My cat scratches the side of his litter tray for 10 mins

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Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

My 9-month-old cat scratches the side of his litter tray for ages after he's done his business.

The thing is, he doesn't actually cover his poo; he just scratches all around the sides, then sniffs what he’s just done and carries on scratching the plastic. It’s usually at night, so it makes a right racket...

- I thought it might be the type of litter, so I’ve tried loads of different brands, but he still does the same thing.

- Then I thought he might just be really fussy, so I cleaned it out immediately every time he went.

- Trying to show him how to scratch the litter properly hasn't worked either.

- I even wondered if he was trying to get the bits of litter off his paws, so I tried wiping his paws for him.

But now I'm completely out of ideas... Is this normal? Any advice on how to stop it? Thanks in advance for your help!

Translated from French
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    • Mamiecat
    Mamiecat Icon representing the flag French
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    Personally, I’ve had cats that did the same thing... and it’s true that when a cat goes for a poo or a wee in the middle of the night, everyone gets to hear about it! I had a cat who used to swing the flap for a good five minutes before getting into his litter tray... ‘should I go in or shouldn’t I?’. Medically, everything was fine. It just became a bit of a habit... he had to swing that door for ages... and if he didn’t do it going in, he’d do it coming out. Taking the door off upset him so much that he refused to go in anymore. So I put it back on, and he did it for the rest of his life... and only with his litter tray! Some kids play about on the potty... well, this cat was just the same with his tray! Or maybe he was just interested in the physics of the rotation...
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi!

    One of my cats does that too... I’ve tried everything you have, but with no luck. So I just put it into perspective and tell myself it’s her way of announcing she’s done a poo and that I need to come and scoop it up :D (Her Ladyship doesn’t like litter trays with anything left in them)

    I tried taking the sides off the litter trays, but as they flick litter everywhere (three cats means a lot of litter), the litter area quickly became a mess. Since I was fed up with cleaning it up 10 times a day, I gave up and put the sides back on. They just don't like the flaps, so I’ve taken those off.

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, I’ve got one at home who does the exact same thing. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts and putting my heart into training her, it just hasn't worked. So she’s two and a half now and still does it.

    Personally, I think it’s down to her not being properly weaned (we got her when she was two months old, which is far too early).

    Translated from French

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