Why is my kitten not using the litter box and has a closed eye?

Question

My 2 month old kitten has been pooping and peeling outside the litter box frequently. I have 2 other kitties and I bought another litter box just for her. She has had runny poop, but only a few times. Could there be something wrong with her? Also, a couple days ago one of her eyes started to stay shut and has discharge. I think she probably got it scratched playing, but it is still staying most of the way shut and has discharge. Could she have an eye infection? Please let me know what you think.

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

There can be a couple of reasons why she will not use the litter box. Cats like a very clean box, and the litter should be scooped every day with the litter itself being changed once a week. If the box isn't clean enough for her, she won't use it. Cats can also be very picky about the type of litter used. If you changed litter recently, she may not like it and won't want to use it. Don't use scented litters, cats typically don't like the scent and will not use the box if it smells funny to them. I would use an unscented litter only. The litter box itself may be a problem. It could be too small for her to turn around in, or if it has a cover, she may not like using the box under a cover. Conversely, if it doesn't have a cover, she may not like going to the bathroom in the open. Cats also won't use a litter box that is too close to their food and water sources, so if the litter box is close to those, she won't use it. Finally, there could be a medical issue behind her not using the litter box, such as a UTI, bladder stones, or diarrhea. If none of the above scenarios apply to her, I would take her into your vet for a health check to see if there is a medical cause behind her refusing to use the litter box. As for her eye, she needs to see a vet immediately. It is a medical emergency that her eye is staying shut and has a discharge. She could have gotten her eye scratched, it is now infected, and she needs to see a vet now about it. Any eye condition should be considered an emergency, as leaving it untreated can lead to vision loss.

Why is my kitten not using the litter box and has a closed eye?

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