Not using litterbox

I don't think she likes the basement. It might just be that your washing machine, dryer, furnace, hot water tank might be scarring her every once in a while with the noises they make. It also could be she doesn't want to go that far anymore. Do you feed her in the basement? If you do, that might be the problem too. They don't like to eat where they go to the bathroom. Or, she could have a bladder infection or worms/parasite. I guess I would try the litter box upstairs and keep putting her in it every so often. Never yell, swat, push her nose in it, etc. I'm sure you know what I mean. She won't understand, plus, she'll find a diversion to the litter box because of it. That's all I can think of for the moment, hope it helps some.......good luck, you can always check with your vet too for more answers.

Hi!I have 2 cats and one of them started doing the same on the bathroom towel.She did not like the feel of the cat litter on her feet.The litter was chunky and with like crushed rocks.I switched to a fine grain one like sand with baby powder scent in it and she goes in the litter box all the time now.She was trying to tell me to change brands,lol.Is your litter chunky with pebbles in it?If so try the one i told you the sand one(fine)and see what happens.Its the clumping kind that when they do their business it clumps from the moisture and forms a ball.Its called MAX,a square tub with a handle on it and a orange kitty on the picture.The towel thing is mostly because its soft and doesnt bother the feet and doesnt become stuck between the little toes.Cats are sometimes fussy and finicky.Dont call a vet for this its not needed.If this does not work,move the litter box out of the basement and put it in another place like a closet in the hall or somewhere else,maybe it just doesnt like the basement.Please get back to me,im quite curious,ha,ha.:):)

Everytime she is going to poop or pee ... grab the kitten and put it in the litterbox and dont let the kitten get out of there after finish it... hold him an extra 3 minuts ... and then let it go... do that everytime he wants to pee outside of the litterbox... well that did worked with me! lol Good luck with urs !!

Hmmm that is a new one for me. Could she have been startled by something down there or maybe accidentally had the door shut so she couldn't come up? It sounds like she has developed an aversion to it. Is there any other place you might be able to place the box and see if it is the box itself or the location? Maybe some odor or something got into the box that she doesn't like...or perhaps she is displeased about some change in your lifestyle. Some cats don't like scented litter..or clumping litter. You could try adding some baking soda on top of it as well. Our cats only like plain old litter..we have tried fancy, more expensive brands..and they do not like anything but the most generic type. So I don't know if any of these suggestions will help. I included a photo of our 4 happy, content cats and hope you find your answers so yours will feel the same way soon. Other than that I'd probably phone a vet and run it by them...unless someone here has other ideas. We have 5 cats and as long as their boxes are clean they consistently go in the pans with no problems. I will check back to see what others say...it is a rather unusual situation and there has to be a reason..just what is it? Hope you find out it doesn't sound like an enjoyable situation to have to contend with. All the best.. Raia

Kitty may have worms (they're not always visible) or food allergies, both of which will make her tummy uncomfortable and the urge to "go" much greater. Also she might not like the cat litter you're using - she'll use it sometimes but not if something else is there to use (which may stop if you remove the towels, etc. that she uses!)

If a cat has a urinary tract infection it equates the pain of urination with the place it urinates. Therefore it will pee where ever it wants trying to avoid pain. Eliminate the possibility of a physical problem, infection or struvite crystals and if that is not the problem you may have a behavior problem. Your vet will help you deal with either of these issues. I keep a cat in my bedroom all of the time because he has problems. Also, if your cat is male, and has urinary problems he can block and die in 24 hours. Take no chances with a male cat. Also, some cats become finicky about elminating in a dirty litter box. Have extra litter boxes around and also make sure they are all clean at all times. Good luck!

Hello there Hotpants:) actually i have lots of inforamtion for you and i have a question first...how many other cats do you have or si this the only one? and how much litter do u put in her litter box? they wont go in anything taller than 2 inches..and if theres other cats she may not want to share which is normal..orrrr...whereever u have the litter box..is it close to other people? i mean does she get her own privacy? or do you and y our kids or whatnot sometiems interupt her needing to do soemthing when shes going? because they need qioet and total privacy./.i found some info online for you and ill send links also so u can read whatever else you want..but here are some facts for you..:) ohhh p.s..it also may be the litter..if it has perfume or soemthing in it..she may hate the smell..and if u have a closed box..or a lid..alot of cats hate those too..ok here are some links for you..i hope i was some help..take care!! http://www.la-spca.org/education/cats/litter_box_2.htm Litter box avoidance and inappropriate elimination are the most frequent and irritating disagreements humans have with their kitties. Inappropriate urination and defecation may mean that the litter box facilities are sub par, that there's a medical problem or, in the case of marking behavior, that your cat is trying to signal something. Cats use elimination of urine (and sometimes feces) for communication – a kind of pee-mail, if you will. That can be a sign that something is wrong. In the latter situation, your kitty is not being mean or spiteful. She's got a problem and you'll have to figure out what it is if you want it to go away. Punishing your cat for inappropriate elimination will not solve the problem. It will only teach her to fear and avoid you, and eliminate when you're not around. http://www.petplace.com/cats/the-top-8-reasons-why-your-kitty-won-t-use-the-litter-box/page1.aspx http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Why_Won't_Cat_Use_Litter_Box lots of luck!! April

I think there have been very good suggestions on here as to why your kitty is not using the litter box all the time. Try moving the box, try another litter and try having a litter box for each kitty. Check into health problems as well.

I think the problem maybe lie in the basement,rather than her litterbox...