posted 09-09-2003 11:49 PM         

I've never owned a cat before.
I got a 9 week old kitten from the Humane Society shelter 12 days ago.

She was perfect the first 9 days. She ate all her food, she used her litter box, she cried very little at night when we closed our bedroom door (not interested in having her walk all over our faces at night), never bothered us during meals.

The past 3 days have been horrible. She is constantly crying when we don't look at her, she climbs up legs/back/arms when not being payed attention to, she can't stand when we close ANY door.
She has poo'd 3 seperate times outside of her box (twice in one day!) and peed once. Is this a big deal? Is she going to continue doing it?
I clean her litter box everyday. I tend to her every need, she is very much a spoiled cat! I don't know how to deter her from defecating outside of the litter box

posted 09-10-2003 08:55 AM         

I don't recall having the problems you are having when our cats were kittens, but then again they were always in my lap (or lying on whatever I was working on at the desk) if they weren't playing by themselves. Or I was on the floor playing with them. They also slept with us (I loved it!).

My husband did not like it so much, so they are not allowed in our room anymore, but they were grown by the time this happened.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I would recommend a check-up for the poo problem, and for the other - try buying some new toys and playing with her!

(Or you could always get another cat to keep her company. We did this as well when I started back to school full time.)

Jamiya

posted 09-10-2003 09:36 AM         

I've had several kittens/cats in my life time. They always picked up the litter box thing right off the bat. (I was amazed that they got it so easily.) However, my most recent kitty, Zoe, would pee outside her litter box (not poo, though).

I did take her to the vet and she needed treated for a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection)... it was very inexpensive and easy to cure. Your kitten may have a little infection of some sort. It's a good idea to have the vet check her out just in case.

As for the crying, and climbing all over you sounds normal to me. Zoe is very talkitive and has long conversations with me when I come home from work. Your kitten is still adjusting to her new home. The kitten climing all over you and bothering you... she probably wants attention and wants to play.

Like stated before, try some new toys to keep the kitten stimulated. If you take her to the vet for the litter problem, you can always mention her crying, etc... It took my cat Zoe a couple months to let me have a full night's sleep and she learned a schedule with me to play and be petted. Personally, the couple months of annoyance was well worth it!

posted 09-10-2003 09:42 AM         

I don't mind her crawling on me, she always sits with me on the computer or couch etc.

She did it again last night though. She only does it when we are not aroudn, so it's hard to discipline her or give her positive reinforcement.

We just brought her to the vet 2 days before all this started happening.
Is it spite?
I constantly put her in the litter box after she eats, or even when I am just walking around.

posted 09-10-2003 10:56 AM         

I just don't want her to poo outside the box

posted 09-10-2003 11:30 AM         

So... if cleaning out the litter box, etc. doesn't work... maybe she developed a problem since you last had her at the vet? Just a thought.

posted 09-12-2003 01:12 AM         

She hasn't gone outside of the litter box since Wednesday at 11:30am (it is currently 4am Thursday morning). So basically 2 full days!!

Yay!

Whenever I see her use the litter box, I give her a treat.

posted 09-12-2003 07:20 AM         

One of our cats MUST have a clean box. If we do not scoop it EVERY DAY she will start to pee on the floor. Never poo, though.

I would suggest keeping it very clean and see if that helps. Or try a new kind of litter if it doesn't.

posted 09-14-2003 02:11 PM         

For the past 2 days ... I am really confused.
We can't sleep with the door open because it's impossible to sleep w/ her right now.
She KNOWS where her litter box is, I even keep the light on at night, she is doing it for attention.

It's not that her litter box is dirty or that she doesn't know where her box is, she uses it ALL the time when we are around.
She just does this when we are sleeping.

posted 09-15-2003 07:02 PM         

I was almost crying when we put her in there last night w/ her lil blanket and her toys.
I felt horrible!