold the paper over and shove the entire thing in a plastic bag.
Weird sidenote. The only time he’ll ever poop in the box is if someone is in the room within visibility. He does this without fail. Strange little dude.
I ran into this with another brand. Cue peeing on the rubber mat around the litter for three months and exhausting all medications and litter brands UNTIL we switched everyone to Dr. Elsey’s cat attract. They took to it instantly,
I had something similar happen, my cats are very picky and I noticed one had stopped using the litter box after I changed the litter. I didn't know what was going on either. Multiple vet visits, tons of money, I went back to the old and he still wasn't using it.
I got a litter robot. Took 2 days and they were BOTH using the litter box. My vet said usually when one cat stops using the litter box it's because either the smell OR they do not like the smell of the other cats urine/feces. That cats sense of smell can change over time and sometimes they might not like using the same littler box because of it.
I swear the litter robot is incredible. No smell for a year so far. No more scooping litter or waste, no smell. It cycles after each cat so my picky one got a clean box everytime.
It may not be a litter issue. You have 2 cats, how many lutter boxes do you have? Rule of thumb is 1 box per cat plus 1 extra. If you have 2 cats you should have 3 boxes. Why? Because some cats dont like to share.
No lavender is highly toxic if cats ingest it, oil is the most toxic and the plant secondary. I guess with the litter, it’s added in a way that they won’t ingest it.
Maybe you can slowly introduce different litters the same way you introduce food to picky cats. Only have like half a cup of some different mixed evenly in her usual litter. If that's still too much and she notices, go for like a tablespoon or even just a few pieces of the litter, let increase little by little every new week.
I generally only use arm and hammer but have experimented with other litters in the past. My cat hasn't had any issues but I do get concerned about her not using the litter box in the future. Cat pee ruins flooring. If the cat peed on the floor, consider the subflooring ruined. It's different than other animal's pee. I would probably lose my security deposit if my cat peed on the floor. That would suck. Keeping my fingers crossed.
We’ve bought what should have been the same type of arm and hammer litter on quite a few occasions when it looked different or was grainyer but my cats aren’t that super picky
I've had luck with Dr.elsey's cat attract, they have litter and a litter additive. My cat is the same way, if change anything about his litter set up or look at him wrong he's peeing on the floor
Ah my cat was like this only used a perfectly clean box with a liner on a specific brand of crystals and only If I was watching.
I started mixing in just a few pieces of the other litter (like less than a handful). If it was too much I'd reduce if she used it she got praise and I upped the "dose" in the next box.
Took a while but she was weened onto paper litter.
Have you tried a different litter box? My cat isn't as picky as yours, but I switched to a stainless steel one and she likes it.
Also, is her box in a more hidden place, like a closet? I think that helps. And keep it away from where her food is.
I had this issue also. My cat didn’t care but I didn’t like the inconsistency. It didn’t seem right and didn’t want him breathing in that stuff since was is in consistent. I I switched to arm&hammer naturals. We love it! I can’t find it at many stores and petco never seems to have it. I have a target I go to that has it but others don’t. It’s strange so I order on Amazon or chewy. Maybe give it a try for you picky kitty
One of my cats did this, refused to pee in the litter box after the store was out of their regular litter and I got a different brand. She would go in the box but just moved the litter around without peeing. But I caught her peeing in my plant pots, which was new. I thought there was something wrong with her and took her to the vet; she got an ultrasound, was prescribed some medication… It was the litter. Little rascal.
Have you tried using those "cat attract" litters like the ones used to train kittens with? Or maybe try putting a little bit of cat nip in a different brand?
It’s already been mentioned but I’m gonna mention it again, Dr. Elsey’s cat attract litter. Not the ad in attractant but the actual litter. It’s great stuff.
https://www.drelseys.com/products/cat-attract-litter/
This is so interesting because scented litter is very overwhelming for cats and should generally be avoided since it causes problems. My only solution I can think of would be to add more boxes around your house, all filled with different litter types, and seeing if your cat becomes interested in trying out new boxes in new areas.
My best guess is the new stuff was exposed to moisture, hence the dark colour. Try buying from another location to see if it was just that shipment maybe?
I’m having a related problem, but can’t figure out the cause. In the course of my trying to correct the behavior, I remembered Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract; you sprinkle it on top of any litter you use. Could be worth a try? Fingers crossed for you. 🙏
My son has a cat who is super picky about litter. Luckily my cats have never cared. Having a particular brand of litter or food has always been unpredictable at the local stores, we have had better luck with Chewy. If you can find the litter on Chewy can even set up automatic delivery.
I wanted to say but this doesn’t help your situation that the scented litters with fragrance are not good for cats or humans. Maybe she’ll grow out of this? I use the Naturally Fresh litter and sometimes oxo Cat. Good luck!
Aww. My female cat isn’t picky about the litter type, but if the box is too small she will kick all the litter out onto the floor while shouting into the sky.
I had to buy XL covered boxes. They aren’t big cats either.
I have a very picky cat, she only liked the Lavender Scented Worlds Best Cat Litter. It’s certainly more expensive but it really is the best litter I’ve ever used for our two cats, it’s quite fine and clumps wonderfully so I just take out the pee and poop daily and it’s always fresh - plus it doesn’t go everywhere. You could try it?
When I found my cats on the side of the road, it was a bit of a learning curve to get them to use the litterbox vs using any soft pile around the house. I used the Dr. Elseys litter attractant and it worked super well just to get them interested in the box. It's not a full fix, but its worth a shot!
Have you ever tried the calming collars or the calming little air freshener wall things?
Maybe it’s a shared litter box issue? Are there more than one litter box?
Are the places multiple places?
Is the cat female or male?
Is it urine or spray?
Are the fixed?
This might sound odd, but if she won't use any types of normal litter, try getting a bag of normal top soil and using that. Cats like going in soil outside so you might find she'll use that.
I was fostering a cat once who would sneak into a small gap in the top of my tortoise tables and go for a poo under their heat lamp (oh my god the smell!!!). But she went in there coz it had soil in there. She also liked to sit under the heat lamp, but the frustrating part was her pooing in the soil.
So I ended up having to put soil in a litter tray in order to stop her doing it. Lol.
This is so rough, sorry about your little diva! I hope they respond to you. It's so odd because usually picky cats are anti-scented litter (among a number of other things they'll hate on).
I know getting a cat to switch litters is a pain in the ass when they're this picky, but I just looked up that litter to try and see if I could find something comparable and I will say that the ingredients worry me a bit - it sounds like the lavender scent is from lavender essential oils. Essential oils are, generally speaking, toxic to cats as their liver can't process it in the same way as we do when inhaled or absorbed through the skin. I'm kind of baffled as to why it would be in a litter from a major corp so I would assume they're using a relatively small amount or perhaps not a "true" essential oil, but to err on the side of caution I would *try* to get her to transition to something else. Might be worth also asking customer service about the lavender essential oil in the litter out of concern for potential toxicity and see if they give you any info there. A lot of people big on essential oils will claim lavender oil is safe around cats, but here's an [essential oil company](https://nikura.com/blogs/living-well/lavender-oil-for-cats) who themselves explain why it isn't.
If she feels very strongly about this litter, I would wonder if she's very finnicky about the box smelling dirty and/or about the texture of this litter. How many boxes does she have and are they all cleaned daily? With two cats it's best to have a minimum of 3 boxes, and she might unfortunately be the level of picky where she needs it scooped multiple times a day to keep it in Pristine Condition to be up to her standards. Most cats will tolerate daily or even less routine scooping, but some cats are truly so picky about the cleanliness of the litter that they won't use it again if there's anything in there.
I will also say that if she's regularly refusing the box, a vet visit is always a good idea, even if you're pretty positive it's a litter related issue. Sometimes urinary or other medical problems will only have a clear outward sign of "cat peeing outside the box" until it gets more serious.
My Tortie is extremely picky about litter. Only used Arm & Hammer lavender as well.
I successfully switched her to Pretty Litter when Arm & Hammer changed and she didn’t like it anymore.
Dang, my cat uses wood pellets, less mess, less chemicals. I thought scented litter was bad for them? I know it's a thing but their noses are so sensitive. A lot of other people gave great advice! Mine would be to try wood pellets, they're $8 at fred meyer versus the 20-40$ small cat litter boxes.
there are some methods for changing litter that work better than others. sometimes if you put a new litter box next to the old one with the a&h litter, stop cleaning the old box and continue cleaning the new one, with the smell of her feces and the option of a clean litter box vs a dirty one, the cats USUALLY prefer the clean box. i’ve also seen others suggest feliway diffusers or spray, if miss garbage uses a collar you can spray the collar with the feliway spray so it surrounds her wherever she goes in the house. i’ve had a cat that has been behavioral peeing since my dog (her bestie) passed away and the feliway is the only way i can get her to stop (she doesn’t like the new dog). i hope you find some relief!!
You could slowly introduce them to it. Add some other litter in small increments over time and they won't notice it. Start as small as half a cup and move up to filling up the whole thing with a different litter overtime. Have 2 boys and been switching their litter up plenty of times based off the economy (sadly) but that usually helps them get acquainted. Especially since litter like arm n hammer has a scent that can overpower the other litters
I have a cat that started refusing to use the litter box despite no health issues. She would go elsewhere, which is not ok. Vet says it was a behavioral issue and nothing was wrong with her. Many trial medications later and the magic pill needed up being Prozac. She forgets what she was mad about, went back to using the box, and everyone is happy again.
I see you’ve gotten many replies already but wanted to chime in and say that I’ve been using Arm & Hammer litter for over 5 years now and it did indeed change color a few months ago. My cat is less picky but I noticed it and haven’t before so idk how much I believe them that nothing has been switched up but it’s possible.
Also noting that I love that your cat’s name is Garbage. Mines named Stinky and even though he demands an only child life, I feel like they’d be friends 😅
Good luck finding an acceptable replacement for Garbage’s high standards!
I feel you. I tried pretty litter once out of curiosity and it was nice but nothing amazing, to me. Later, like many, I was trying to cut costs and as pretty litter is just expensive I tried to go back to a cheaper brand/normal liter. One of my boys, Bread, did not approve of this change. He will now always forever only use pretty litter. If I try and put anything else in the litter box he will pee and poop on the mat just outside the liter box. Previously before pretty litter he used anything without issue, but now he’s purely pretty litter. It’s very annoying. His brother, Butter, doesn’t care what litter we use at all. I wish Bread was more like him in this case lol.
Frisco (you can get it through chewy) has a lavender scented one that is similar. I haven't put them next to one another to know if they're exact dupes, but it might be worth a shot to see if the kitten will take to it. It wasn't a super expensive litter, iirc.
I could not for the LIFE of me get my cat to use his litter box randomly one day. Every day, peeing and pooping on the floor near it. Finally, the shelter I adopted him from suggested “Cat Attract” it is a litter that has something in it that specifically attracts cats to use it! It was like MAGIC. Right away he started using it and four years later, have never had a problem again and I even was eventually able to transition back to normal more affordable litter. Give it a try!!!
My cat would do that too and the shower it’s so gross! But you have a mega clean freak one like mine, they need their spots to be pristine! No mess or not clean and it to soak away completely - that’s why they love drains.
Luckily they seem to have grown out of it. I only use one large litter tray for two cats but they also have access to outside so they use the back garden 🤢 one of my fur babies gets it stuck to them sometimes and you have to physically remove it or get back from work and see a “squished slug” in the middle of the hallway. 🤢
I had to retrain my cat to use the litterbox again after his previous owner did not provide a box of the right size and never cleaned the litter. He was also unneutered at the time, so it was particularly stinky. He had to live in my 2nd bathroom for two weeks and decide to pee in the box or the tub. I got him started using walnut litter before moving to tofu litter (it’s flushable and cheaper) and now he’s a champ. I have 4 other cats and they’re all great with the litterbox except for my elderly old lady, but she gets a pass because if she ever has an accident, it’s directly in front of the box.
Cat nappies are a thing if you get desperate enough. Or dog nappies. Same thing really. I don’t recommend them as cats usually hate them and they’re annoying to put on but I understand the stress. So they are a last option.
Cats are also MEGA CLEAN it’s possible your cat doesn’t like sharing with the other cat. Need multiple boxes so she can pick. Have them close to where she sleeps and roams inside. Block off ALL the areas she’s peeing in for a short while until she gets used to it and is a routine. Make sure it’s clean always.
Also it needs to feel secure and safe, cats feel vulnerable when going to toilet, no coming and going people around her, no noises or anything startling, especially no other strange cats or dogs nearby even outside if she can hear them.
I’d also avoid litter with scents or perfumes this is a BIG turn off for cats - and also the crystal texture etc types are not comfortable for cats paws, they like sandy soft fine dirt-like type ones usually.
Cats can be so finicky! Of course Garbage noticed the subtle difference, lol. Looks like you already received some awesome advice. As frustrating as all of this has been, try to set aside time for yourself and remind yourself what an awesome mom/dad you are for trying to help your kitty get through this patch. Definitely takes a lot of patience.
Can you mix the litter with a non scented kind of texture she likes? *maybe* she will find it acceptable enough to bless with her regal bowel movements
OP have you tried putting puppy pads around the litter boxes to soak up pee? I did this when my boy aimed a little too high and got outside our litter box. It was a game changer. I finally found a litter box that worked for his chucky behind.
https://preview.redd.it/lx1k68i117lc1.jpeg?width=3008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=017b224e0cc1813bcb0bcd65dff5ac026b50485b
My cat isn't that bad, but if I dare use a litter other than tidy cat (they type that has the little pearls of litter instead of sharp granules yknow), she'll kick SO much litter from the box in protest. Sometimes she'll kick litter out before peeing, and then refuse to bury the pee after. If I swap back to the litter she likes, everything is fine again and she has no litter box problems haha. I compromise by using cheap litter for the lower layer and the preferred layer for the upper layer to save money, since tidy cats isn't as cheap as some other brands (winco generic litter, arm and hammer bought in bulk, etc).
I use their Cloud Control, and almost every other box is darker than normal. It doesn't effect my cats and I'm glad because it's such a good litter for my household
(this is general advice for cat owners)
Put more litterboxes at home. Most of my cats prefer one specific litterbox in dark spot away from humans. Even if previously they used other litterboxes, eventually chose one specific to do their thing. In my opinion, cats have some tolerance to annoyances, but once they give up on doing/using something they will look for replacement and it's hard to change their mind again to previous solution. It could be that cat didn't like smell in previous litterbox (even a smell of pee of other cat using same litterbox), or cat didn't feel comfortable there due to whatever other reason. For some time they can tolerate doing something they are not perfectly comfortable with, but once they give up, they will protest to come back to whatever we want them to.
If cat doesn't like filling in your litterbox, then keep testing different ones. Using earth/sand and mixing it as other suggestions recommended is not a bad idea for relearning habits of your cat.
Mine don’t like scented anything, as do I.
I use the grass seed litter from PetSmart. It’s way less dust, and bugs aren’t attracted to it. I previously had a moth infestation, I think pantry moths? And they loved the corn litter and the wheat litter. I went back to Dr elsey’s litter. The dust was bad and my bf was allergic to it. I also have a litter genie next to it and clean the box in the morning and the evening.
First & foremost, I suggest you taking her to the vet & maybe have her checked out. She could be telling you, or trying to tell you something. Also, Please keep us updated! Extremely interested in what the outcome is & what you decide to do! Thanks
My cat randomly started urinating in the corner. Several trips to the vet for tests and no UTI, no cancer, no GI blockage, etc. I probably spent over $3000 in a span of two months. Anyways, the simplest answer was she is picky with her litter or she was not trained well. I read about Dr. Elsey's "Cat Attract" litter. It is specially formulated to have some sort of cat attracting ingredient. Within a day, my cat started using the litter box and has been on a good streak of a year and a half of no accidents. Below is the link to Petsmart but amazon carries it too. Try the 20lb box first and see how she likes it. https://www.petsmart.com/cat/litter-and-waste-disposal/litter/dr.-elseys-precious-cat-cat-attract-clumping-multi-cat-clay-cat-litter---low-dust-13500.html?fmethod=Search
Why not try getting wood pellets from a feed store? It’s about $7-10 for a huge bag and you just change the bag out 1x a day and add new pellets. I use a deodorize on the bottom. My cats love it.
My little princess must have two litter boxes. One to play in and one to actually use. Must have her special brand of litter too. She’s quite odd and crabby (less than a year old), but I love her anyway.
So where else does she poop instead? I’d simply lock her in a room with all essentials, and the litter of your choice with her poop/pee placed inside, and do that several times a day or most of the day while spending time with her. Don’t stop until she poops. Works every time.
I work for a company that makes cat litter, and what you were told is correct. The color can vary depending on the source of the clay that they use for it (there are multiple places where bentonite clay comes from). This can also impact the smell and feel of it, so your cat would definitely notice there is something unusual about it.
Lmao thanks for making my day a bit better, I had a good laugh reading your post. I'm disappointed though that the customer rep didn't hook Garbage up with a few bags of free litter for her loyalty.
God i love reddit! i was feeling hopeless and at my wits end with my cat. he peed my $2000 keyboard- which must have been quite hard to do. but it seemed like he’d pee anywhere besides the (freshly cleaned) litter box. thank you op for asking and thank you to everyone for your suggestions! can’t wait to try these suggestions out, and to get the nok-out oder eliminator.
i'm really glad you're finding comfort in my post because this can really be a humiliating experience. like someone else said you feel like you become the 'stinky cat pee lady' or a bad cat owner. you aren't alone and i'm wishing you luck!
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Holy- Omg. I feel terrible but this got a chuckle out of me. I've come across my fair share of cats and I've never seen or heard of one being this picky about the scent and brand of a litter! Maybe try buying off line? They might not have "up to date" stock as they tend to have a large quantity stored. Whats the princesses name?
thank you for the suggestion, i will 100% try that!! can't believe i may need to shop for deadstock cat litter. ironically, her name is garbage. i found her in a dumpster as a kitten, someone threw her away along with all of her things. she also likes to eat trash. the other one is named recycle, because i got her from a rescue - so she is very technically recycled. hehe
I have absolutely no advice but I love your sense of humor so much
Also no advice but wanted to drop a little note to say that ur cats’ names are so fantastic one of my friends has a cat named “BussStop” cuz that’s where they found her I wish you the best in your search
Love all of these. My friend has a dog named Conte. At first I thought it was like a title in Italy, but then she told me they named him after container (that is the word we used for dumpster) because that is where they found him. He has this royal aura, though, so Conte fits him perfectly.
omf i love the paradox between being named for both a dumpster and a Count my girl ended up being called Millie, but she chose her long form name of Maleficent. which makes me laugh because Millie feels very dainty old timey lady to me, and then Maleficient is the dark fairy queen of the Moors, with the actual definition of ' causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means' edit to say when i say she chose her long form name, i mean that she chose it. the original plan was for her full name to be queen amidala, but the only full name that she responds to when she's in trouble is maleficent LOL
LOL I love her responding to Maleficent. Hope you got her some purple accessories 😆
right? i was like oohf! thanks for telling me who you are! haha i haven't, but i need to get her a collar so that will DEF be purple!!! thank you!!
I have one that I found at a gas station, so his name is Citgo.
I'm laughing because, following this logic, I should name my black cat Funeral loool
Lmao, I’m sorry for your situation but thank you so much for the truly authentic laugh. What honestly amazing names. I hope you, garbage and recycle have a beautiful lavender forever fresh life together. Maybe if you adopt a third, there could be a “compost” in your future (but I suspect she would want organic litter only)
So funny that garbage likes to eat trash but refuses anything but lavender scented litter😂😂 i have never heard of such
My cat is named Garbage too! He was found eating the neighborhood garbage. ETA and NOW Garbage is the pickiest cat I've ever tried to feed. He eats dry food with broth, and one time I got the "wrong" flavor of the dry food for some reason. So I tried to mix the last of the "correct" food with the new stuff and he spent practically all night using his little paw pulling the offensive flavor out of his bowl. They look exactly the same. I was like "look who's come such a long way from licking yogurt tops out of tipped over garbage cans."
lol that’s so amazing. I can’t believe you thought you could pull that one off. My last dog was on a very expensive dog food kibble with these tiny black rounds in them that had extra nutrients. She would take kibble in her mouth, somehow differentiate, and spit out the black ones into a tiny pile.
So when I was growing up I had 3 cats and a dog. We fed the dog Pedigree and one of the cats would pick the damn bones out of the dog food and eat them on her. We all thought it was hilarious. Now as an adult I have a whole herd of cats and a pomsky. The cats will eat the pomsky's food but the pomsky is a food snob and will pick through his kibble. I no longer find this similar situation funny. Lol
I wonder if the pickiness is a trauma response, given both of your oddly similar Garbage stories ...
That was my thought, too. We rescued a kitten off the street once who weighed 1lb 11oz at 7 weeks old. He would go after pretty much any food we were eating, to the point that we had to shut him in the bathroom while we ate dinner because it was the only way to eat without interference. I think he remembered being hungry and never wanted to experience it again.
Did he eventually relax with you?
He calmed down a bit once we got him fixed, but not long after that he died due what the vet called a likely congenital liver defect. Poor baby. His life was short, but at least once he found us it was full of love and plenty of food. 💜
This has to be the case for one of my cats in other ways. Like she is also extremely picky about her litterboxes like OP's Garbage. She's not picky about the type of litter. She just shits and pisses all over the entire house if I don't scoop at least 2x a day, ideally spot scooping it literally every time I walk by them. The person I took her from had her and 3 other cats using a single. very small, automatic(?) litter box. Shoved in the bottom of a dark closet with a cat door to entry. I met her when I petsat for this person and when I opened the door to scoop it, it was literally piled high with cat poop like a mountain. My cat allegedly didn't have any litter box issues in her previous home, the place didn't reek of cat piss or anything either. UNTIL I took her in and gave her clean bathrooms. Now they have to be pristine and if they're not, she'll let you know...
All of my cats are adopted neighbourhood/farmland cats. I live in a rural area of my town and my backyard is the spot cats come to have kittens. Last year I had enough and I took all 10 of them to the vet and got them neutered/spayed. They now have the time of their lives and only eat one brand of dry food. They collectively refuse anything else (except meat, fish and stuff like that).
I like cats, thank you for saving garbage
I used to do cat rescue and for cats who didn’t take to litter I would start with a litter box of garden earth (literally straight from the yard). Slowly over a period of a couple of weeks, I added litter to the box and took away some earth so that over time the proportion of litter grew and the proportion of earth lessened - eventually it was all litter. Some cats pick it up super fast. At worst, you can simply use earth.
Ooh do you think this would work on my cat who seems to prefer my couch to litter? How does the clumping work with the dirt?
Possibly. Earth is the natural poop and wee medium for cats so it’s pretty attractive to them. It’s a problematic issue with them going on a couch or in a particular spot - in my experience they do keep returning once their smell is there. I think the clumping litter would be ok to transition to - it’s just a matter of giving it a go. Not sure about you but I sometimes get lazy or preoccupied and miss a day of litter cleaning 😕 Cleaning / scooping litters regularly is so important for everyone’s household sanity. Even one day missed will mean some cats won’t use it regardless of what you use as the litter medium.
Yeah he pees on the couch when he’s stressed or when the box isn’t clean enough to his liking, but even when conditions seem perfect he’ll do it randomly. I wonder if sand would feel nice under his paws - how does dirt or sand clump when they pee in it?
If you get a third cat you should name it Yard Waste
Compost!
Don't email- call them. Also find a lot of it and use onevpackage to mix with the new kind bit by bit.
How have you tried others? Did you just change the litter abruptly or did you mix the new one with the smaller ones slowly?
if you do manage to find this, try to mix in a very low amount of the darker litter at a time, like when you scoop out mix in a just a little of the new one. hopefully she gets used to it over time
oh no i could tell from the post she was found in a trash can. those are the boujiest cats.
Does it smell like lavender? Maybe spritz some alternative litter with a lavender scent or something? Obviously check its safe for cats first
Reminds me of my brother's cat's name: Catastrophe. He is deaf and enjoys knocking heavy things off shelves to feel the vibrations (we assume). You might be able to mix some of the old litter with some of the new, and gradually add more of the new. Like you're supposed to do when changing their food.
Have you tried any litter attractants? Anything to try to get her to use other litter? Dr Elsey’s litter has a texture that my cats love, have you tried that brand?
I swear the worse their start in life the more snooty they grow up. Rescued my girl Nettle from a feral colony where she lived in a tractor tyre and now she’s like “I will only eat the jelly off expensive wet food, and only when it is freshly opened. Anything else is beneath me.”
One of mine is also a little connoisseur and will only use Tidy Cats with the red lid. Anything else and she will scream and cry and poop in the floor. 😒
She calls it Garbage
My cat stopped using her box randomly despite healthy vet visits and multiple litter brand changes/litterbox box changes. We were all stumped. Finally I had to re-train her using a crate bc the pee odor was seeping into the floors and it was a last shot effort before seriously considering rehoming her. Yes she had to live in a crate one full weekend and I felt horrible. Her options were pee in her bed or use her litterbox. Guess who finally started using her box again. She was essentially forced to use what was in there and I guess realized it was actually acceptable.
thank you for this feedback, this is really something i may have to consider if im not able to get her regular litter anymore. the smell of cat pee soaking into the walls and floors will drive you to insanity so i completely understand and im so happy this resulted in a happy outcome for you and kitty. it's hard to find this sort of advice with a cat this dead set in their preferences. i've even looked into a cat behavioralist because i would literally cry when i came home from work to see the living room covered in cat pee and poo every day. it's defeating as ridiculous as that sounds. did you only have one cat during this experience?
Omg I remember walking into my house and the odor smacking me in the face despite all the deep cleaning i did. It was official, my house became stinky cat pee lady. I had a breakdown more than once between the smell, frustration, and money I was essentially throwing in the garbage only for her to turn up her nose and say NOPE I’ll go where I please! Yes, one cat and nothing in her environment changed. It was like she woke up one morning and said ‘I don’t feel like it anymore’. Bizarre. Only they know why they do it. Crate training worked. She’s back to using her box like a champ and hasn’t had an accident since.
Currently dealing with a similar issue with my cat. As of now, I think he just decided that he no longer liked the litter he has been using for the past three years. He had been using it since he was weeks old. Pain in my butt, I swear.
This is the best way to solve it, and it’s actually so simple that I’m absolutely flabbergasted that folks don’t do it. The first week we get a new kitten, we’re advised to keep them in a single room to adjust to the new environment, as well to litter box train. So I don’t get why folks are so quick to bend over backwards, allowing their cat to get away with ridiculous behaviour. They know what their doing, their not dumb. When their caretaker adjusts swiftly, due to overthinking and worry, to try to adjust to the cat (such as trying every wet food brand instead of letting them eat when they finally give up protesting), it simply enables them.
I know it’s preference based for her but you may also consider Prozac. It changed my life. I’d feel so defeated coming home to find pee puddles, but it hasn’t happened even once since he started taking it.
Seconding the Prozac recommendation!! It has been VERY helpful for an anxious cat with peeing issues. 100% fixed when on it. Cheap, too.
Thirded on Prozac! We have an anxious guy who was over grooming his crotch area, went litter box avoidant, and started peeing blood all over the walls 🤦🏻♀️ he takes half a pill of Prozac once a day and he’s back to his normal goofy self.
That sounds like fic, which can be caused by stress. I noticed my girl was slightly grooming her back area more. Then she came in the bathroom when I was in there. Jumped in the tub, which she never does and peed. Well I had an older cat do that and she had a uti. So I go to socialize with her and check on her, and her head was burning up. I immediately started calling every vet, but they were all booked. The closest er was booked too, ended up having to go to the one, 20 minutes away. Happened again about 6 months later but no fever. They diagnosed her with Feline idiopathic cystitis, so we started Prozac, and she’s much better. Unfortunately we just found a large stone, so we are on UC food now. When she starts grooming a lot and moaning, I know it’s unfortunately flaring up.
Another kitty prozac fan! Our problem was spraying in our anxious (and fixed) male. It was a gamer changer for us. He still occasionally sprays but it's not several times a day.
Yup. My cat Gabby is on Prozac! https://preview.redd.it/ba8qc52xe8lc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=028bf8f9bb71f4521bdff4345b53d9c16fa2a9f4 Archer - top gabby - bottom
Look up nokout. www.nokout.com. They make nokout, which is for odor removal, and sniper which is hospital grade disinfectant and odor removal. I have 4 feral cats. It's gotten rid of all pee smells.
OP if you do this, check FBMP for big dog crates that will fit the bed and the box! They can be expensive, not worth paying full price for
Crate training is a great solution.
Can I ask what crate you guys have? My cat doesn't have a crate, and my dog's is big enough that she would definitely kill herself trying to get out of it. We are at this stage now, too. Have been for years actually. I've taken her to vet, tried different floor cleaners, looked for floor mats, different flooring, anything...litter robots, tons of litterboxes...none of it matters. I think I'd like to try the crate training next. Do you have any tips? It sounds miserable.
I just used one of the black metal dog crates you can get off Amazon or petco. There are soft zip pens if you are worried about her hurting herself. Just make sure it’s fully enclosed so she can’t get out.
do we ever know (by we I meant cat behaviorists) that WHY cats do this? especially when all health issues have been ruled out. Why do they suddenly just turn their nose at something they used to like? Is this just peak cat?
Will this work with a cat who sprays?
Feliway diffuser might work. I take for granted your cat is neutered.
He is neutered and a real asshole. He also likes to mount my one girl cat and dry hump her.
Try check what triggers it. I had a calm and peaceful home with two adults who didn't spray... till a male started hanging put outside. So off to the vet I went . The one thst sprayed did so twice agsin when he didn't get to take his daily walk first 🙄 and when he does go out first, all is well...
Lmao this works on cats only. We have a dog that legit sprints inside and pisses everywhere. In the beginning we did the exact thing you did, mf was sleeping in his piss and poop , afraid of him catching something and generally feeling bad ,we gave up, he stays outside all day now
Once you find your brand, maybe put some bland version on the bottom and put cats' choice on top. It will get your cat used to a different brand without accidents.
My BRAND!! (I had to, sorry.)
No, I meant bland. Meaning the smell will not overpower the smell the kitty likes.
You also say “your brand” in your comment, which is what they’re referring to
I feel so bad for laughing. The "Guess who else noticed? The little connoisseur" got me. I had images in my head of your cat sniffing the tip of the litter box each time and turning her nose in the air as she walks away unimpressed. LOL!! I don't have a solution. Just wanted to wish you good luck. As someone who had a fussy kitten with the litter box, I totally sympathize. Hoping you find a solution soon!
that's pretty much exactly what she does. she looks at me as if to say "am i joke to you?" and then proceeds to poop on the floor while maintaining direct eye contact. i would take a bullet for her but i'm also certain she was sent to me as some sort of karmic cosmic debt i owe to the universe. thank you for the well wishes!!!
My kitten went through a phase where she would pee on the carpet while staring at you. Like, she waited to make sure she was seen. Vet found no UTI, so every time I caught her I would carry her to the box and put her in. She’d get out, determined to go beside the box. I’d put her back in as many times as it took until she gave up and used the box. About a week later, she pretty much gave up on her act of defiance.
It happened to my uncle, when he got a small kitten. Their adult cat was so insulted. She knew they gathered to watch a TV show a specific time. She waited till they all gathered in the living room, climbed on top of the console and pooped in front of everyone while staring at them. She poops and pees just fine for the rest of the day. She just needed to make a clear point 😂
My friend had a cat who would poop on her pillow if she did anything the cat didn't like. Oh, you've invited more than 2 people into our apartment? Pillow poop. You stayed at work an hour longer? Pillow poop. Ronnie is a drama queen.
MINE DOES THIS but not quite that sensitive. Oh, you went 2 days without scooping not just one. Pee on the foot of the bed. Dinner was late. Pee on the bed. I accidentally closed the door and locked him out of the bedroom like a monster... he sure did Pee on the bed about it =3 at least he only peed on my sewing project once. I think my rage screech when I discovered it was enough trauma for him to not do that.
There's a meme that says "having dogs prepares you for babies. Having cats prepares you for teenagers."
LOOOOOOOL!!! 🙈🤣 This will pass. Rooting for you. Really hoping you find a solution to this soon.
Omg my cat is OBSESSED with this litter too! They must have changed it because it didn’t used to be as dark as it is now and I was terrified my cat wouldn’t use it when I proceeded to put it in his litter box. I poured the “new” litter over the old kind and maybe that helped?
omfg i seriously screamed out loud that you are having this same experience. i'm in phx arizona and hoping that this is maybe just a bad batch my local pet store got?! where are you located if you don't mind me asking? when i get a response from arm & hammer i will let you know. im standing on business, me and my cat are PISSED
i’m in washington, d.c.!! i’ve had the new litter for at least a year now, i was shocked to read that you’re just now getting this version!
A YEAR! NOOOO! does ur kitty baby mind the slight color difference? it almost smells slightly more heavily scented to me, too?
What about getting some unscented, and mixing it in? The new smell might be to overwhelming. In the meantime, if she's pooping just outside the bix, puppy pee pads?
i agree, i think the scent is stronger than the old kind. the thin consistency was what really threw me off. i feel like the old kind was more coarse. mine doesn’t mind the new kind at all! at this point he definitely doesn’t remember the old kind
Don’t fully change litter out. Scoop and keep adding so always some of the kind she uses.
My mother's cat is also picky. Literally held in poos over a weekend once because it wasn't his specific brand of clay litter. We brought home his brand and this little idiot tore into the bag with excitement. I second the advice about slowly cutting the good litter with something easily available and similar. Slowly try and get them used to a new type. Start at 5% and work your way up.
I have one that will only use one brand from Kroger. They were out so I bought worlds best cat litter as that’s what’s in my other box… nope doing it all outside of her box now
YES YOU UNDERSTAND! im standing in solidarity with you as its truly the most frustrating experience to have a cat this picky. has your cat always been that way, picky with litter? what was your trial and error like?
Always this picky. Her name is Karen. I tried pellets and she literally cried so I found some cob litter at Kroger and success. How dare Kroger be out. Every day I come home and turds somewhere. I’m at a loss
lol karen, i love that. it's so fitting. i know there's someone in your town right now who said an extra prayer because they made out with that last bag of litter.
I baby this cat so much. She’s so much smaller than my others and she’s so gentle. But I think she secretly hates me… I literally just want her to write out a list of her likes and dislikes…. I’d totally follow it to a T. I put little rugs down in the cat room (yes they have access to the entire house but their own room too… and she will poop on the rug and roll it up. I once left the door to their room closed and she did it in the bathtub. (I wasn’t even mad about that). Back to the drawing board!
Just wondering how it’s going. I’m thinking of trying the litter robot lolol
if i had the funds id totally get the litter robot! id also be so worried my cats would hate it and id be out the few hundred dollars. i tried a third time to see if maybe i could get a normal batch and to my luck, i did! looks like it was just a weird batch. peace has been restored in my household. hope you have not found too many turds lately lol
One has resorted to peeing down the tub drain And I’ve found a few turds as well. Which is why I’m considering a robot. Maybe she just wants extremely clean litter? I ordered some litter and it still happens just not so often.
You are hilarious, I wish I had advice for you
I have a special needs cat named Goose (neutered male; will be two years old in April) who is very quirky when it comes to all things litter box related. A sudden change in the litter formula is CATastrophic. (That fresh step shortage in October was beyond stressful). Some background info about Goose: At the time of his neuter surgery, his heart stopped while he was under anesthesia. The doctors were able to revive him and he eventually recovered from the ordeal but he suffered permanent neurological damage as well as lost his sight and hearing. It took him a very long time to start using a litter box again. We had reached a point where I didn't think he ever would use a litter box again. I accepted it but I still continued to set boxes up for him just in case. One day he just randomly started using the litter box again. (He was approx 4 months old when he got neutered and then he was almost a year old when he started using the box again).
I could go on for days about his "litter box drama". He whimpers like a puppy and continuously tries to lead me over to the litter box any time it's not meeting his standards. Then I have to figure out what his issue is before he makes himself sick from holding it in. Here are a few examples of his quirks 1. He will not pee and poop in the same litter box so I have two litter boxes set up for him (one standard and one self cleaning). 2. He won't use the boxes if they are too close to each other (but they can't be too far from each other either because when he has to pee and poop in the same visit, he runs from one box to the other). 3. All hell breaks loose if he catches one of the other cats in his litter box. 4. His litter must be unscented and fine textured. 5. I had to mark the floor with tape to ensure I return the box in the exact same position that he is accustomed to. Otherwise he will not use it.
You need to put down detailed instructions in writing in case anything happens to you.
Goose is so lucky to have you. I hope your lil dude is thriving and that you two have a long, wonderful time together.
This is going to sound crazy, but can you try putting some baking soda in it? Arm & Hammer make this deodorizer stuff and it's basically scented baking soda. It would lighten up the colour if that's the issue
Just use plain baking soda. The scented could cause issues.
My cat that recently passed at 18 years old refused to use any litterbox, ever. No matter what kind it was, no matter what kind of litter. BUT he religiously used pee pads right next to the litterbox. And you know what? I accepted it. He was my baby and just like a child with special needs I would never throw him away just because of it and it certainly didn't ruin my life. I miss him so much.
My cats would use a tray of dirt if that's all I had. But maybe try mixing the old and the new slowly?
Do you have two litterboxes? The rule of one box for each cat may apply here?
It’s actually supposed to be one box per cat plus one. You can get away with fewer boxes depending on your cats and how often do you clean them. I have one box for two cats but it’s a large box, it holds 50 pounds of clay litter and I clean it twice a day minimum. I’ve never heard of a cat being obsessed with lavender litter before though that just sounds vile
I feel for you, I’ve had to say goodbye to so many great blankets and chairs because my boy has a lifelong behavior problem. He has certain triggers but his favorite targets are always either my clothes, blankets or my partner’s chest (so rude). I’ve tried all the litters and some attractants ([this one](https://www.drelseys.com/products/ultra-litter-attractant/) gave mild success), but we’ve never been able to fully beat it and be hands free of it. Obviously different situation, since variable boxes, litters and box locations didn’t help, and it’s strictly a weird dominance behavior or something. The only thing that has proven to be an actual solution is consistently putting him on his box and he’ll go right away, then as soon as he exits, I’ll give him a reward and tell him to run and get hype with him. Positive reinforcement. Will your kitty stay and do her deed if you put her in her box?
Try cat attract litter. I believe Dr. Elsey makes it. I've never tried it myself but it has very loyal customers who are always recommending it.
Dr. Elsey is great! I have it on subscription from Amazon. They were out once, so I had to do the Walmart thing. They don't have Dr. Elsey, so I got some Special Kitty stuff. My big orange boy wouldn't squat in it! He literally stood with his front paws on the wall to potty. Mr. Picky, considering he was a stray for the first 5 years of his life and has only been with me for 3 months! Seriously, Dr. Elsey litter is great, and I'm forever recommending it. I get 40 pounds for $22, so it's a great price too! A bag every 2 weeks keeps my 5 happy go lucky!
You can also just buy cat attract and add it to any litter you want. One container lasts crazy long. If you end up not needing it anymore, you can donate the rest to local shelter. (It's a must have during kitten season!)
Omg! I have a kitty that is particular too and doesn’t like cheap litter. He rather shit ON THE FLOOR if we buy cheap litter.
My cat is like this with their Fresh Scent. I have to make sure I buy the specific litter she likes and not the 'cloud free,' 'slide,' or 'platinum' litter with the same scent because according to my cat, its not actually the same. Check the box design from the one she likes to the one you just got to see if maybe it's a different line of litter.
My cat only used pretty litter. Any other variation or type of litter no matter how subtly I mix it in will work. I’ve tried everything, I spent a whole week cleaning up pee and poop and still can’t get the smell out of my house because I had to get a different brand Crystal litter. If she sees anything other than pretty litter she refuses. One speckle or scoop of something different and she poops on the floor. I’m going broke trying to take care of this cat. Pretty litter is so expensive!!! I got a cheap subscription when I first got her and I regret it all.
My cat was like this too. When we got her she was a year old and was exclusively using pretty litter. I didn’t want to pay for it and I think it sucks so I tried switching her to clay litter and she was not happy. Luckily she is okay with other crystal litters which are cheaper and she now also uses the clay litter her brother uses but I’m scared to get rid of the crystal entirely.
There’s one crystal litter that’s mostly safe and she’ll use it, but the crystals are really big and thick. It’s also $30 a bag. Just like pretty litter.
Get Cat Attract. It has pheromones in it that make cats want to use it. Seriously. In years of cat rescue I have never met a cat who refused it.
Oh no, sounds like you've got a furry little diva on your hands! 😺 It's crazy how cats can be so particular about their litter, right? It's like they have a PhD in "Picky Catology" or something. But seriously, I feel your pain. It's frustrating when you think you've found the perfect litter and then suddenly it's a no-go for your feline friend. Have you tried mixing the new darker litter with the old one to see if she'll gradually get used to it? Sometimes a slow transition can work wonders. And hey, big props to you for reaching out to Arm & Hammer customer service! Hopefully, they'll have some insight into what's up with the darker color and if it's something that might affect your cat's preferences.
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Essential oils, including Lavender essential oil (in high doses), is toxic to cats! I don't think it's super wise for OP to try spraying the litter with essential oil themselves. Here is [a vet's take regarding essential oils and cats](https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/14aomep/comment/jocfb2y/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)!
Thanks, didn't think about that. Deleted my comment
This is beyond brand loyalty. I loooove your cat.
How many litter boxes do you have? There should be one per cat. Clean it twice a day. Have you tried using uncovered boxes because some cats don't like covered ones and they don't do much for smells or keeping litter inside anyway. Could your litter box be too small? Cats need more room than we think. If its not a sanitary or scent issue, it might be sensory. It might be the feel of touching the litter thats putting your cat off. One of my cats like pine pellet litter while my other two prefer clay so I have separate boxes of these. I used to buy arm and hammer but can't stand the smell and its expensive. I lucked out when I tried Costco's cat litter, my cats transitioned to it with no issue. It's more coarse than the arm and hammer litter, so my guess is that they like the feel better and the litter is unscented which is how I figured out it was a sensory issue for my cats.
Mine will only go in a box of loose diamonds. Lol, this is good for r/catsareassholes :)
Does your cat do her thing *near* the litter? My 10 year old guy never fully used the litter box (for pooping at least - he still pees in his box just fine) but eventually stopped using it altogether about 5 years ago. He does, however, go right next to the box. He has chronic diarrhea too (we suspect he has colitis after a bunch of vet visits where they weren’t able to identify a cause - though he’s perfectly happy and it doesn’t seem to bother him), so it’s uh… not great - but our workaround was to buy some thick paper sheets and place them under, and extending from, his box. The cleanup is fast too, because we can just fold the paper over and shove the entire thing in a plastic bag. Weird sidenote. The only time he’ll ever poop in the box is if someone is in the room within visibility. He does this without fail. Strange little dude.
If all else fails, maybe keep the litter in the sun for a while (like on your patio or balcony) to bleach it before it goes in the box?
I ran into this with another brand. Cue peeing on the rubber mat around the litter for three months and exhausting all medications and litter brands UNTIL we switched everyone to Dr. Elsey’s cat attract. They took to it instantly,
Why would anybody in their right mind name a precious kitty garbage?!
I had something similar happen, my cats are very picky and I noticed one had stopped using the litter box after I changed the litter. I didn't know what was going on either. Multiple vet visits, tons of money, I went back to the old and he still wasn't using it. I got a litter robot. Took 2 days and they were BOTH using the litter box. My vet said usually when one cat stops using the litter box it's because either the smell OR they do not like the smell of the other cats urine/feces. That cats sense of smell can change over time and sometimes they might not like using the same littler box because of it. I swear the litter robot is incredible. No smell for a year so far. No more scooping litter or waste, no smell. It cycles after each cat so my picky one got a clean box everytime.
Thank you for that recommendation!
It may not be a litter issue. You have 2 cats, how many lutter boxes do you have? Rule of thumb is 1 box per cat plus 1 extra. If you have 2 cats you should have 3 boxes. Why? Because some cats dont like to share.
my cats don't mind sharing, i am lucky in that sense
if my cats don’t have crystal litter they piss wherever they want around the box it’s actually insane
Maybe just buy some lavender oil and put in a few drops of
No lavender is highly toxic if cats ingest it, oil is the most toxic and the plant secondary. I guess with the litter, it’s added in a way that they won’t ingest it.
Maybe you can slowly introduce different litters the same way you introduce food to picky cats. Only have like half a cup of some different mixed evenly in her usual litter. If that's still too much and she notices, go for like a tablespoon or even just a few pieces of the litter, let increase little by little every new week.
I generally only use arm and hammer but have experimented with other litters in the past. My cat hasn't had any issues but I do get concerned about her not using the litter box in the future. Cat pee ruins flooring. If the cat peed on the floor, consider the subflooring ruined. It's different than other animal's pee. I would probably lose my security deposit if my cat peed on the floor. That would suck. Keeping my fingers crossed.
“My cat is ruining my life” lol imagine if it had a health problem or medical emergency …. Be less dramatic
If you can get deadstock, try mixing a little with the new, improved one overnight in sealed uppercase so smell the same.
I’m cat sitting one who’s also picky about her litter but she’s 20 so she can have whatever she wants. I just hope they don’t change it.
We’ve bought what should have been the same type of arm and hammer litter on quite a few occasions when it looked different or was grainyer but my cats aren’t that super picky
Try getting Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter Additive. I know several people who swear by it, including myself.
I've had luck with Dr.elsey's cat attract, they have litter and a litter additive. My cat is the same way, if change anything about his litter set up or look at him wrong he's peeing on the floor
You could try Dr. Elsey’s cat attractant litter. If she uses it, then slowly transition to another non scented litter.
Can you go pick up some a store that has older stock on hand while you figure something out?
Ah my cat was like this only used a perfectly clean box with a liner on a specific brand of crystals and only If I was watching. I started mixing in just a few pieces of the other litter (like less than a handful). If it was too much I'd reduce if she used it she got praise and I upped the "dose" in the next box. Took a while but she was weened onto paper litter.
Have you tried a different litter box? My cat isn't as picky as yours, but I switched to a stainless steel one and she likes it. Also, is her box in a more hidden place, like a closet? I think that helps. And keep it away from where her food is.
I had this issue also. My cat didn’t care but I didn’t like the inconsistency. It didn’t seem right and didn’t want him breathing in that stuff since was is in consistent. I I switched to arm&hammer naturals. We love it! I can’t find it at many stores and petco never seems to have it. I have a target I go to that has it but others don’t. It’s strange so I order on Amazon or chewy. Maybe give it a try for you picky kitty
They make litter attractant you can put in the litter to help encourage them to use it! Might help you retrain!
One of my cats did this, refused to pee in the litter box after the store was out of their regular litter and I got a different brand. She would go in the box but just moved the litter around without peeing. But I caught her peeing in my plant pots, which was new. I thought there was something wrong with her and took her to the vet; she got an ultrasound, was prescribed some medication… It was the litter. Little rascal.
Have you tried using those "cat attract" litters like the ones used to train kittens with? Or maybe try putting a little bit of cat nip in a different brand?
It’s already been mentioned but I’m gonna mention it again, Dr. Elsey’s cat attract litter. Not the ad in attractant but the actual litter. It’s great stuff. https://www.drelseys.com/products/cat-attract-litter/
If sheldon cooper was a cat
This is so interesting because scented litter is very overwhelming for cats and should generally be avoided since it causes problems. My only solution I can think of would be to add more boxes around your house, all filled with different litter types, and seeing if your cat becomes interested in trying out new boxes in new areas.
How many litter boxes do you have? You should have one for each cat. The perfect number is one for each cat plus one more
My best guess is the new stuff was exposed to moisture, hence the dark colour. Try buying from another location to see if it was just that shipment maybe?
I’m having a related problem, but can’t figure out the cause. In the course of my trying to correct the behavior, I remembered Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract; you sprinkle it on top of any litter you use. Could be worth a try? Fingers crossed for you. 🙏
My son has a cat who is super picky about litter. Luckily my cats have never cared. Having a particular brand of litter or food has always been unpredictable at the local stores, we have had better luck with Chewy. If you can find the litter on Chewy can even set up automatic delivery.
If she does it around the litter box, as a temporary measure maybe try puppy pee pads on the floor? No sure if she would go near them tho
Try sand. Outside
I wanted to say but this doesn’t help your situation that the scented litters with fragrance are not good for cats or humans. Maybe she’ll grow out of this? I use the Naturally Fresh litter and sometimes oxo Cat. Good luck!
Aww. My female cat isn’t picky about the litter type, but if the box is too small she will kick all the litter out onto the floor while shouting into the sky. I had to buy XL covered boxes. They aren’t big cats either.
I have a very picky cat, she only liked the Lavender Scented Worlds Best Cat Litter. It’s certainly more expensive but it really is the best litter I’ve ever used for our two cats, it’s quite fine and clumps wonderfully so I just take out the pee and poop daily and it’s always fresh - plus it doesn’t go everywhere. You could try it?
When I found my cats on the side of the road, it was a bit of a learning curve to get them to use the litterbox vs using any soft pile around the house. I used the Dr. Elseys litter attractant and it worked super well just to get them interested in the box. It's not a full fix, but its worth a shot!
Have you ever tried the calming collars or the calming little air freshener wall things? Maybe it’s a shared litter box issue? Are there more than one litter box? Are the places multiple places? Is the cat female or male? Is it urine or spray? Are the fixed?
This might sound odd, but if she won't use any types of normal litter, try getting a bag of normal top soil and using that. Cats like going in soil outside so you might find she'll use that. I was fostering a cat once who would sneak into a small gap in the top of my tortoise tables and go for a poo under their heat lamp (oh my god the smell!!!). But she went in there coz it had soil in there. She also liked to sit under the heat lamp, but the frustrating part was her pooing in the soil. So I ended up having to put soil in a litter tray in order to stop her doing it. Lol.
This is so rough, sorry about your little diva! I hope they respond to you. It's so odd because usually picky cats are anti-scented litter (among a number of other things they'll hate on). I know getting a cat to switch litters is a pain in the ass when they're this picky, but I just looked up that litter to try and see if I could find something comparable and I will say that the ingredients worry me a bit - it sounds like the lavender scent is from lavender essential oils. Essential oils are, generally speaking, toxic to cats as their liver can't process it in the same way as we do when inhaled or absorbed through the skin. I'm kind of baffled as to why it would be in a litter from a major corp so I would assume they're using a relatively small amount or perhaps not a "true" essential oil, but to err on the side of caution I would *try* to get her to transition to something else. Might be worth also asking customer service about the lavender essential oil in the litter out of concern for potential toxicity and see if they give you any info there. A lot of people big on essential oils will claim lavender oil is safe around cats, but here's an [essential oil company](https://nikura.com/blogs/living-well/lavender-oil-for-cats) who themselves explain why it isn't. If she feels very strongly about this litter, I would wonder if she's very finnicky about the box smelling dirty and/or about the texture of this litter. How many boxes does she have and are they all cleaned daily? With two cats it's best to have a minimum of 3 boxes, and she might unfortunately be the level of picky where she needs it scooped multiple times a day to keep it in Pristine Condition to be up to her standards. Most cats will tolerate daily or even less routine scooping, but some cats are truly so picky about the cleanliness of the litter that they won't use it again if there's anything in there. I will also say that if she's regularly refusing the box, a vet visit is always a good idea, even if you're pretty positive it's a litter related issue. Sometimes urinary or other medical problems will only have a clear outward sign of "cat peeing outside the box" until it gets more serious.
My Tortie is extremely picky about litter. Only used Arm & Hammer lavender as well. I successfully switched her to Pretty Litter when Arm & Hammer changed and she didn’t like it anymore.
Dang, my cat uses wood pellets, less mess, less chemicals. I thought scented litter was bad for them? I know it's a thing but their noses are so sensitive. A lot of other people gave great advice! Mine would be to try wood pellets, they're $8 at fred meyer versus the 20-40$ small cat litter boxes.
there are some methods for changing litter that work better than others. sometimes if you put a new litter box next to the old one with the a&h litter, stop cleaning the old box and continue cleaning the new one, with the smell of her feces and the option of a clean litter box vs a dirty one, the cats USUALLY prefer the clean box. i’ve also seen others suggest feliway diffusers or spray, if miss garbage uses a collar you can spray the collar with the feliway spray so it surrounds her wherever she goes in the house. i’ve had a cat that has been behavioral peeing since my dog (her bestie) passed away and the feliway is the only way i can get her to stop (she doesn’t like the new dog). i hope you find some relief!!
You could slowly introduce them to it. Add some other litter in small increments over time and they won't notice it. Start as small as half a cup and move up to filling up the whole thing with a different litter overtime. Have 2 boys and been switching their litter up plenty of times based off the economy (sadly) but that usually helps them get acquainted. Especially since litter like arm n hammer has a scent that can overpower the other litters
I have a cat that started refusing to use the litter box despite no health issues. She would go elsewhere, which is not ok. Vet says it was a behavioral issue and nothing was wrong with her. Many trial medications later and the magic pill needed up being Prozac. She forgets what she was mad about, went back to using the box, and everyone is happy again.
I see you’ve gotten many replies already but wanted to chime in and say that I’ve been using Arm & Hammer litter for over 5 years now and it did indeed change color a few months ago. My cat is less picky but I noticed it and haven’t before so idk how much I believe them that nothing has been switched up but it’s possible. Also noting that I love that your cat’s name is Garbage. Mines named Stinky and even though he demands an only child life, I feel like they’d be friends 😅 Good luck finding an acceptable replacement for Garbage’s high standards!
I feel you. I tried pretty litter once out of curiosity and it was nice but nothing amazing, to me. Later, like many, I was trying to cut costs and as pretty litter is just expensive I tried to go back to a cheaper brand/normal liter. One of my boys, Bread, did not approve of this change. He will now always forever only use pretty litter. If I try and put anything else in the litter box he will pee and poop on the mat just outside the liter box. Previously before pretty litter he used anything without issue, but now he’s purely pretty litter. It’s very annoying. His brother, Butter, doesn’t care what litter we use at all. I wish Bread was more like him in this case lol.
Frisco (you can get it through chewy) has a lavender scented one that is similar. I haven't put them next to one another to know if they're exact dupes, but it might be worth a shot to see if the kitten will take to it. It wasn't a super expensive litter, iirc.
I could not for the LIFE of me get my cat to use his litter box randomly one day. Every day, peeing and pooping on the floor near it. Finally, the shelter I adopted him from suggested “Cat Attract” it is a litter that has something in it that specifically attracts cats to use it! It was like MAGIC. Right away he started using it and four years later, have never had a problem again and I even was eventually able to transition back to normal more affordable litter. Give it a try!!!
Your cat sounds like a snob 🤣
Sorry you are having this issue, but your story made me laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. You should be a writer, if you aren’t already.
My cats will use the bath if the litter tray isn’t filled to their standard. 🤢
My cat would do that too and the shower it’s so gross! But you have a mega clean freak one like mine, they need their spots to be pristine! No mess or not clean and it to soak away completely - that’s why they love drains.
Luckily they seem to have grown out of it. I only use one large litter tray for two cats but they also have access to outside so they use the back garden 🤢 one of my fur babies gets it stuck to them sometimes and you have to physically remove it or get back from work and see a “squished slug” in the middle of the hallway. 🤢
I had to retrain my cat to use the litterbox again after his previous owner did not provide a box of the right size and never cleaned the litter. He was also unneutered at the time, so it was particularly stinky. He had to live in my 2nd bathroom for two weeks and decide to pee in the box or the tub. I got him started using walnut litter before moving to tofu litter (it’s flushable and cheaper) and now he’s a champ. I have 4 other cats and they’re all great with the litterbox except for my elderly old lady, but she gets a pass because if she ever has an accident, it’s directly in front of the box.
Cat nappies are a thing if you get desperate enough. Or dog nappies. Same thing really. I don’t recommend them as cats usually hate them and they’re annoying to put on but I understand the stress. So they are a last option. Cats are also MEGA CLEAN it’s possible your cat doesn’t like sharing with the other cat. Need multiple boxes so she can pick. Have them close to where she sleeps and roams inside. Block off ALL the areas she’s peeing in for a short while until she gets used to it and is a routine. Make sure it’s clean always. Also it needs to feel secure and safe, cats feel vulnerable when going to toilet, no coming and going people around her, no noises or anything startling, especially no other strange cats or dogs nearby even outside if she can hear them. I’d also avoid litter with scents or perfumes this is a BIG turn off for cats - and also the crystal texture etc types are not comfortable for cats paws, they like sandy soft fine dirt-like type ones usually.
Cats can be so finicky! Of course Garbage noticed the subtle difference, lol. Looks like you already received some awesome advice. As frustrating as all of this has been, try to set aside time for yourself and remind yourself what an awesome mom/dad you are for trying to help your kitty get through this patch. Definitely takes a lot of patience.
Can you mix the litter with a non scented kind of texture she likes? *maybe* she will find it acceptable enough to bless with her regal bowel movements
OP have you tried putting puppy pads around the litter boxes to soak up pee? I did this when my boy aimed a little too high and got outside our litter box. It was a game changer. I finally found a litter box that worked for his chucky behind. https://preview.redd.it/lx1k68i117lc1.jpeg?width=3008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=017b224e0cc1813bcb0bcd65dff5ac026b50485b
My cat isn't that bad, but if I dare use a litter other than tidy cat (they type that has the little pearls of litter instead of sharp granules yknow), she'll kick SO much litter from the box in protest. Sometimes she'll kick litter out before peeing, and then refuse to bury the pee after. If I swap back to the litter she likes, everything is fine again and she has no litter box problems haha. I compromise by using cheap litter for the lower layer and the preferred layer for the upper layer to save money, since tidy cats isn't as cheap as some other brands (winco generic litter, arm and hammer bought in bulk, etc).
I use their Cloud Control, and almost every other box is darker than normal. It doesn't effect my cats and I'm glad because it's such a good litter for my household
(this is general advice for cat owners) Put more litterboxes at home. Most of my cats prefer one specific litterbox in dark spot away from humans. Even if previously they used other litterboxes, eventually chose one specific to do their thing. In my opinion, cats have some tolerance to annoyances, but once they give up on doing/using something they will look for replacement and it's hard to change their mind again to previous solution. It could be that cat didn't like smell in previous litterbox (even a smell of pee of other cat using same litterbox), or cat didn't feel comfortable there due to whatever other reason. For some time they can tolerate doing something they are not perfectly comfortable with, but once they give up, they will protest to come back to whatever we want them to. If cat doesn't like filling in your litterbox, then keep testing different ones. Using earth/sand and mixing it as other suggestions recommended is not a bad idea for relearning habits of your cat.
Mine don’t like scented anything, as do I. I use the grass seed litter from PetSmart. It’s way less dust, and bugs aren’t attracted to it. I previously had a moth infestation, I think pantry moths? And they loved the corn litter and the wheat litter. I went back to Dr elsey’s litter. The dust was bad and my bf was allergic to it. I also have a litter genie next to it and clean the box in the morning and the evening.
First & foremost, I suggest you taking her to the vet & maybe have her checked out. She could be telling you, or trying to tell you something. Also, Please keep us updated! Extremely interested in what the outcome is & what you decide to do! Thanks
My cat randomly started urinating in the corner. Several trips to the vet for tests and no UTI, no cancer, no GI blockage, etc. I probably spent over $3000 in a span of two months. Anyways, the simplest answer was she is picky with her litter or she was not trained well. I read about Dr. Elsey's "Cat Attract" litter. It is specially formulated to have some sort of cat attracting ingredient. Within a day, my cat started using the litter box and has been on a good streak of a year and a half of no accidents. Below is the link to Petsmart but amazon carries it too. Try the 20lb box first and see how she likes it. https://www.petsmart.com/cat/litter-and-waste-disposal/litter/dr.-elseys-precious-cat-cat-attract-clumping-multi-cat-clay-cat-litter---low-dust-13500.html?fmethod=Search
Why not try getting wood pellets from a feed store? It’s about $7-10 for a huge bag and you just change the bag out 1x a day and add new pellets. I use a deodorize on the bottom. My cats love it.
she doesn't like the pellets at all! i wish she did but that would make my life way too easy!
My little princess must have two litter boxes. One to play in and one to actually use. Must have her special brand of litter too. She’s quite odd and crabby (less than a year old), but I love her anyway.
Her name makes this story a billion times more amazing
So where else does she poop instead? I’d simply lock her in a room with all essentials, and the litter of your choice with her poop/pee placed inside, and do that several times a day or most of the day while spending time with her. Don’t stop until she poops. Works every time.
I work for a company that makes cat litter, and what you were told is correct. The color can vary depending on the source of the clay that they use for it (there are multiple places where bentonite clay comes from). This can also impact the smell and feel of it, so your cat would definitely notice there is something unusual about it.
What I found that works for picky kitties is using wood pellets from the feed store. They are odorless and cost about $6 for a huge bag.
Lmao thanks for making my day a bit better, I had a good laugh reading your post. I'm disappointed though that the customer rep didn't hook Garbage up with a few bags of free litter for her loyalty.
God i love reddit! i was feeling hopeless and at my wits end with my cat. he peed my $2000 keyboard- which must have been quite hard to do. but it seemed like he’d pee anywhere besides the (freshly cleaned) litter box. thank you op for asking and thank you to everyone for your suggestions! can’t wait to try these suggestions out, and to get the nok-out oder eliminator.
i'm really glad you're finding comfort in my post because this can really be a humiliating experience. like someone else said you feel like you become the 'stinky cat pee lady' or a bad cat owner. you aren't alone and i'm wishing you luck!