Barn cat with personal hygiene issues

[Whistlejacket]

I am a cat lover, but I am at a complete loss at what to do with the following situation. Any help would be much appreciated.

About 8 months ago my horses and I moved to a self-care barn, with one other boarder and her horses. The barn kitty (an older cat), who has been there for years, has spent most of her time and made her home for years in the barn rafters. Apparently at one point there were some pretty unruly dogs, so she just stayed up high to keep out of their way. She had gotten into the habit of using the bare barn rafters as a litter box (both urination and defecation), and the smell was especially bad during the summer. Right before I moved there, the other boarder had encouraged the cat to make her home in the hay shed on the bales of hay. Well, that went fine for awhile until she started to use the hay bales (which we pay for and feed to our horses) for a litter box. (Ah...not an option.)

So we moved her bed back to the barn rafters, and I set up a litter box for her up in the rafters. And she moved back to the rafters. And yes, on a regular basis I am up on a ladder in the barn rafters scooping the litter box. (Yes, I did mention that I am cat lover.)

Well that seemed to be going okay until I noticed that she does not always use the litter box and instead goes back to just using the rafters. And occasionally a bit of cat poop falls below into one of the horses water buckets, etc. (Yes, I probably should have warned you earlier not to read this if you are eating.)

There is no longer a problem with dogs who threaten her, and on rare occasion, I actually have seen her use a spot on the ground (on this 40 acres of farm property) as a litter box. Hurray! We are heading into the warmer weather months (so smells will intensify), and lets just say that I am more tolerant of this situation than the other boarder.

I like the old cat and respect her (she lives outside in 0 degrees F nights). But I am at a complete loss as to what to do.

Help! Thanks. WJ

[pony89]

Can you layer some of her access points to the rafters with tin foil? Many cats hate walking on it.

[Hilary]

Well, as an older cat, she may not really change her ways, but what about a litter box in a more accessible location? Can her bed be downstairs in the barn? Or in the hay shed with a litterbox?

I'd rather have the poop in the hay, if she misses the box, than falling from above!

One of our cats loves to poop right in the center of the driveway, and make an elaborate "volcano" of dirt - at least we know where he went - some of his efforts are more than 3' across. So much for cats wanting privacy!!

[vacation1]

Bleh, gross. Any chance she's having new problems using the litter box? Older cat, maybe arthritic and doesn't find it roomy enough? I've read that the most common cause of cats ignoring their box to go elsewhere is cleanliness - not a judgement, because climbing into a hayloft to clean a cat box in midwinter is above and beyond in my book, but could it be that the box has been cleaned less frequently lately?

[Gloria]

I've read that the most common cause of cats ignoring their box to go elsewhere is cleanliness

I agree here. My cat will NOT go into her litterbox if it has not been cleaned from her last visit. We got one of those LitterMaids that will scoop up the clump after she uses it and deposits it into a plastic resevoir. It works out good for both of us. She is happy to get into the clean litterbox and I'm happy to attend to her litterbox only when the plastic resevoir is full.

[NoDQhere]

Try some different litters. We have used "traditional" litter, pelleted litter, recycled paper litter and pine pellet litter. We have now settled on wheat litter. Also maybe two litter boxes so one is always clean. Old cats can be fussy :yes:.

[Bayou Roux]

I've gotta ask...just how good a bargain is this self-care facility?

I can't imagine how little I'd have to be paying to put up with crap falling from the rafters, urine-soaked hay, and a summer of cat whizz stench...

Edited to say: Maybe that came out a little snarky...not meant to be. Just amazed...

[Huntertwo]

Could you put a bed and litter box in the different locations? Also, like someone else mentioned, perhaps it is not big enough for her.

I too have an older cat who has a hard time maneuvering in the smaller litter boxes, so I buy the storage containers from Walmart. They are big enough for a cat to get comfortable in.

This is why I hate loose and unruly dogs at the barn... Why people think it is okay for the barn cats to be their dog's own personal chasing toy, just bugs the crap out of me. :mad:

The cat in my signature below WAS one of those cats. You may noticed that she now lives with me.. :)

[Chief2]

We use hydrated equine wood pellet bedding in the cat's litter box with a dash of Sweet PDZ stall powder and he loves it. Compared to other commercial litters, it is far cheaper and softer. Our vet told us another reason for the cat not using the box properly could be an inability to see it at night. Once we installed a night light in the general vicinity, the problem disappeared.

I have dealt with a lot of cats, but never with this problem of being in the rafters and all. Perhaps retirement from the barn to an indoor/outdoor home situation may be in order if the problem can't be solved? I don't know.

[Foxyrab]

Would it be possible to rig up something using fairly heavy polyethylene sheeting?: (http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_43814_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1)
Maybe you could staple (using a staple gun) some sheeting to the bottom of the rafters over the water buckets?
Good luck -- what a frustrating situation.

[danceronice]

And I thought having the occasional peacock in the rafters was rough....

[CamdenLab]

OMG. That is so gross. Nothing is more disgusting than cat poop.

I don't have any advice, but if that were my cat I'd be looking into a new home with a different situation or I'd make her a cat house like this: Cat house. (http://www.woodenart.org.uk/product_images/k/resize%20of%20cat%20house%20and%20run-red__32493.jpg)

[Trakehner]

Maybe it's time for kitty to go bye-bye.

[LisaB]

For the smell, wash the rafters with bleach/water mixture. This is really the best solution for the smell.
Then beyond any medical reasons, try showing her where her box is. And I swear this works every time. Hover the kitty over the litter box and drop her. Honestly! It works!

[MistyBlue]

OMG. That is so gross. Nothing is more disgusting than cat poop

Yes there is, cat pee. :D Pew!

Another idea might be to go to camping store or even aa fabric store and buy a few yards of netting. On each beam screw in a bunch of small eye hooks (Home Depot, $2.99 for a box of 10 small brass ones) and then just hang the netting from beam to beam on the eye hooks under the litter box area/poop area. Then any falling surprises land on the netting and you can easily take one side down and let them roll into an old bucket or something to toss out.
I did the same thing with my barn rafters, but it wasn't for catching cat poop...it was to catch baby swallows who weren't doing a good job holding onto their nest. :lol: I can't imagine cat poop weighing more than baby birds.

BTW...hey H2...I like that floor in your signature cat photo.


ETA...had to pop back in to say Kudos to the OP of this thread. So many threads on Coth are repeats and this one is *definitely* an original problem. Never ever read a thread about how to stop cat poop from falling out of the barn rafters into your horses' water buckets, LMAO! :winkgrin:

[Bayou Roux]

ETA...had to pop back in to say Kudos to the OP of this thread. So many threads on Coth are repeats and this one is *definitely* an original problem. Never ever read a thread about how to stop cat poop from falling out of the barn rafters into your horses' water buckets, LMAO! :winkgrin:

DH and I have been alternately shuddering and laughing hysterically at this whole discussion. I'm wondering now if it's weird enough to be stick-art worthy...

[Sing Mia Song]

I recently attended a fabulous continuing education lecture (I'm a vet tech) on litter box issues. Most litterbox issues are for one of four issues:

1. The litterbox isn't big enough for the cat to use confortably (she recommended using an under bed storage bax rather than a commercial litterbox).

2. The cat is marking territorially--usually in front of windows or doors where other cats hover (doesn't sound like this is your problem)

3. Another cat is intimidating the non-litterbox using cat. She showed us videos of the aggressor cat hovering just outside the litterbox or the door to the room where the litterbox is, just waiting to pounce. She also showed us how examples of the victim cat using the recycling bin as a litterbox because it was a) box-shaped; and b) safe

4. The cat has a substrate preference. As noted in other posts, you can try all sorts of different litters to see what she might prefer. Sound like the wood pellet litter might be the way to go (so to speak ;)).

Good luck! This cat is lucky someone cares!

[Huntertwo]

BTW...hey H2...I like that floor in your signature cat photo.


:winkgrin:

Thank-you! Can't take the credit though. Hubby picked it out when we were building. :)

[shea'smom]

This cat is lucky to have you. Reading some of these responses, it is a good thing some of these other people don't own her. Kinda mean.

[cloudyandcallie]

Bleh, gross. Any chance she's having new problems using the litter box? Older cat, maybe arthritic and doesn't find it roomy enough? I've read that the most common cause of cats ignoring their box to go elsewhere is cleanliness - not a judgement, because climbing into a hayloft to clean a cat box in midwinter is above and beyond in my book, but could it be that the box has been cleaned less frequently lately?

Right. It's good to change litter daily. Walmart's red bagged litter is about the cheapest, and Sam's club has the "oil dry" which is cheap in 40 pound bags and is the same clay from the same place as litter, just darker.

And there are sprays to put on areas to prevent the use of the rafters. Either petsmart or jefferspet or the doctors foster catalogues will help.

Nice of you to try to help the old kitty. Old habits are hard to break but she will probably use her rafter kitty pan if she gets it dumped out daily. And you can put loose litter on the ground, cats like soft, dry areas to use and to cover.

You can get the rubber containers at walmart. They don't have to be "cat pans" as I use storage containers from the houseware section, and for small areas, I use the rubber dishpans, and Rubbermaid products last the best without cracking.

[Whistlejacket]

Thanks so much for the informative, insightful, and humorous responses. Believe me, when you're up on a ladder in the barn rafters scooping a kitty litter box, keeping a sense of humor is the only way to go! This brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "sky box".

And what creativity on the part of some of the posters for ways of trapping airborne errant cat poop. Who knew?!!!

I think that Sing Mia Song is really on to something with the intimidation factor causing a cat to be less then fastidious about his/her toiletry habits.


Another cat is intimidating the non-litterbox using cat. She showed us videos of the aggressor cat hovering just outside the litterbox or the door to the room where the litterbox is, just waiting to pounce. She also showed us how examples of the victim cat using the recycling bin as a litterbox because it was a) box-shaped; and b) safe

As I mentioned in my original post, apparently when this cat first arrived she was persistently harassed by very unruly dogs, and she had no human to advocate on her behalf to get the dogs "organized" in their behavior toward her. That's when she took to the rafters and rarely ever came down. And that included using the rafters as a litterbox because she was too intimidated by the dogs (and apparently with good reason) to come down and use the soil as a litter box. Even though the unruly dogs are gone, she is still very worried and skiddish about being on ground level (and she seems to have a worried expression permanently etched on her face). I imagine that the experiences and habits learned during her "formative years" are well set in.

Good idea about using a larger litter box. The rate limiting factor is the gymnastic aspect of getting up the ladder and into the rafters with a larger box, even with the other boarder handing things up to me. Even with a smaller box, there is a bit of a high wire act (without a safety net) aspect to the logistics of this. But I think that I can maneuver a bit of a larger box and still be mindful of my safety.

And MistyBlue, thanks so much for pointing out the...ahhh...errr..."unique" quality of this topic. I laughed so hard when I read your post. I think that I am so intent on reaching a satisfactory resolution to this situation, that I just did not realize the oddball quality of my original post. Methinks that my head has been spending too much time in the barn rafters!

Thanks again, y'all. WJ

[Louise]

Hey, Whistlejacket, nice to see you around again.

[DeeThbd]

Could you possibly get a sturdy sheet of plywood to make a little platform for her to hang out on, and to enable you to put a larger litterbox up? She might feel safer then and more apt to do her business there.
Good luck - and thanks for caring about Miss Kitty!
Dee

[brightwhitestockings]

I've gotta ask...just how good a bargain is this self-care facility?

I can't imagine how little I'd have to be paying to put up with crap falling from the rafters, urine-soaked hay, and a summer of cat whizz stench...

Edited to say: Maybe that came out a little snarky...not meant to be. Just amazed...

i'm going to be honest- that was rude (and really annoyed me). The OP is obviously a very kind person and is looking for some advice on how to help this barn cat she obviously cares about... I definitly didn't get the vibe from her original post that she was looking for someone like you to criticize her barn or situation. Perhaps we're misinterpreting...???

Not everyone is blessed with a beautiful full care facility with staff to do everything for them. ;) Full care works great for some people, and i'm sure she's happy or she wouldn't be making such an effort to take care of this cat. If you're so "amazed" perhaps you're too good to be posting on this BB.

[MistyBlue]

And MistyBlue, thanks so much for pointing out the...ahhh...errr..."unique" quality of this topic. I laughed so hard when I read your post. I think that I am so intent on reaching a satisfactory resolution to this situation, that I just did not realize the oddball quality of my original post. Methinks that my head has been spending too much time in the barn rafters!


WJ...I'm betting you weren't laughing any harder than I was! :lol: The funniest part was as I was typing my reply about the netting I couldn't remember offhand where we got the little eyehooks so I yelled out to hubby who was in the other room, "Hon? When we hung the netting in the barn on those little hooks, where did we get those?" He hollered back the answer and then asked, "Wow, who's got baby swallows this early?" Without thinking I just called back, "Not swallows honey, cat sh*t." He calls back, "Oh. Okay." About 20 seconds goes by and I hear, "WAIT! Did you say cat sh*t????" :lol: :lol: :lol: I had to explain and then we both had a good laugh. Hubby said he's also never heard of flying cat crap either, LOL!

[MunchkinsMom]

WJ...I'm betting you weren't laughing any harder than I was! :lol: The funniest part was as I was typing my reply about the netting I couldn't remember offhand where we got the little eyehooks so I yelled out to hubby who was in the other room, "Hon? When we hung the netting in the barn on those little hooks, where did we get those?" He hollered back the answer and then asked, "Wow, who's got baby swallows this early?" Without thinking I just called back, "Not swallows honey, cat sh*t." He calls back, "Oh. Okay." About 20 seconds goes by and I hear, "WAIT! Did you say cat sh*t????" :lol: :lol: :lol: I had to explain and then we both had a good laugh. Hubby said he's also never heard of flying cat crap either, LOL!

okay, I was chuckling quietly until I got to this post, then I burst out laughing!

Sorry I don't have any other suggestions, cat excrement is not my forte!

[Brockstables]

OMG!!! This thread is hilarious!!! Thanks so much, I needed a good laugh today!
I think the idea of a piece of plywood on the rafters is fantastic, and would certainly give you a nice area for the larger litter box. I would also try using the equine bedding option for litter, if it will work for her it would save you having to run out for kitty litter!
It is nice that you are looking out for her (as well as your horse's water buckets!).
When someone was nasty to my grandmother, she would often comment that that individual was "... meaner than cat sh*t..." Clearly, that is BAD!
Good luck with the kitty!