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RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

ScarletDreams489 — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:58:30 GMT

I can definitely say I have plenty of experience dealing with this. Dogs are attracted to litter boxes like magnets. This is because of the high amount of protein cats ingest. The dogs can actually smell it in the cats poop. That's why they try to eat it, they see it as a good source of protein. Gross, but functional. Eating the poop itself wont harm the dog, it's just gross. And I don't know about you, but a dog licking my face after it's just had a nice cat crunchy does not seem very appealing. Even with the most well trained dog, there is going to be some draw to the litter box. It's instinctual. I had a very well trained dog while I was living with my mother and one of the only things he did that he was not supposed to was he occasionally went for the litter box. The best thing to do would be to separate the box from where the dog is going to be completely. If you have a basement you could block it off to the new dog and let the cat through. As Ocimom said, you could use a baby gate. That is what my parents are doing right now, they have a spare room they are using for the cat's food, water and litter box (mostly for a new, shy kitty) and they just block it off from the dogs.

One last thing, make sure if you get a puppy (or even a grown dog for that matter) start training it to leave things alone, such as the litter box, immediately so that it learns its boundaries. It will listen much better if you start early and be consistent.

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

Ocimom — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:24:13 GMT

They will unless they are trained to leave it alone. Our lab is trained to not even go on the side of the basement where the litter pan is. She's so good that if her ball goes over their she will get you to go get it - she won't go get it herself. We can trust her not to be over there if we leave her home.

It takes work but can be done with a well trained dog. Pups are a lot harder to work with if they are not trained.

You might consider a baby gate for awhile or build a box that the litter pan can sit in - with a entrance/hole in the top for the cat to jump down and use it and jump back out.

Will tell you that smaller dogs pose more of a problem as they are "cat-size".

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

Skayda — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:33:51 GMT

We are ALWAYS catching our dog, Clover, trying to stick her head into the covered little box we have for Flukie and 'Zadi to get a mouthful of, a my boyfriend calls them, "kitty-roca" before we have a chance to scoop. Eeew. lol.

~Ami

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

imtripodsmom — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:53:23 GMT

We once owned a Pharoah Hound while staying a few years with my mom's parents. Grandma and Grandpa had 5 cats and a small dog. Our Pharoah Hound kept getting into the litterboxes for a snack, ended up with kidney failure, and had to be put down. They used the cheap clay litter that looked like gravel, but the dog just dug the solids out and ate them. He was so sneaky, and we would be busy with other stuff, it was hard to catch him in the act. It was awful, watching a beautiful dog shrink to skin and bones. Definately use one of those "camoflaged" cat boxes they feature in ads in Cat Fancy.

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

Ocimom — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:44:14 GMT

Yes they will if not trained or if they get the chance. Smaller dogs are more of a problem as they can get in the box about the same as a cat.

Our lab is trained never to go on the side of the room where the pan is located. She is very good and has never "stolen the goodies"

If you wind up with a dog that is small enough to get in the covered litter box, then you will have to build a container with an opening on top for the cats to jump down. Its like a very large chest made of wood with a hole in the top. Cat jumps down inside and uses the pan and then hops out. I've never heard of a dog that was that anxious to get to the pan that way. If you build it yourself, you'll have to put hinges on the top to open it up to clean the pan out.

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

PeaLoki&Gabe — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:09:43 GMT

Another possible deterrent to a dog can be a top entry litterbox, a small dog can't get into it, and a big dog shouldn't be able to reach the kitty krispies.

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

evasmummy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:13:54 GMT

Absolutely they are attracted to the litter box. There is nothing quite as yummy to a dog as recycled cat food. My 12 lb. poodle is very much aware that the box is off limits to doggies. If the cat goes to it and I don't notice I will see the dog acting very sneaky. She will move very slowly toward the room where the box is kept and keep looking over her shoulder to see if I notice her. That's when I say "No. That's a bad dog thing to do." And I run in and scoop. The dog looks sad. Like I've just eaten her favorite treat. Don't let this stop you. My two girls are best of friends and they keep each other company and play together all the time. When I leave the house I tell the dog to take good care of the kitty. And I really think she knows what I'm saying because when I get home they're lying next to each other just waking up from a nice nap.

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

moon_beam — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:15:44 GMT

Hi, Luci's Mama, in answer to your question about a dog being attracted to a kitty's litter box, there are two answers: 1. It depends on the dog's personality and training to "leave" certain things alone. 2. Basically, yes, for some reason there is an inherent attraction - - instinctual attraction - - to explore potty accomplishments. As a mom of both kitties and a dog, I can assure you it will be okay to go ahead and add a canine companion to your household regardless of your dog's attraction to the kitty potties. First of all, you can make the kitty potties accessible to your kitties while adding barriers around the potties to keep a dog from gaining access. The kittles will LOVE this as it will provide additional privacy for them. Second, be sure to use kitty litter that, if ingested, will not cause intestinal blockage. This may include purchasing a more expensive kitty litter, but it will be healthier for both your feline and canine companions. You may want to speak with your veterinarian about this issue for professional advice. As for my personal experience, after using many different brands of litter over the years and doing recent research, I have changed my kitties' potty filler to a product called Swheat - - it is biodegradable, flushable (if you wish to dispose of it down your commode), and according to the product information, although it does clump when wet - - it is not supposed to cause intestinal blockages if consumed. So far I can say all is well in this regard. Of course, you don't want your dog making regular meals from the litter box, BUT if he / she should not be able to resist a snack, particularly when you are not around, there should not be any serious physical damage done. But again you will probably want to speak with your veterinarian for professional advice. Also, you can add de-scenters to the litter that will help to remove the odor that accompanies even the most sparkling clean of kitty litter boxes. And this will help to keep the room smelling fresher for everyone - - human and fur kids. And accompanying all of this with some basic obedience training for your dog to "leave it" may also help to keep the peace with the kitty litter boxes. I hope this helps you, and will look forward to knowing how things go for you.

Best wishes, peace, and blessings,

moon_beam

RE: Will dogs mess with the litter box?

Cynthiaa89 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:08:22 GMT

Will most dogs mess with litter boxes? I don't know...but 2 of mine and 2 of my boyfriends..well, they go treasure hunting.

Will dogs mess with the litter box?

Luci's Mama — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:40:33 GMT

Do dogs mess with the litter box because I was considering getting one and was wondering if it would.