Cat using tort cage as litter box - help!!

[Stormy Rose]

Has anybody had any experience with this or advice on how to prevent this??
I have about a year a russian tortoise living in an enclosure which is basically a two plastic bins attached to each other and is open topped. Recently my cat decided that this would be her new litter box!! It seems that she's using it in spite of me - peeing more than usual. She just started this a few days ago, and seems to have decided she prefers it over her real litter box. I've caught her way too many times the past few days, and I can't continue replacing this much bedding all the time. I'm currently using coco coir. It seems whatever barriers i put up she just jumps over or knocks down. Any advice for repelling a cat from the enclosure without bothering the tortoise??
Thanks!

 

[WithLisa]

Make a lid of hardware cloth.

 

[Lyn W]

Yes definitely a lid that your cat can't knock off because as well as hygiene risk to tort (parasites etc), cats can also do serious damage to your tort's eyes if they lash out with claws or want to 'play' with it. There was a post on here last week I've been trying to find for you with pics of what looked like terrible puncture marks from bites on a little tort and the poor thing was pretty traumatised - so yes keep those cats out!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Once the cat has started using the habitat as a litter box you have to provide a mechanical barrier. Hardware cloth is good. It can be stapled to a wooden frame, and it supports the weight of the cat if it gets on it.

 

[Gillian M]

Hi. What came in your post today stopped me from getting a cat/kitten. I've had a Greek tort I LOVE for four years and was thinking of another pet. However, I don't think that a tort and a cat 'could ever be friends.' I couldn't imagine for a second, a cat doing any harm whatsoever to my tort.

 

[johnsonnboswell]

My old cat slashed several clutches of eggs in a habitat I thought was too high for her little ancient self to jump into. Both indoor & outdoor habitats are cat proofed now. Grrr

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I would use chickenwire.

 

[Lyn W]

I would use an electric fence (not a cat person me)

 

[leigti]

Make a lid of hardware cloth.

I agree, hardware cloth will work. Chicken wire is too thin. Make a wooden frame and staple the hardware cloth to it and then waited down with something too heavy for the cat to move. Once a cat uses a place as a litter box it wants to keep going there so the only way to stop it is to put up a strong barrier. Also make sure you clean out the tubs and everything in them completely, cat urine smell is very hard to get rid of. It took my cats almost 2 years to figure out they could get into the indoor enclosure, now I have to have them covered.

 

[leigti]

I also suggest hardware cloth over your outdoor enclosure for the same reason.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Here we get various thicknesses of chicken wire.
A thicker one would work, in my opinion, but the majority seems to be favouring harware cloth, which would be fine too, of course.

 

[leigti]

Here we get various thicknesses of chicken wire.
A thicker one would work, in my opinion, but the majority seems to be favouring harware cloth, which would be fine too, of course.

Strictly to keep the cat out chickenwire would work. But if the cat walks across the enclosure or tries to lay on it then hardware cloth would hold up better than chicken wire. I guess it just depends on what your cat does.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Strictly to keep the cat out chickenwire would work. But if the cat walks across the enclosure or tries to lay on it then hardware cloth would hold up better than chicken wire. I guess it just depends on what your cat does.

There's always more than one solution, depending on the situation.
Maybe Lyn's electric fence for a very determined cat ?

 

[johnsonnboswell]

There's always more than one solution, depending on the situation.
Maybe Lyn's electric fence for a very determined cat ?

Some people use motion sensor water sprayers, too, but neither is a good solution for indoors.

 

[Stormy Rose]

Thanks everyone! I will put together a frame with hardware cloth ASAP

 

[DawnH]

I would also get the motion sensor sprayers as well. You can get the air filled type. One on one end of the cage (top) and another on the other side. So if he/she jumps on it it gives a hard blast of air along with a hissing sound. Cats are jerks. We have two.

 

[smarch]

I used to keep Franklin out in an extra plastic tote I had at nights watching Tv since it was warm and he actually would plunk down facing the tv in his tote and "watch" so it had mulch and stuff to make him comfy. Well one night watching tv our cat is wandering around then next thing I know he's in the tote peeing and I swear he was looking at me as he did it in spite! I don't think I've ever yelled so loud at anything. After that I tried to use mats and cloths but Franklin didn't like it as much and the cat still peed in it! I was so mad. Thankfully his enclosure has always been well covered and the cat never went close to it. I've had to just give up with having him out like that.
I suggest the cover

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Cats.....