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Why is my 9-week-old kitten crying pooping and not using litter?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 2 lbs

my 9week old female kitten refuses to use the litter tray so does her buisness around the house. but what is troubling me is her pooping. she screams everytime she pushs it out. she is on soft foods drinks water and kitten milk.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 26th, 2017

There can be a couple of reasons why White Claw 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 or bladder stones. It's also concerning that she is screaming when trying to poop, and she could be constipated. Constipation can be caused by anal sac impaction, intestinal parasites, a foreign body, too little fiber in the diet, lack of exercise, or even tumors in the GI tract. I recommend giving her a teapoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with her food to see if that helps. If she is still constipated in 24 hours, she will need to see a vet as she will likely need a laxative or an enema. Your vet can diagnose the cause of the constipation as well.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    Poor White Claw! If she is crying when she poops, this means that there is definitely a medical problem that needs to be addressed - it's likely that this may be causing her accidents outside the litter box, as well. I would recommend taking her to the vet as soon as possible for an exam. He/she can do some diagnostic testing if needed to help determine the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

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