Problem

[Karena]

Last week, one of my children accidentally shut the door to the room where Simba's litter tray is and because he couldn't get to it to do his poos he went in Maggie's bed (don't laugh). We forgave him for this because he had no option not being able to get to his litter tray. The problem is now he seems to prefer going there than his litter tray. He has been doing his wees in the litter tray but once a day when he does his poos he has been going in Maggie's bed. How do I stop this now? Please help!!!!!!!!!

[Dave n Jaye]

Hi! My MC likes to poo in the bath. I know that is common, but the best way to prevent it is to simply shut the door to the bathroom, then he uses his litter-tray. I would recommend trying that with the bedroom in question in your case (although that seems rather too obvious!?). Good luck!

[jckkerrison]

I too would go along with "The too obvious"reply to start with,take away the second option & hopefully he will return to the proper place.Might be worth giving him a second tray alongside the other one, he might now find that he prefers to do a pee in one & poo somewhere in another,I have two who do this...

[Karena]

Thanks for the replies. The bed in question is in a part of the kitchen that doesn't have a door, so I can't shut him out unfortunately. I can take the bed away but that will leave Maggie without a bed. I have each time put the bed in a hot wash and sprayed it but it doesn't seem to have any effect. I bought an Omega Paw litter tray which came yesterday which he used for his wees immediately. I could put his other litter tray where the bed was for a while and take the bed away to see if that works. Poor Maggie will have to be without a bed in the kitchen for a while but she has them elsewhere in the house and she sleeps upstairs with me during the day so not too bad.

[jckkerrison]

I reckon every time you clean Maggies bed Simba is most probaly thinking "Thanks mum,I will use it again soon". I bet if you done away with the bed it wouldn't be long before he relearned his proper toilet manners,I wouldn't even put the second tray there try putting it alongside the one he is already using,all of ours are in either the cats room or out in the pen but it seems strange to see the two use one tray for their pee then get out & move along a tray or two to do the other part,its not always a clean tray they move into either,I do try to keep up with them but once one of them goes it starts them all off so on occasions there hasn't been time to get to them while the vacant sign is on the door but those two will still move along....

[Rum Tum Tugger`s Mommy]

Our cat did that too, when he was little after a "traumatic" experience. We put a bowl with dried cat food on the bed. Our vet told us, too. Maybe this will work for you. It didn`t for us. :D What helped was to buy a second cat toilet. That did the trick! Let us know what helped for you.

[Karena]

So far so good. After taking away Maggie's bed Simba has started using his litter tray again. How long do you think I should leave it before it would be safe to put the bed back?

[Rum Tum Tugger`s Mommy]

You really removed the bed, wow! Where is Maggie sleeping now?
I don`t know a few days, maybe. And then try again, if he stays with his litter tray or goes back to the bed. I cross fingers that he won`t do that again!

[Howlinbob]

Maybe have 2 trays down, then after a week of 2 trays, put the bed back? That way he if he doesn't fancy using Tray 1, he will have the option of Tray 2, and hopefully he'll forget about the bed.

At one point my kittens started using the floor a few yards away from the 2 trays. So I put a third tray on that bit of floor, then gradually moved it towards the other 2 trays. Now I have 2 trays tucked away under the stairs so nice and private for them, and they are very reliable now.

By the way, when you first said 'Maggie's bed', I thought you meant a child's bed, maybe your daughter (if you have one), didn't realise you meant the dog! Doh!

[jckkerrison]

I go along with Howlinbob & would keep both trays available & also give it a bit longer before you put the bed back so he hopefully has forgotten what he done.Poor Maggie but I am sure she doesn't mind if she has more of an excuse to share your bed.
Will admit to also thinking it was a childs bed until Karena put about it being part of the kitchen,penny dropped here as well then....
I put my mistake down to age !