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A Ride to the Litter Box
Our 3 year old Adopted Tux has FLeV and is our only cat. About 6 months back she began “demanding” that we carry her to her litter box. She will meow at us and if we don’t take her to her box she will pee (on the couch or bed or table).
Anyone ever have a cat like this?
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1 Reply
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Hi Warren
Thank you for reaching out; sorry to hear about the FLeV diagnosis. I have four tuxedo cats, all of whom are very intelligent!
There could be several reasons why she started this behavior, and it will require careful observation to identify what triggered it six months ago. Here are a few possibilities that might resonate with you:
1. A tummy ache, bladder infection, or other types of discomfort or pain could have created an uncomfortable association with toileting habits, leading her to ask for help getting to the litter box.
2. She may have had a negative experience near her litter box, such as a loud noise or something that scared her, making her nervous about going to the bathroom alone.
3. A stressful event like visitors, renovations or general stress can cause a cat to stop using the litter tray and seek companionship for a sense of security.
4. This behavior might be learned. If you’ve given her attention when she asks to be carried, she may have inadvertently trained YOU into this routine.
5. Your cat may also be avoiding the litter box due to issues with the litter or tray itself or environmental stressors.
I recommend scheduling a veterinary health check to rule out any pain or illness. Additionally, taking time to observe her daily elimination habits could be helpful; a webcam might assist with this.
Furthermore, I suggest conducting a stress audit (feel free to let me know if you would like a copy) to determine if she feels stressed, or insecure at home.
Once you identify the cause, you can start retraining her to use the litter box: https://cats.com/how-to-retrain-your-cat-to-use-the-litterbox.
I hope that helps
Melina
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