blind 23 year old cat won't get all the way in litter box

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

I recently took over the care for my family pet from my parents so I can be assured she is cared for correctly. The major problem is she will not pee in her litter box... always directly in front of it. I thought maybe she couldn't it so i made it more accessible with a lower entrance. I've tried several kinds of litter. No matter what - pee to clean up. I saw her today get into the litter box just not far enough - her behind was still hanging over the entrance. She had been doing this at my parents as well. She can find it, she can get in it, and she will get in it so no aversion .... how do i just get her to turn around!

[critters]

Personally, I wouldn't try to change a 23 YO cat; I'd use disposable pee pads or newspapers around the doorway to the box.

[Christine]

Oh my goodness! 23 years old...how wonderful! I think Critters is right, she sounds pretty set in her ways so you will have to do a "work around". I am brainstorming for more ideas too. Can we please see a picture of her?

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

that is the current fix. unfortunately it takes up alot of space and I'm worried that the attractant of the pee pad might lead to my house broken dog becoming not so housebroken.

In February my dog will be also moving in with me. I unfortunately can't afford much more than a small apartment and I've got two animals I never expected to be still be taking care of (my parents had taken good care of the cat in the past - why she's made it so long and I'm the only who can seem to handle this dog and socialization is a continuous problem for the past 5 years... pretty sure he is no longer a rescue and foster dog, I think he's just mine).

It's a task to maintain peace between the two which is a must. So.... having regular size litter box will allow the cat to have more of her own space and no pee pad will be less risk of a large dog puddle in the house or dog making kitty poo his lunch.

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

in case anyone is curious .... this is my other spoiled one.

He's got his own set of issues. Had parvo as pup... saved from a severely abusive home where i worry he might have been exposed to methamphetamine as a baby... healed broken elbow with about 60% function.. and serious separation anxiety and some fear aggression.

I'm pretty sure I'm not capable of ending up with a run of the mill pet!

[Bendy Kitty]

wow. 23 years old! i'm glad she still has control enough to make it to the litter box!
trying to think of how to help here.
do both the dog and cat have full run of the appartment all the time?
i think what mom hated msot about living in appartments was the teeny tiny bathroom! barely room for two litterboxes in the best one.

both your furs look great, and i would not guess that cat is 23 by the pict! the dog looks small, so i'm guessing anything the cat can fit thorugh the dog can too. was thinking of a baby gat in the doorway with a 'cat door' in it, but if the dog just follows well that doesn't work.

so she is tyring to get in teh box but for some reason stops, thinks she is in enough.
some cats seem to cue off the feel of the edge of the box on their hind legs, we've had a number that did this. what sort of worked was to put a smaller box inside a larger (wider and longer) box, so they woudl go into the smaller box, their butt would hang over but still inside the larger box. then we'd have newspaper in the larger box to soak up the pee. hopefully that would not be attractive to the dog.

we'll keep thinking. glad you took the old gal in, we get a number of our senior rescues because family members won't step up and care for their parent's pet.

sounds like the pup found a good home!

welcome!

bendy

[Christine]

what sort of worked was to put a smaller box inside a larger (wider and longer) box, so they woudl go into the smaller box, their butt would hang over but still inside the larger box. then we'd have newspaper in the larger box to soak up the pee. hopefully that would not be attractive to the dog.

Very clever, Bendy!

Thanks for the pictures...they are both precious.

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

well the dog is not here yet... We've got a few months to get the cat settled in first. So... two new thoughts? She might be blind but she adjusts wonderfully to anything new so I'm thinking she could figure this DIY box design out. Currently we have a DIY rubbermaid container for her box - I'm thinking a new design from that same idea might work. Basically create a smaller door where once she enters she will immediately have to turn into the box to fit her whole body in (kinda wall off a small area). Once she turns into the box she will have lots of space and high walls will keep it all in. (examples below .... pardon the amatuer execution of the model sketch of the refiguration)

current set-up .... pee on the pad included

and the sketch of the idea...

Obviously every pet owner thinks their animal is special ..... but i do think she is pretty good at getting around (she weaves in and out of chair legs every morning at breakfast) so I think I can train her to use this.... thoughts??

[Bendy Kitty]

i like it!
very clever.
please let us know how it works!!!
you may have just solved a problem for many

bendy

[Christine]

Love your illustration. Keep us posted. This might end up being a good addition to our wiki! Your animals are very lucky to have you.

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

after an exhaustive store and online search for the solution... if this works maybe i should patent it! haha! I'll market it as...

The No Squat Litter Box... for the blind elderly kitty who tends to say "egh, good enough"

[Christine]

[sdrakkan]

[sandyc799]

I hope the "no-squat"box works.Hi,I'm sandyc.My kitty Tricks recently passed.Had to let her go to the bridge as she had a BAD stroke.She was 26 years old!
I know of this problem,so I understand your pain.LOL!
Tricks would do the exact same thing!She would go in,but her butt would hang out,and she didn't turn around,so her pee would go outside.I used a plastic box lid,under the catbox-that extended out,from the catbox. placed more litter on it,so when she tinkled,it would still be on litter.
Sometimes,it still leaked onto the table(she lived on my old kitchen table,slick surface and easy to disinfect.)
I wish you and your kitty the best of luck getting the pee IN THE BOX!!!!!

[ecox01@bellarmine.edu]

unfortunately no ... didn't work But the smaller entrance makes it easier to control the "spread" so I just got a plastic mat underneath that catches it and is easily rinsed off and cleaned. But wonderful news! The vet thinks she might get full vision back - 50/50 chance. She's hypertensive but once we get that controlled all sorts of things may improve. Couldn't be happier. She's been a wonderful pet for basically my entire life so I want to make sure I do well by her and make her last years as enjoyable and comfortable as possible!