Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Purrs

1. 

   So my wife and I just got these two adorable Maine Coon kittens (11 weeks old each) and we just love them! There's only one problem: They're so messy! Every morning, my wife and I wake up to kitten poop all over our house. What happens is they go potty and then the poop/litter clumps stick to their furry legs and they play and fling it everywhere and it gets all over the floor all around the house; this morning I actually found poop all over the bathroom wall! How did that happen?! We use Tidy Cats litter but I'm wondering if there's a litter that won't be as messy. Another problem that I've noticed is that unlike all the other cats I've ever owned, these little monsters don't even bury their stool after they go to the bathroom, they just leave it sitting there exposed and that's definately half the reason it sticks to their fur so much.

   Any suggestions? I don't think I can wake up to a poopy house one more time!

   Thanks!

   Posted 2 years ago by Mozart #

2. 

   There are other litters out there that would probably work better for you. Hang in there, others with more info will be here soon.

   Posted 2 years ago by 2bpurring #

3. 

   Loose poops are the problem. Can be many things, but once the stools are firmer, it won't be such a problem. If you have changed foods recently this may account for it. I am assuming they have been to the vet and have had all the proper tests. I have 6 Maine Coons and they still occassionally carry a cling-on in their fuzzy-britches. I would invest now in a super large litter box (in length and width rather than depth) so they have plenty of room to do their thing and cover it up.

   Posted 2 years ago by CatRancher #

4. 

   You might want to check back with the source of the kits as to what litter they were using... sometimes changes are not a good thing...
   A non-clumping litter might be better for them right now...
   Another solution might be to restrict them to the bathroom overnight until this gets resolved - at least them you would only have a poopy bathroom! hehe...
   I know, not really a laughing matter, but I couldn't resist. Good luck!

   Posted 2 years ago by nawlins catmom #

5. 

   Hi, Mozart. Welcome to the Daily Kitten!!

   We have at least one member here who knows all things Maine Coonie and many who know about kitten potty problems. I have three kits, Digit, Furl and Boots. Digit and Furl are sisters and nearly three years old. Furl had real trouble for the first few months we had her in pooping in the litter box. She finally figured out how to use it and hasn't had an accident since.

   Being long-haired, Furl has had issues from time to time with "cling-ons"--little pieces of poop that stick to her fur. Maine Coons are long-haired which might, as you've suspected, be part of why their poop ends up in places like the bathroom wall. Poor little things. They don't want that nasty business "following" them around!

   Do you have a mat at the entrance of the litter box for them to wipe their feet on? They sell them at pet stores and my kits use them all the time to get the clingy bits of litter off their paws. As for burying their poop, you may need to show them what to do. Watch them closely as they use the box. If they cover it on their own, praise them and give them a treat. If they don't cover, use the scoop to cover for them while talking in a calm voice.

   I don't have any suggestions for litter, but I know that non-clumping litter is usually recommended for kittens since they might eat some which would then harden inside and cause blockages.

   If the kitties continue to have problems with cling ons, consider having them shaved on their rears. (Not down to bare skin, but to a shorter length.) They are still learning how to bathe themselves now that their mother isn't doing that for them. They will get the hang of it!

   What are your kittens' names? Please post pictures when you can!!! Many of us have created webpages for our kits on Catster.com as a way of sharing photos. You can link the Catster URL to your profile here on the Daily Kitten. Please click on my avatar to see my three kits. :)

   Keep posting. We love hearing about kitties and their progress. This is a great place to learn from one another and have fun.

   Posted 2 years ago by Kitten Whisperer #

6. 

   If your littles are getting cling ons, you might need to have that area shaved close of a little while.

   As for the not burying? Some of the more traditional litters are so coarse that cats don't like do dig in them. I'd recommend a finer litter. I use The Worlds Best Cat Litter - pricey, but my two grumpy old men ( 17& 19 ) stopped buying theirs because apparently it was too much trouble for them to try and dig through hard, heavy litter - but reverted to their life long habit when I went to this very fine grained, easy on the paws litter.

   And a mat at the litter box is a great idea. Sine I use an open topped box, no encousure about mine, I bought an over sized one that no mater where they enter/ exit from they have to cross it - it really catchs things that might otherwise be tracked about.

   Posted 2 years ago by Shal #

7. 

   lydia my kitty is maine coon and something else , she gets cling on's and we just trim her tail or bum. i have a special pair of sissors and i use gloves that i bring home from the hospital. i 've had lydia for a almost 11 years and i love her cling on's and all. i must admit her tail is a little uneven at times and i clip near her bum hole so thats uneven . but as you see from my avatar she is a beautfiul kitty.

   Posted 2 years ago by beth #

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