Hi - Wonder if anyone has had experience of cat/kitten not covering their toilet? I have 2 adult cats and new kitten aged 5months. Ever since he came he is great in using his litter tray but goes in and does his business and comes out - he doesn't cover it over. It's not a huge problem except it is rather smelly! I have different cat litters - normal catsan for older cats and kitten litter - I thought maybe it's because the catsan was too rough for his paws but he doesn't dig beforehand or bury after even with the fine kitten litter.
Has anyone else had this or any tips on how to teach him?
Toilet behaviour
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Spysuzseym
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meriad
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Quite simply - you don't 
Some cats cover, some don't. Some dig their way to Australia before doing their business and others do exactly what your boy does. Apparently if a cat doesn't cover it means it's showing signs of dominance, ie they're announcing to everyone that this is their territory. Is he neutered yet?
I do also wonder though, whether at 5 months old, he's just too busy to cover? so basically a case of go in, do your business and then out asap to continue with all the fun life has to offer?
Some cats cover, some don't. Some dig their way to Australia before doing their business and others do exactly what your boy does. Apparently if a cat doesn't cover it means it's showing signs of dominance, ie they're announcing to everyone that this is their territory. Is he neutered yet?
I do also wonder though, whether at 5 months old, he's just too busy to cover? so basically a case of go in, do your business and then out asap to continue with all the fun life has to offer?
Re: Toilet behaviour
I agree with Ria. If it's really smelly I either scoop it straight away, or if I'm in a hurry, do the digging for them!
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Spysuzseym
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Thank you. Both these answers make perfect sense - he is very busy attacking anything that moves, as kittens do, so in and out litter tray very quickly but also he has not been neutered yet - he is booked in for 14th Dec!
He already stands his ground with my two adult cats so perhaps just a little Bossy Boots!
OK, thanks - at least it's "normal". Just have to keep investing in air freshener
He already stands his ground with my two adult cats so perhaps just a little Bossy Boots!
OK, thanks - at least it's "normal". Just have to keep investing in air freshener
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meriad
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Re: Toilet behaviour
it actually would be interesting to see if he does change his toileting habit once he's neutered and a bit older.... hmmm 
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Spysuzseym
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Yes, it's first time I've ever had this. I will keep you posted!
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jillyvillyvoo
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Hi if it's any consolation my boy sonny who is 13 Never covers. He goes through the process though and scrapes the sides of his tray, scrapes at the door forever sometimes but has never covered. He is also the smelliest creature EVER. I can never understand this as he eats the same as the others. His favourite trick is to wait until I have just cleaned it, or when we have visitors 
. I now have it in the bathroom so I can dispose of quicker. His sister was the oposite, a real lady, she would dig away carefully with her paws before she would even get in it. Maybe it a boy thing, I don't know but they will cover it if they want and leave it if they don't, I don't think there is much you can do about it He sound great BTW x
. I now have it in the bathroom so I can dispose of quicker. His sister was the oposite, a real lady, she would dig away carefully with her paws before she would even get in it. Maybe it a boy thing, I don't know but they will cover it if they want and leave it if they don't, I don't think there is much you can do about it He sound great BTW x-
Crewella
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Re: Toilet behaviour
I have some who cover and some who don't as well. I also keep the trays near the loo so I can 'poo-pick' it and flush it pronto!
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Spysuzseym
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Re: Toilet behaviour
I have an older male and female and the both cover and hardly smell at all. I thought maybe he was more smelly as he was a kitten but I don't remember this from the other two....
Time will tell I guess just have to keep on the air freshener. His cute wee face makes up for his smelly bum!!!
Time will tell I guess just have to keep on the air freshener. His cute wee face makes up for his smelly bum!!!
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jillyvillyvoo
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Jacks
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Hi - agree with the posts about dominance - it sounds like he's a dominant and confident kitten and he's showing it by keeping his poops in full view (and smell). It also suggests he is confident and unafraid.
I have five and there are changes in burying/revealing behaviour dependent on what's happening outside (whether they feel confident or anxious) and with each other when each of them arrived - a complex mix of character and dominance. So our first anxious little feral buried scrupulously. Add confident, gregarious kitten who left hers in plain views. Add older dominant female and kitten 2, once subdued, starts burying. Add another confident female and she leaves hers on top but resident dominant works to assert her authority and now she buries it. Interestingly the dominant female, once she established her authority, buries hers and is very fastidious, as is her nature. The final cat, the boy, was previously a local stray and goes outside, except for a while when there was another male visiting that he was scared of and he started doing it in the litter trays and burying it...
I have little doggy bags - these are my favourite - https://www.waitrosepet.com/dog/dog-poo ... lsrc=aw.ds
They have a special lining that covers smells and you can tie them and keep them in one of those dinky pedal bins for a couple of days before throwing... with 5 I have to have a careful regime for hygiene, as you can image. We have two trays in one area, and three in another, with stainless steel ladle spoons as scoops (each to keep disinfected), doggy bags and bins in each area, to keep smells to a minimum, and the best litter I've found for masking smells and drying out the wee so that you can stir a lot of it back in, is Sanicat non-clumping oxygen power... https://fetch.co.uk/sanicat-oxygen-powe ... 2wodnU0NZQ - all the cats love it, which I struggled to achieve.
One thing you could do, if kitty is still around when he's just pooped, is to spoon some of the litter over the poop and say 'good boy' (it's the tone of voice that matters) and hope he gets the message.
Fusses to your darling kittens.
I have five and there are changes in burying/revealing behaviour dependent on what's happening outside (whether they feel confident or anxious) and with each other when each of them arrived - a complex mix of character and dominance. So our first anxious little feral buried scrupulously. Add confident, gregarious kitten who left hers in plain views. Add older dominant female and kitten 2, once subdued, starts burying. Add another confident female and she leaves hers on top but resident dominant works to assert her authority and now she buries it. Interestingly the dominant female, once she established her authority, buries hers and is very fastidious, as is her nature. The final cat, the boy, was previously a local stray and goes outside, except for a while when there was another male visiting that he was scared of and he started doing it in the litter trays and burying it...
I have little doggy bags - these are my favourite - https://www.waitrosepet.com/dog/dog-poo ... lsrc=aw.ds
They have a special lining that covers smells and you can tie them and keep them in one of those dinky pedal bins for a couple of days before throwing... with 5 I have to have a careful regime for hygiene, as you can image. We have two trays in one area, and three in another, with stainless steel ladle spoons as scoops (each to keep disinfected), doggy bags and bins in each area, to keep smells to a minimum, and the best litter I've found for masking smells and drying out the wee so that you can stir a lot of it back in, is Sanicat non-clumping oxygen power... https://fetch.co.uk/sanicat-oxygen-powe ... 2wodnU0NZQ - all the cats love it, which I struggled to achieve.
One thing you could do, if kitty is still around when he's just pooped, is to spoon some of the litter over the poop and say 'good boy' (it's the tone of voice that matters) and hope he gets the message.
Fusses to your darling kittens.
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Spysuzseym
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Re: Toilet behaviour
Oh, thank you - I will try that as he is very good at imitating. If he is scratching somewhere that's not his scratch pad/post - I lift him away and show him and he's very good so I will try showing him how to cover his toilet.
He is very confident and dominant and seems to rule the roost already - even over my 5 y.o. female which I never thought would happen. This may change after he is neutered...
I have to supervise them all eating their moist food because ass soon as he is finished - sometimes he doesn't even finish his kitten food - he is right over nudging my 13y.o. out the way and eating his food! Older cat is a big gentle giant and just lets him!
I have not tried the Sanicat Oxygen Power but most definitely will give it a try as I'm always looking to keep smells to minimum. I've tried a few different ones and always gone back to Catsan.
Thanks for all the great advice! - I will keep everyone posted !
He is very confident and dominant and seems to rule the roost already - even over my 5 y.o. female which I never thought would happen. This may change after he is neutered...
I have to supervise them all eating their moist food because ass soon as he is finished - sometimes he doesn't even finish his kitten food - he is right over nudging my 13y.o. out the way and eating his food! Older cat is a big gentle giant and just lets him!
I have not tried the Sanicat Oxygen Power but most definitely will give it a try as I'm always looking to keep smells to minimum. I've tried a few different ones and always gone back to Catsan.
Thanks for all the great advice! - I will keep everyone posted !