Question:
One of the mother cats I have taken in refuses to use the litter box. I actually have 3 boxes, and scoop them as often as possible(2-3x/day). Her babies are about a month old, but do not know her age. I also don't know if she was an inside or outside cat. When I took her in, I thought she was using the box, but I found her private bathroom, behind my washer. Now, she goes right in front of my back door, wether we're watching or not. I've tried locking her in a room with her kittens, and a private box, but she went in an empty fish tank. She doesn't have worms and is in good health. I've also tried changing the litter from scoopable to regular. No change. I've also tried catching her in the process, and putting her in the box, but was rewarded with a bite. She is the first cat that has done this, other than my M. LeMinou, an older male who goes on my shoes when he is angry at me. He knows he's not supposed to do that because he hides when he is finished. She just sits there and looks at me as if she doesn't know that she's supposed to use the litterbox. I am afraid that her kittens will pick up this bad habit, and to be honest, I'm a bit fed up at having to follow her around all the time. I have 2 dogs, 5 other adult cats, and 8 kittens of various ages, Is there anyone who has any suggestions that I can try to housetrain this cat.

Answer:
Does she have her own litterbox? She may have been an alpha female and not like sharing. (Many cats do not). Has she been checked by the vet for a uninary tract problem?

If she was an outside cat, she may be used to earth and leaves as her "bathroom" which means she needs to be actively trained to use the litter box. You may have to used what she was used to (assuming she was an outside kitty) - potting soil or earth may help - and then gradually make the shift to more traditional litter. Make sure the box is utterly clean or the cat will look elsewhere (An outside cat had many sites to choose from).

Also, an intact non spayed female may be more difficult to train than one who is not - again if she was an outside kitty. And remember kittens learn from their mom!! Maybe if you confine she and her kittens to one area of the house, that would help???

Here are some tips on litter box "etiquette". Hope it helps!!

Oops, almost forgot the tips:

http://www.paws.org/cas/resources/fa...itterbox4.html

Answer:
Everything Cyberkitty said - about being intact, not liking the litter...

She knows what the litterbox is for, but for some reason won't use it. Get her spayed, and see if that helps. If it does not, I suggest putting her in a dog crate with just bed and litterbox to retrain her. If she has no place else to go, she'll have to use the box.

Just make sure she has no medical problem first.

Answer:
Thanks for the tips. She went to the vet last weekend, and he said she was healthy. I'm definitely going to have her spayed as soon as her babies are weened. I would like to find her a good home afterwards, but she must be housetrained first. I'm going to try isolating her again, without her kittens, for short periods of time, and see if that will do the trick.

Answer: