[angie]

Stormy is 6 months old. We have had him just over a week. He was neutered last week. He is the fourth cat for us. Things have been fine. Everyone adjusting to the new addition. Today Stormy decided to start sleeping in the litterbox. He has not done this before and I have taken him out of it 6 times and he still keeps going back in. It is not an enclosed box. Please help with advice as to how to break this habit and suggestions as to why it started. Thanks.

 

[myfalla]

Hi Angie -

I don't know how to stop the cat from sleeping in his litter box, but wanted to tell you that a friend of mine has two orange tabby kitties, and one of them used to do the same thing. One day he just stopped sleeping in the box, much to my friend's delight.

Does he have his own place to get away from the others? Maybe that is what he needs - a private place of his own to get away from the other cats, which may overwhelm him. Since none of the others sleep in the litter box, maybe he has claimed it. (??)

Bridget

 

[ForJazz]

He might be doing this because he is still new, and everyone else in the house already has their scent all over everything. The litterbox is the one place where his scent is probably strongest right now, so he kind of "claims" it. Once he gets his scent on more things in the house and he compliments everyone else's scent well enough, he might stop sleeping in the litterbox. You might be able to hurry this along by giving him his own little sleeping area that doesn't have any other cat scent on it, like a bed or a blanket or a towel...a cozy little area that is "his own."

 

[angie]

[ForJazz & myfalla,
Thank you both. I will try the blanket and special place for him. I am hoping he stops soon so that I do NOT have to try and give him a bath...lol. I have never had this problem with any of the other cats, so this was new for me. Thanks again.