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Old 04-16-2002, 12:07 PM
PenguinTrax PenguinTrax is offline
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But in your original message you said you'd never had a cat before and didn't know what to do. You never mentioned the fact that your BF has had cats his entire life.

have you taken the cat to the vet and had her checked for a Urinary Tract Infection? Many cats will uriniate outside the box because of an undiagnosed UTI -it's because they associate the pain of urination with the box, so they go on the carpet or other 'soft' surfaces.

My original advice still stands - even tho' only one cat is having a problem. Confiine them for a couple of days in an area with the litter box and no rugs, etc. It won't hurt the cat that's fine, and it will help the cat that's having a problem.

Be sure to praise her when you see her going in the box and be sure to keep the box very clean, even if that means scooping solids more than once a day. If she goes outside the box, be sure to use a cleaner that does not contain ammonia - that will make the spot even more attractive to her.

Also - are you using the same litter that was used before you got them? Some cats are very particular and will only go in one type of litter. Make sure you use an unscented litter, don't use a covered litter pan (holds in odors) and when you wash out the box during a full litter change, use only really hot water and a scrub brush. Don't use chemical cleaners, etc. I have a cat that 'anger urinates' if her box is not kept very clean and odor-free. That means doing a full litter change at least every month and adding fresh litter every week to keep odors at bay. I use a very good quality litter, but she is very senstitive to smells.


Quote:
Originally posted by gphi2k


Thanks for all of the helpfull advice. I actually did read up a lot before we got the kittens and my boyfriend (who I live with) has had cats his whole life. We already know all of the stuff you've mentioned regarding everything other than the litter box. Thus why I didn't ask what kinda toys they should and should not play with, and how to trim their nails.

And the problem with the litter box situation is not related to the fact that I didn't read up, because I did. The problem is that one of the two kittens is perfectly cool with where it is and uses it well. Therefore, we should not move it to accomodate the kitten that ISN'T using it. She has to be trained to use it as well, where it already is. That is the problem.
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