Cat doesn't Bury his poop.

[PJsMom]

Well, a couple simple things to try:

1) if using clumping, try using clay litter instead, or vice versa

2) if using scented litter, try using unscented instead

3) I believe petsmart has various sizes of litterboxes, I in fact have a very tiny one for one of my cats, so if you were to use two tiny ones as opposed to two medium or large ones, this would be space-saving, and quicker to clean.

If you don't have a petsmart in your area, try a local pet store instead. Or, you could certainly order online-from petsmart, similar online cat product stores if you like.

Havent' looked up the link, but there's a post in Debbie's Cloud on food/litterbox preferences, might be interesting for you to see what others are using for kitty litter, and what works best for them.

Yup we have a petsmart nearby. It's expensive as hell which is why I rarely go in there. I'll take a look there.
I use unscented clumping litter mostly, but I have tried scented....and nothing changed.

I had to put a hood on cause he would poop all over the sides of the box, sometimes with it falling to the outside. That was the only way to stop him from doing this. I'll try clay litter, if they have any at the petsmart or pet value stores around here. Maybe thats why he was pooping on the top of the box before and I never realized it.
I hope it works.

[Tambrey]

I remember reading somewhere that a cat who feels he/she is the dominant member of the household will not bury thier poop, so as to let other's know who really is in charge...whether the message be to other animals or humans, does not matter...that cat feels that by not burying the poop, others will smell it and know who not to mess with...

[jason]

I remember reading somewhere that a cat who feels he/she is the dominant member of the household will not bury thier poop

never heard of that, i suspect spraying to be a better use for what you mention as that is observed in the wild. if you find the article online, post it.

[Tambrey]

Middening......

<B>http://muttcats.com/articles/taming_ferals.htm</B>
under litter training of adult feral
<I>Dominant cats show 'middening' behavior - they purposely leave feces in an exposed place as a territorial marker - these should adapt to using the litter tray, but might not cover their feces. Middening and spraying are reduced, or even eliminated, by neutering/spaying.</I>

<B>http://www.messybeast.com/cat_talk2.htm</B>
<I>Faeces is also a scent-laden marker. Although common wisdom is that cats fastidiously bury their wastes, they may use faeces to mark territory - a behaviour known as middening. Middening cats deposit their faeces in a prominent spot (often on top of a tuft of grass or the middle of a path), often choosing the same place again and again to advertise their continued presence. Middens are usually located at disputed areas of territory where challenges are likely to occur. Sometimes this is indoors, the usual place being the bed. A cat which has been upset by an intruder or unusual event middens in the place which smells most strongly of its human family, reinforcing the family bond. Humans don't see it the same way. </I>

[jason]

interesting.

[doomkitten]

Hi, My one cat has recently started doing this. She is six years old & the other cat is 4. She is definetly not the dominant cat. We find it strange because she never used to do this. Its only her poo that she doesnt cover & we are using the same litter & box that we have always used.

[Tambrey]

has anything changed recently...environmentally?...within the household?...is she showing any other signs of stress or being upset?...

Has she seen a vet lately?...I am just thinking about any reason she would do this...is she not feeling well, something wrong and she wants to let you know?...trying to get your attention?...

It would not hurt if she has not been to a vet lately, just to go make sure she is checking out okay...

[jdogggy]

I recently adopted two 8 week old kittens a boy and a girl. They both use the litter tray just fine, and sometimes at the same time. I use the pine chips which I like as they smell good, don't trail much, and there's no dust from it.

Anyway she tries to cover her poop, like she will shovel her front paws but not actually move anythign or not actually cover the poop. Another difference is that he will dig a ditch first and poo into it, making it easier to cover up afterwards. She doesn't dig make a little ditch before hand.

Will she just pick this up over time from him?

It appears that no one has an answer for this yet.

J.

[Traci]

All cats are different, there is no "right" or "wrong" way in the litterbox.

Typical cats will dig a hole, do their duty and cover it up. Other cats don't dig and other cats won't cover, it's individual preference. Frequency or urge, texture and scent of the litter, box size and location, etc are all taken into account with each cat's preference.

In the wild, wild cats, big cats will of course try to bury their waste, to prevent other animals from tracking them.