Clyde, bad habits. Help!

[TiffanyandCD]

Hey everyone, I have a little le guy that just turn 5 months well we have a situation and I can't find anything to help. For the last three weeks he gets in his liter box does his business but plays with his poop. It's all over his paws than he jumps out and try to run around the house with poop on him. I clean his box twice a day and it doesn't stop..... and he hates baths as well since we got him. We tried gently bathing his. We tried wrapping a towel around him but he goes into attack mode and we get bad scratches all over us. I need help. I don't know what to do anymore. Besides the poop and the baths he is a really loving funny kitten.

 

[Yoda mom]

@TiffanyandCD , I am sure mums n dads with young kitties will chime in with poo playing poo foot issues-
I can only add I would try to redirect with Dabird pole toy or something similar more interesting when you catch him in the act -

As for baths- I tried everything with my 4 adoptees - armed my self in layers of sweatshirt -
I gave up on tub, kitchen sink ..
finally found a tolerable solution with the stokkes flexi bath with a drain plug
I let the, play in it dry with a ping pong ball etc before spa day to get them used to it
(You could also try a Rubbermaid roughneck 10 gal tote and cut a hole out - I got mine at homedepot $8)
- I used to use it without a hole and switched to stokkes flexibath -
Many colors and prices online

I figured it was worth the investment for kitty peace of mind and my skin!
Be careful with any cat scratches and clean open wounds immediately**

-I put a towel on the counter , flexibath on top , slide it over the bathroom sink with plug out .
a towel on the bottom as to not block the hole -
-I set up everthing ahead of time , drying towels rinse cups , Hylyt and avenalyt hypoallergenic soap free ez rinse shampoo with caps open ready to use
- set pitcher of warm water , squirt of the shampoos with baby face cloths in the sink with water slowly running to fill rinse cups -
-put on my exfoliating gloves, scoop up kitty , put in flexibath , warm wet towel on kitties back seems to calm mine-
One hand gently holding kitty , other in pitcher using the baby face cloths.

Use the baby face cloths from the pitcher to wet kitty - put soap on my exfoliating gloves and wash kitty
-kitty stands up on the sides amd I get under neck , belly , arm pits and bumm
The water falls to the botto, wetting the towel and helps clean nails -
Then I lift kitty up gently under front legs and rinse with my cups with the slow running water

- I wipe face last with a warm water baby Face cloth I had to the side -
-scoop kitty up in drying towel -(I like the large dog microfiber towels I get at Marshalls for $5.99)
- sit on toilet lid with kitty and pat dry - the Wahl pawprint grooming apron is a must for me -
- put down kitty - give a couple of treats amd play with Dabird toy and all is forgotten for a few more weeks till the next "spa day"
- toss all towels, face cloths in flexibath right to the wash , fold n store flexibath away

Many members will have good tips and advice to pick and choose that works best for Clyde

It does get easier - be confident and consistent - they get the routine down

I can actually wear tank tops amd the grooming apron and no more scratches
Just some complaining by kitties


Hope this helps
Surely others will chime in with poo play /poo feet solutions

I do use a very very very teenie bit of Hylyt shampoo in water in the pitcher for in between both touch ups-
Perhaps thet would help with his feet too. I do this with all 4 and no skin issues -

 

[GoldHazel]

Hey everyone, I have a little le guy that just turn 5 months well we have a situation and I can't find anything to help. For the last three weeks he gets in his liter box does his business but plays with his poop. It's all over his paws than he jumps out and try to run around the house with poop on him. I clean his box twice a day and it doesn't stop..... and he hates baths as well since we got him. We tried gently bathing his. We tried wrapping a towel around him but he goes into attack mode and we get bad scratches all over us. I need help. I don't know what to do anymore. Besides the poop and the baths he is a really loving funny kitten.

@TiffanyandCD sorry you are dealing with this situation. I personally never heard of a cat playing in their litter box with their poop. Have you considered getting a good automatic sifting litter box?

While he is still young, you should get him used to his baths. It took one year to figure out the best way to bathe my first sphynx. I never considered what he did to me as him being in attack mode. I have had plenty of scars to prove it, but again, it's not attack mode. Your kitten is scared an in panic mode, not attack mode.

First things first: Prior to his bath, even the day before, give him a mani/pedi and after cutting his nails, file them.

Then for the bath: Fill your kitchen sink to a level that hits his belly when standing. Make the water a bit warmer than you'd think as his body temperature is hotter than yours and if you make the water just a tiny bit warm, it will be cold to him.

Place a non-skid mat on the bottom of the sink. This way he won't be slipping all over the place and cause him to get scared and panic.

Put some nice music on in the room. Talk to him calmly. Show that you are confident which is very important. If you are going to be nervous and show fear of getting "attacked", then he will sense your fear or nervousness.

I was patient with my first guy and like I mentioned above, it took a full year for me to figure out these things on my own. He went from screaming his head off during a bath. I always needed one or two people to help me to bathing completely on my own with NO screaming, no scratching and no biting.

Just make sure you have everything you need for the bath within reach and rinse him very, very well.

It doesn't matter now whether I give baths once a week or once every few months, all is calm here now.

As far as the playing with poop problem: I'm make sure there isn't anything medically wrong with him. He's not eating it, is he? Does he cover his poop with litter though?

Does he have plenty of great toys to play with? I'm not sure if he's just acting out and wants more attention or what. Hopefully others can chime in with that.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Hopefully it is just a stage he is going through about the poop part. Is his poop hard or is it wet? Not sure if you saw this thread from the past, but @admin made a great video on bathing and you might pick up a few tips. I do swear by wearing exfoliating gloves as you can get a nice grip with them.
Bathing your Sphynx Cat and why.

Patti

 

[Hairless Blessing]

You have received great advice. Just give it time.