4 weeks pregnant and my cats are crapping everywhere!

[WhisperGirl]

Help ladies. I just found out I'm 4 weeks pregnant. We have a cat and 2 kittens. All my husbands. The kittens aren't being very good at using their litter trays. We use the expensive litter, have a tray each for them and a mat below that catches the litter as they exit. Yet the kittens constantly have poo on their feet. I'm going insane because they're not mine, and I don't understand them a whole lot. What I do understand is the danger of toxoplasmosis.
I live on a working sheep farm and I lost a baby in 2018 during lambing season and I'm almost certain that's why.

How can I get these wee furry dicks to stop being plebs and go to the toilet where they're meant to? Can I do a test to see if any of them carry the parasite? I have a dog who I take care of so so well, and I don't touch the cats. Help!

 

[SummerMother]

Some cats/kittens have a preference of type of litter. What kind of litter are you using? Some types of litter include: traditional clay, crushed walnut, newspaper pellet, pine pellet, etc.

Did these kittens come from a farm/acreage where they were outside? If so they may prefer a pine pellet litter as it would smell more like outside.

I don’t Believe there is a test you can do to determine if they have it. The best you can do is practice proper hygiene. Your husband should be doing the litter changes. If you have to clean up poop that has made its way on to the floor just be sure to wash your hands after.

Are you sure the poop comes from there paws? If they are long haired it could be getting stuck a bit on hair in which case you can get a “hygiene cut” at a groomers. They will shave away hair around the butt so poop doesn’t stick.

 

[WhisperGirl]

Hi, thank you for your help. They use the silica gel crystals. They do use the litter trays, it just seems they're not using them properly. I have a massive dog cage and I might put them in there with their litter and beds for a bit to see if that helps them to get more regular about it.
Theres poo on the mat that catches the pieces of litter on their feet when they come out. So they might just be walking over it instead of burying it maybe.
My husband does all the changes but if it's on their feet its gonna be walked everywhere.
They're pedigree cats, they've never been outside. The farm cats stay outside all the time.
My husband isn't as clean as I am. He's lazy and without me doing things he'll cut corners. Think I'm gonna just have to threaten him in some way.

 

[Classic Girl]

I’m just chucking at “wee furry dicks”

 

[Suggerhoney]

Absolutely howling at wee furry dicks

 

[Scout]

I'm wondering if they aren't liking the litter, so aren't burying their poop?? Cats are really picky. Maybe a clumping litter would work better, Idk. I'd probably try something else and see if that helps. I think it's strange they are stepping in it as cats are usually meticulous about keeping themselves clean. I'd be a bit wary of confining them in a kennel with their litter box for too long as you don't want them to associate the litter box with anything negative. I'm not sure if that would help anyway since they are using it, just not properly, but may be worth a try. Good luck with this. Pregnant or not, I wouldn't want kitty poop on my floors!

 

[WhisperGirl]

Thanks everyone! I have decided to put them in the big cage at night. It's an XL cage, takes up a quarter of a room and they have loads of room in it, but it seems to be helping. I let them out in the morning, and they've been using the litter and so far so good. The littlest one is very young, so I'm hoping it's just until she gets used to things. Maybe clumping litter would be a better idea as it binds everything quickly doesn't it?
The thought of my house having cat poo anywhere but the box makes me feel slightly faint lol

 

[SummerMother]

It couldn’t hurt to try. If your going to go with a clay based clumping litter just be sure to make sure it’s not a dusty one. Nothing worse than pouring the litter in the box and dealing with the cloud that ensues.