One of the Mother Cats...

Question
QUESTION: My 2 1 year old cats got preggers and had kittens at the same time...  Now Tubby is using the bathroom on the floor instead of the litter box... WE thought maybe due to litter box in same room as kittens, so we put the old one back into the hall closet. But she will not stop going to the rest room in the middle of the floor. Please give some advice...
Thanks-Brandi

ANSWER: Hi
do you have separate litter trays for each female cat? If not then this is definitely something you should start. cats don't like using the same tray as another cat as it is not there territory. this may have become worse since the arrival of the kittens as hormones in the cats urine can have a stronger scent at this time.

the litter tray placement simply needs to be in separate places so the smell of the other is not present. It needs to be in a secure position so the cat can feel safe using it so place it against a wall, also it should be in a fairly quiet and calm place where lots of coming and going is to a minimum. All of these things make a difference to a cat and the fact that your cat is choosing to use the bathroom is a definite sign that she feels this room is more secure for her. Keep the bathroom door closed at all times while you are trying to get her used to her new litter tray and its placement.

congratulations with all your new kitties, i expect your home is very lively at present.

best wishes
Kate
http://www.our-happy-cat.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes we have 2 seperare kitty trays.. Nugget uses the one in there bedroom. Tubby's is in the hall closet. Now tubby has started going in the living room floor, I am just stunned she is doing this, they were born and raised together (as you can tell they do litteraly do everything together), so I dont understand why she is getting all weirded out on us. Maybe I should take the litterox box out of there room (where the kittens are)??

Answer
Hi
yes cats are strange creatures and do get upset by the slightest thing sometimes which causes this behavior. It could simply be the arrival of the kittens that has made her feel a  little insecure because things have changed. Not using the litter tray means that she can leave her scent around the home and make it smell more like her and so make her feel more secure. Strange i know from our point of view but scent is very important to cats and their main way or communicating and making themselves feel in control as it were.

Hopefully after a while she will settle down once she realizes that the kittens are no threat to her and that everything is ok at home. The problem with moving the litter tray away from the kittens means that the mother cat cannot show her kittens how to use it, this is how they learn by watching what she does.

Perhaps the cats should be separated for a while until things settle down.

Kate
/cat-urine.html