Does this cat need litter box training???

Hi All,

I have a problem and am not sure what to do about it. We have 9 cats. All use the litter boxes fine. Except for one. He is a black purebreed persian cat named Razor. He will pee in the box, but not poop in it. It doesn't matter how clean I keep them, he just won't do it. Sometimes, I find it very close to the box. I'm not sure that is him or somebody just got carried away about covering and it came out of the box.

But lately, I am finding it in an area about 2 or 3 feet from the litter boxes. I have not seen him do this, but I am 99.9% sure it's Razor and not the others. For one, I have seen all but him use the boxes. And in the past, I have seen him go on the floor. That was in our other house, before we moved to where we are now.

So, my question is this. Is it possible that he has to be trained to go in it? I have never had to train a cat to use the box before. It's as if they know on instinct. Or, maybe they learn from their mothers when kittens. In any case, I've never had to train them.

Sometimes he will also just lay in one of the boxes, as if it's a little bed. He doesn't appear sick, he eats and drinks fine.

I am about at the end of my rope however, with this problem. He's really a sweet gentle cat, this is his only fault. What can I do about it? And what does it mean?

Help!

 

Usually when something's not going right with litterbox issues, the first thing to do is get the vet to do a checkup and make sure that nothing's wrong physically that would prevent the cat from using the litterbox.

Afterwards, I'd suggest seeing what goes on when the cat is in the litterbox. Is he straining? Or does he start, only to have some of the other cats come over and bug him?

 

how many litterboxes do you have? Rule of thumb is one per cat plus one extra....with 9 cats that's a lot of litterboxes.
Also what kind do you use?
I have one cat that used to poop outside the box (she hung her butt over the edge). I got the kinds with hoods and she hasn't missed since.
I know a lot of people who buy those large tote boxes and cut the sides down and those worse well too.
Could be he just doesn't like to share

 

I have 9 boxes, guess I need one more then. I just use the regular kind without the hoods. Perhaps I should use the hooded ones, or at least a few of them. Perhaps he'd go in those. But knowing him, he'd camp in one of those all the more :roll:

Like I said, he pees in them, I've just yet to see him use it for pooping. When I do notice him laying in the box, he just lays curled up like it's his little cat bed.

Today, I cleaned out the boxes and put one over where he has started going on the floor. I'm going to see if he uses the box or finds a new spot to use on the floor.

I'm going to take him to the vet to see if something is wrong. It's just not natural to not go in the box, is it?

 

Have you tried Dr. Elsey's cat attract litter formula?