spayed cat will not leave litter box

[nittylover]

I am really worried about my poor kitty ( 2 year old) . We moved into a new home two months ago and she seemed to adjust very well. We have recently added a roomate (human) that she knows. For some reason though she just started lying in her covered litter box. We move her in to our bedroom and she will stay for a while, but later we will find her in the litter box again. I have searched the internet for hours on end and I cannot find a single instance of this behavior. I am really worried that something is wrong, but I feel like I might be over reacting as well. Please, if anyone has ever heard this behavior or might have an idea on why she is doing this I would be forever greatfull for your help. Thanks in advance! Rob

[Traci]

Laying in her litterbox? If this is the case, also check for the following: straining to urinate, or that you haven't noticed any urine output in more than a day...blood drops in litterbox, decrease in appetite and drinking, lethargic, painful abdomen....If ANY of these symptoms are present, don't wait another minute, get her seen by an ER vet immediately (to rule out urinary tract infection or blockage)

Otherwise, sounds like kitty has endured an awful lot of stress of late. Abrupt changes in the environment (moving, new members in household, etc) can indeed induce any health condition. If you can discern that she isn't suffering an immediate health problem (as described above), best to make a vet appointment for her first thing either tomorrow morning or early next week, just to play it safe.

[nittylover]

Thank you for your advice. After I received your reply we took our kitty Tiki in to the e-vet. Her bladder checked out OK. She was treated for a UTI. The Vet gave her fluids, anti-biotic injection and a oral anti-biotic to follow up with. Thank you for your advice. It really pushed me to going in and I feel much better that she has been treated. Thank you again and have a great weekend! Rob & Tiki

[Traci]

Thank YOU, Rob, for getting Tiki seen.....I'm glad to hear she recieved appropriate treatment and now you have peace of mind

[melissaranks]

I'm glad your little one is better. I just want to put my 2 cents in.

Laying in the litter box is something I see often at the Humane Society I volunteer at. Almost ALL the cats prefer laying in their litter compared to laying on the floor of the cage (even if it has a blanket). I see this in pet stores too. My personal opinion is that these cats are nervous and looking for a secure enclosed place to hide. Because if you put a box in the cage with them, they will hide in the box. Does your house have plenty of places for your kitty to hide? You could make some simple ones by buying some kitty houses or making them out of cardboard boxes. The favorite in my house is a shoe box that had boots in it so it's longer, but flat. I lift the lid up and Booker will climb in and 'hide' for hours! She loves it in there. It's a good spot to get away from her brother. Maybe this would help your kitty to stop laying in the litterbox.

[Tina B and crew]

Glad you got her taken in...hope she's feeling better soon

[Mona]

Thank you for being responsible with your kitty. They tells us things with their behavior and sometimes it is hard to judge, so we must act quickly and assume something is wrong.

So glad it worked out and I hope she adjusts to her new home soon.

Mona, HOneybun and Little Chloe