# 7 year old girl is pooing and peeing in the cat's litter box- help



## jasmine829 (May 30, 2014)

I found similar inquiries to this through google (how I found this forum) with the 7 year old neph. and 8 year old son... except this thing with my sister seems even stranger and there's not much info on google about it.

Anyway here's what's been happening: We have two cats and two litter boxes. One in the upstairs bathroom used by both cats and one downstairs used by only one cat b/c the upstairs cat doesn't go downstairs. For the past month I was finding tons of pee and diarrhea poop in the upstairs box only. I assumed it was a cat until eventually changing the waste bin one day saw poopy toilet tissue with the same kind of poop on it. This got me suspicious and I noticed when my sis would use the upstairs bathroom she'd spend 10-15 mins in there (not only pooing in the box but playing with my contact lenses which she knows not to play with) and after she's out there'd be a mess in the box. So I've been keeping the box out of the bathroom and told her mother about my conviction. Of course she didn't believe me and kind of ignored further discussion of it. 

Yesterday I heard the door close to the upstairs bathroom so went up to check and make sure the box was still outside or if she moved it inside. Sure enough she took the box into the bathroom with her and locked the door. At this time my dad and her other 2 siblings were around and we were telling her "I hope you're not going in the litter box." She said no, no, and pretended she didn't know how to unlock the door. Eventually she opened it and all the evidence was there-- massive pee and fresh diarrhea in the cat box, pee on the floor, hand prints in litter sand where she tried to cover it up. All the evidence was there so I asked "why are you using the litter box? the box is for cats that's not your bathroom" and she simply denied everything saying no and I didn't. She tried to go back into the bathroom to lock herself in but I grabbed onto her and pulled her out at which point she started to punch and kick me. I just kept asking why and she kept saying it wasn't her.

Once also this past week there was a poop, normal and not diarrhea, in the downstairs bathroom on the floor, discovered by my sister but blamed on the cat, which was dubitable since it was big and cat poops are usually small.

Talking to her mother on the phone she finally listened when her other sister confirmed what I had been telling her but made it like I was the problem for telling her that it's wrong to use the cat's box and not to talk to her in a stern tone of voice and told me that "I can't have my daughter talked to in that way and if I have to I'll just take her and me and live someplace else." Everyone else who was there, her other sisters and my dad, agreed i was not over the top yelling at her.

Unlike the other 7 year old neph. and 8 year old... my sister just completely denies everything and refuses to answer why. She is a bit of a brat throwing tantrums just about every day for nothing, talking back, cursing at us, and being rude. Perhaps she just wants her poop to be seen b/c she's having digestive issues? or I also fear she's doing this to manipulate her mother somehow and maybe break our family apart. 

Any advice is appreciated.


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## lauren (Nov 20, 2001)

Hi there, can you clarify for me, is your niece living with you? Is she part of your family, or does she go home to your sisters at night? Thanks


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## rainbownurse (Dec 19, 2012)

From what I remember from devo psych, bowel/bladder things like this are usually the result of a developmental psych issue. Is there any way you can get her to a doctor/therapist and get a referral to a good developmental psychologist?


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## OrmEmbar (Oct 25, 2012)

Where is her mother that you can only talk to her on the phone? Is she away for a time or just at work? 
This could be several things and I hope that your Dad and her Mom are taking this situation seriously. Here is something to think about:
I would be very careful about shaming a 7 year old about using the litter box or pooping on the floor. Clearly, something is going on and shaming will not help the situation at all. Being playful might get you some answers if you need them: "oh! Looks like we have a new sweet kitty to love! I am glad she knows how to use the litter box. Here kitty, let me per you. This kitty seems to have some tummy troubles, does your tummy hurt kitty?" Etc. 
or less silly: "you know, sometimes kids do things like use the litter box when they have something to say but don't know how to say it. I know I'm just your sister, not mom or dad, but I'm here to help if you need anything. "
I agree that your sister probably needs some professional help to figure out what is going on. Can you talk to your Dad about this?


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