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Feral cat brought inside won't use litter box or eat. Help!

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

For three years, we've tended to a ferrel female cat. Yesterday, we took her to vet, because she has strained/sprained shoulder. The vet x-rayed her, and prescribed buprenex .6mg twice daily, orally. The vet suggested we keep cat indoors so she can rest injury. Problem: this cat at around 6 years old, has never used a cat box. How do we get her to use it? Currently, she's holding in her pee &poop, (since yesterday evening). She's not eating or drinking. How do we communicate using cat box?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jacqueline Nobles, DVM, DACVECC

Veterinarian, Board-Certified Emergency/Critical Care Specialist

Published on February 12th, 2017

Provide her several litterboxes. You may need to pick her up and place her in the litterbox. If you have a porch area, try placing a box there. As far as feeding, offer her a variety of wet and dry foods. If she fails to eat within 48 hours, you should take her back to your veterinarian. Ask about an appetite stimulant.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It's so lovely that you are looking after this feral cat! It's likely stressful for her to be indoors after she is used to being outdoors all the time. I would put her in a quiet dark room with food, water, and a litter box. Place in her in the litter box, and make scratching motions with your finger, as that should indicate to her what she is supposed to do. I would make sure the litter box doesn't have a cover on it, as she is likely used to doing her business with no cover over her. Leave her be until you have to give her pain medications, as the peace and quiet may reduce her stress and give her incentive to eat, drink, and use the box. You can try to tempt her to eat by offering her some boiled white meat chicken (no bones), and some gently warmed really smelly wet food such as sardine or fished based. Hopefully being alone in a quiet and dark room will relax her, and she will start eating, drinking, and using the box.

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