Puzzling litterbox problem. All cat lovers please respond!!!!

[japple]

My sister & and I took in 2 5-week old kittens on Labor Day that had been thrown out into a ditch. Grasshopper (male) and Cricket (female) have been treated for coccidia, had their 1st 2 vaccinations and wormed. I will probably make appointments for the 3rd booster & spay/neuter next week. They have been sweet, playful and CUTE kittens and they are bonded to each other. The only issue I have is that Cricket, the girl will NOT use a litterbox. Her brother, Grasshopper is right on target every time--no accidents. They stayed in my bathroom during the day when they first got here and now when the weather is bad. I keep 2 kitten litterboxes in the walk-in shower. They go outside on the screened-in porch when the weather is warm. At night, they are put in a large dog crate with their 2 kitten litterboxes and their fluffy bed.

From the very beginning, Cricket has refused to use the litterbox. She pees in one corner of the shower stall and poops in another corner. I tried putting the poop & pee into the litterbox, but she just did not make the connection. She pooped in their bedding many times during the first few weeks, and would always cover it up. She is now almost 12 weeks and is still doing the same thing. I know that I can get them into a rescue group, but if she is still going outside the box, that will not be acceptable to them.

I use Feline Pine for all of my cats and they have all used it with no hesitation. I thought maybe it was too rough for a little kitten, so I got a very soft box filler, but it made no difference. If anyone has suggestions, I would sure appreciate the help. Will try to get picture of these little sweeties posted.

Edit to add: I will not use clumping litter, plastic litter, or anything that comes in a plastic bucket. I will not use scented litter either.

The male, Grasshopper, is quite a bit larger than the female, Cricket. They play, sleep, groom together, but he does get a bit too rough with her at times.

[LiberalArkie]

1. I have been using the Purina clumping litter with Glade.

I sit some cats for neighbors at times and mine and the others take to it right away. Try as jug of that and see what happens

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I'm going to suggest the boxes need to be farther apart than they are.

Perhaps she needs to be separated from her brother with sole access to her own litter box for a period of time.

[japple]

3. Edit to add: I will not use clumping litter and I will not use a scented litter. It plays havoc

with my allergies.

[Deuxcents]

4. I'm no cat expert

But I’ve had em all my life..have a one year old now. My experience is..the litter box needs to be big enough for them to move around in. They sniff n gotta get the right spot. I went to Target n got a plastic container that you can store sweaters, etc in. They are 22” x 16” n 6” deep. They are not expensive n you don’t have to buy the top lid. I use unscented, clump litter..put at least 3” of litter in the box n pick up your kitty n with her paws, mimic the digging in the litter. Keep the litter clean by scooping out ..I do twice a day. I’ve had sibling kitties that used the same box but seems you’re little one is fussy. Clean up her messes with white vinegar and water..I use it to clean the box n replace the littler once a month..it’s full of bacteria n could cause problems for them. Good luck and love that you did not separate them 🐾

[debsy]

5. Our experience with cats is that they much prefer smaller kitty litter that resembles soil or dirt

https://pet.reviews/best-hypoallergenic-cat-litter/

I would try a different brand (or two, or more) and try putting the litter box (with the new kitty litter) in a separate area from where grasshopper goes. Also, maybe try a bigger box.

[RainCaster]

6. When this happens, I find it a home where it can be a barn cat

The cat is telling you she wants to stay outside.

[Big Blue Marble]

7. That is not what it means at all.

Litter box problems can be resolved with trial and error. It can often an adjustment issue. Cats
want to be clean and away from their waste. Do not suggest that this cat bee separated from
her brother and thrown away a second time. That would be cruel.

[japple]

8. I think he is just so dominant and he takes over everything. If she could have her own separate box

in her own separate space, that would be great, but they are always together. Maybe I should just try 2 larger boxes. All of the cats I have had for the past 30 years have used feline pine with no problems. I did get a bag of Tidy Cats Corn, Pine & Cedar--has the consistency of sand, and used it for a few days. Made no difference. I think re-training is the solution, but not sure how to go about it.

[Big Blue Marble]

10. I think that is a good idea to give her a separate box

Have you tried Dr. Elsey's Touch of Outdoor? I brought in two ferals three years ago. Both are
mature cats who had not been indoors ever. They accepted this brand and have never missed
the pan! We keep it super clean. If one has used it, the other will wait to have it cleaned.

We have a second box but they only use the one.

Thank you for rescuing these precious kittens and being patient. I know litter problems are
challenging. I have had 20 cats and have had occasional issues. It is usually do to an emotional
issue relating to a change. I am sure that she is traumatized by being taken from her mother
so young Have you discussed this with your vet? Also very young kittens do not use the pan; their
mother cleans up after them and later teaches them to use the pan. She was deprived of her mother's care
and nurture. Thankfully, you and her brother are there for her.

[TexasBushwhacker]

9. Some cats are very particular about their litter

Try an unscented litter.

[iscooterliberally]

11. I have had many cats all at once. Even with big dogs too.

The rule that I learned is that you need one litter box per cat, plus one extra. For two cats you need three boxes and on up. It could be that Cricket doesn't like the litter you're using. My guess is that she has some other medical condition that's driving her to go outside the box. I'm sure you have already told your vet about the situation. We use Cat's Pride, but I think that's one that you can't use. We have tried different litters, but my cat's won't use anything else. You might also want to try changing foods for Cricket too. Good luck!

[japple]

12. You might be on to something. Cricket was so much smaller than Grasshopper when they first

came to me. She weighed less than 1 lb. when I first took them to the vet. They both had coccidia and were treated with Ponazuril. They were also given probiotics by the vet. Grasshopper has almost always had a good stool, but Cricket's varies. Sorry to get into such poopy dialog, but that's the way it goes with rescues. Cricket's stools are usually soft and runny. They used to have blood, but that seems to have dissipated and I no longer see blood in her poop.

Additional info.: These kittens are in a house with 4 adult cats. They are not allowed to roam freely. We have a total of 7 litter boxes for the adults and 2 for the kittens. I guess the kittens need another box.

Folks, I am so grateful for the input. Kitty rescue presents a lot of problems that we can't solve without a lot of help. Many thanks for what you can contribute.