my kitten

[findley1204]

My kitten is 8 wks old. She is litter box trained.  Twice now, she has started scratching the ground next to her litter box and crying, the first time she peed on the carpet, the second I was able to move her to her litter box in time, but she pooped.  What I'm concerned about is the fact that she's crying when she does this, and also that she goes in the litter box every other time she needs to potty... and there's no crying or other strange behavior.  I'm not sure if I should just keep and eye on it, or if she needs to be seen???

[Savas]

I would get kitty checked out for a UTI or similar problem if it persists. Often these will lead to abnormal litter box behavior.

Otherwise...it's possible that your kitten has taken a disliking to the brand of litter you're using. Or perhaps kitty is one of the finicky ones, who can't stand a less than spotless box. If this is the case, I'd suggest using a good scentless clumping litter and replacing the actual box once a month. An annoying cost, but better than a peed on carpet or bed!

Also, make sure to use Nature's Miracle to clean the area around the box. It's possible spillage from digging has occured and the litter box scent has gotten on the immediate area. Regular cleaner's won't get rid of the smell to the point where kitty won't smell it, which will confuse most sweet but commonly stupid kittens/cats. :)

[chikp]

Someone else may have a better suggestion, but I would just keep an eye on her.  When she is scratching outside of the litterbox, just gently place her where she belongs and let her continue in there.  She is still a baby so she may have just been confused.  Maybe she was crying because she was in the general vicinity of the litterbox, but the ground she was scratching felt much different?