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Soo I have a mini lop who is litter box trained… and a cat (obviously also litter box trained). My lop used to have a corner litter box with the grate over it, but I switched him to a large uncovered litter box so I could give him hay in a more “contained” area (and more of it at a time because those hay grate things are so tiny).
Anyway, I keep an area of my apartment fenced off during the day so that my rabbit can have free roam of the kitchen and dining room while I’m at work–him and the cat are buds so I like that they have each other for company all day.
I noticed today that the rabbit is using the cats litter box… the cat won’t go in the rabbits (in his cage), but he’ll go over and use hers… I’ve watched him do it tonight, and he hops right in, uses it, and hops right out–and she doesn’t care. She still uses her box as well. The litter is non-clumping and like I said he doesn’t lounge around in it, eat it, or anything… and he seems entirely happy and active as usual.
I think he’s trying to keep his own personal litter box as just a “hay” box… he’s a very neat rabbit so it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t want to poop where he eats his hay. If this isn’t something unsafe, by all means I’m fine with them sharing a litter box. Less cleanup for me..
BY THE WAY: The litter is Fresh Step Extreme (non-clumping) formula… all I’ve really found that’s definitive online is not to use clumping formula (which it’s not) and Fresh Step’s page says
Fresh Step® cat litter is not known to cause harm to animals, including kittens, when ingested in small amounts.
Like I said, he doesn’t eat it whatsoever. He just jumps in, uses it, and leaves. Should I trust him?
So my question is–is it a big deal that he uses it?
If it’s clay, then there is the concern that a rabbit could develop respiratory problems (assuming he doesn’t eat it). Ingesting large quantities of any type of absorbent litter is potentially dangerous though. There are warnings on litters meant for rabbits even.
I guess I would be more worried about bacteria in your cat’s poop getting on your bunny’s feet (and then your bunny subsequently licking it off). Cats can also transmit the parasite toxoplasmosis through their poop.
Oh shoot, really?? She’s a strictly indoor cat, does that reduce the chances of toxoplasmosis? :/
Ironically he has care fresh underneath the hay in his box, and he was eating that! And I was debating switching back to his old box and came home today and he wasn’t eating the care fresh anymore (just the hay) and using the cat’s litter box… I want to say I can trust him that he’s smart enough to use another bigger box instead of his own to keep his hay clean, but at the same time it’d crush me if he got sick because of me.
Well this is what I found:
Clay cat litter: Although inexpensive, clay litter can be dusty and may encourage digging in the litter box. There are also more absorbent litters on the market. Also, if bunny should ingest this litter, it could be fatal.
4. Non-clumping clay litters are still a potential danger. Many clay litters are exceptionally dusty. If your bunny likes to dig, he may kick large amounts of fine particulate matter into the air. When this enters his respiratory tract, it can cause intense irritation, leading to coughing, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Prolonged exposure to dusty clay litters can cause your bunny to experience life-threatening respiratory damage.
I also found this on their site:
https://www.freshstep.com/cat-litter/faq/litter/
Are Fresh Step® products safe for animals other than cats?
Fresh Step® products are not recommended for use with dogs, rabbits, ferrets or any pets other than cats.
Is Fresh Step® cat litter harmful to cats or other animals if ingested?Fresh Step® cat litter is not known to cause harm to animals, including kittens, when ingested in small amounts. However, if a pet eats a large amount of any litter (e.g., a bowlful), we recommend that you consult a veterinarian.
I see you did post some of that statement but the underline. I assume the “large amount” and “bowlful” is supposed to reference cats or larger animals in general. I would assume it would take a lot less to give rabbits problems.
Also note how the site quotes applies to ingested, not respiratory problems it may give a rabbit.
I would also assume this would be a big red flag for use of rabbits, though it is more indirect:
Is Fresh Step® cat litter biodegradable?
No. Like most cat litters, Fresh Step® Clay and Fresh Step® Scoopable litters are primarily made of clay, a natural but non-biodegradable mineral found in the earth. Fresh Step® Crystals are not biodegradable, but are compatible with most landfill requirements.
I would assume this is a big reason for the ingestion warning.
You could try switching to a litter that can be used for both of them. Like Yesterday’s News. Since you don’t use cluming anyways, it probably wouldn’t be a big change.
I can’t really comment on the possible parasite issue, all I can suggest is cleaning daily.
For the parasite question I would just call up the vet and ask over the phone. My vet answers Q’s like that over phone I am sure yours would to. If he doesn’t though, there is a service called justanswer.com and it only costs $30 per question. you could ask an exotic vet there
I agree with the others, he shouldn’t be in the cat’s litter box. Things could be transmitted and the litter can become a health risk.
We use horse stall pellets for both our rabbit’s and cat’s litter boxes. Cheapest litter ever, does a great job and is totally safe if ingested.
The risk is definitely there, but it is less if it is an indoor cat. If you cat eats (or has eaten) mice, birds, or raw meat then it is possible for her to be a carrier though. Daily cleaning can help since the poop has to sit for a day or two in order for it to be infectious. You can discuss this with your vet, but really it is just a good idea to keep your bunny out of the cat litter box. As others have chimed in, clay litter can cause respiratory problems in rabbits and can be harmful if eaten.
My rabbit uses our cats litter box every chance he gets (not often). Why? Not because his is full, and not because he has to go, but because its a sign of dominance. He’s asserting that the cats’ box is his box and it’s in his area.
The cat boxes are in areas restricted to the buns (aka- anywhere that isn’t my room or his half of the porch), however in the few times Finn has found his way into the main areas of the apartment he always beelines for the cat boxes so he can drop a few pellets and mark it. I have a feeling your rabbit is doing the same thing.
Can you move the box to an area that’s off limits to the rabbit? We keep ours in the laundry room and the porch.
So I’ve been locking Charlie up at night in his condo and have noticed he still doesn’t want to use his box with hay–he is adamant about keeping his hay separate from his poop. So I gave him back his old huge corner box with the grid and he still the second let out today ran to the cats and pooped for EVER almost like he held it all until he could get to her box again. I switched his hay to his bed area and hopefully he’ll start using his corner box again..
I did call two rabbit vets and they both said if he hasn’t eaten it by now chances are he’s not going to and I shouldn’t worry about it.. They said if I see him sneezing or change in food or pooping at all remove him immediately but if he seems fine to let him use it..
Have you considered switching your cat’s litter to something a little safer? Like Yesterday’s News or Feline Pine?
That’s actually what I used to use but it didn’t contain the smell AT all… It was gross
I’m getting so frustrated because my rabbit won’t use his box now! He is ADAMANT about sharing the litter box with my cat.. she doesn’t mind either, but I can’t just leave him out 24/7 to use it! Lol I don’t get this little guy…
Is it your cat’s urine or poo that smells?
Both.. But to be honest I haven’t tried it since I rescued my cat off the streets about 6 months ago.. I just didn’t find it to be a good litter it was alot more messy, and it didn’t absorb the smell at all (for the cat or the rabbit, I used it for my rabbit before I had the cat, too).. and he didn’t seem to like it either.
(Ps I mean Yesterdays News)
Now I notice no smell because I switched her to fresh step right after that and haven’t looked back.
Would wood stove pellets work for cats?
Works well for my rabbit, just not sure about cats or hiding smells of cat business
Or this?:
Posted By Hazel on 01/08/2014 03:02 PM
We use horse stall pellets for both our rabbit’s and cat’s litter boxes. Cheapest litter ever, does a great job and is totally safe if ingested.
The reason I asked was because there are things that can affect how a cat’s pee and poop smells. When we first had my bridge kitty, his poop smelled so bad. We switched him to a better diet and it improved the smell tremendously.
Yea you could be right, that was also back when I first found her…. but she didn’t seem to like the litter either too much–she kicked ALOT of it out of the box (my bun did too) so I switched her to cat litter and he has a litter box with a grate now. I think switching him to a litter box again was a bad decision, but even now that I gave him back the old grated litter box he won’t use it–he literally leaves the box entirely empty and waits for me to open the cage so he can run to the cat’s box, do his business, then hops out immediately and plays… so weird!
I would block off his access to the cat box so you can get him to use his own again. Even if the litter box was safe for your rabbit to share you don’t really want him holding it in everyday.
Wood stove pellets work well for cats and bunnies.
Wood stove pellets? Where can I find those?
I do have him back in his condo for now until I can trust him to not just wait until he’s out to use the cats! The cat doesn’t mind and I don’t really either but I don’t want that to be HIS primary spot when he has his own litter box.
And is it really possible for him to be holding it in? I know it sounds crazy but I swear that’s what he’s doing. He’s a neat freak so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s happier holding it so the poop is OUT of the cage… I have some interesting animals
Untreated Wood Stove Pellets can be found at most hardware stores. They are very cheap. You can also find Dryden, Feline Pine, horse stall pellets, ect… that are labelled and marketed towards pets but it’s the same product. Rabbits can hold it in. If they couldn’t we wouldn’t be able to litter train them. If your cat box is located in the bathroom or somewhere specific you can also put up a baby gate or something similar. This will allow your cat in but not you bunny. There’s no reason for them to share and really more possible hazards with them sharing then with them just using their own. Haha, how often do you get to discourage someone from sharing?
I also wanted to second what LBJ said about diet and kitty smells. When I switched my cats to a higher quality food their litter box smelled much less.
I definitely agree, when I said it smelled that was literally the first couple days I rescued her from the streets.. who knows what she ate (she came to me incredibly malnourished and skinny, I found her in my old job’s garage). So I notice no smell. Maybe I will try the wood stove pellets. It’s just tough because I live in a tiny 1 bedroom and my kitten’s box is too big for our tiny bathroom–very limited spots to put it -_- it’s hidden next to our dining room little vanity thing in between that and the wall. I don’t have alot of options for litter box placement I’m trying to house train the rabbit to free roam (which is an experience in itself, as my rabbit LOOOVES wires and even manages to pull out the hidden ones..)
So for now, he’s in his condo until he starts using HIS box again.
Posted By MoveDiagonally on 01/10/2014 03:58 PM
If your cat box is located in the bathroom or somewhere specific you can also put up a baby gate or something similar. This will allow your cat in but not you bunny.
I agree. Our cat has her own room , we leave the door open most of the time but there’s always a baby gate blocking the doorway. This keeps our bunny as well as our dog away from the cat’s food and litter box.
Once he understands that he won’t be able to get to the cat’s box anymore, he will stop holding it in. So no exceptions.
As for litter, we get horse stall pellets from Tractor Supply. It’s the same thing as wood stove pellets.
This rabbit is blowing my mind.. he was locked in his condo all yesterday afternoon and last night.. a solid 14-15 hours of eating and laying around… well I opened the condo at 11am today to check if he used his box at all and NOT only was his box entirely empty, but he dashed out and ran right to the cats box and used it enough to make up for the entire night! He is one STUBBORN bunny who has the ability to hold it in better than most small dogs.. I don’t really mind if he uses the cat’s box anymore because he does nothing but use it to go to the bathroom, but I don’t like that he’ll hold it for that long, that can’t be healthy! I think I finally met my match with stubborn-ness…
The reason he’s holding it is because he knows that you’ll let him use the cat box eventually. That’s why I said no exceptions . I still don’t think he should use the cat’s box for the reasons everybody has already mentioned. But if you decide to let him do it then he will keep holding it in. Like you said yourself, that’s probably not healthy, either. Especially considering the way a rabbit’s digestive tract operates.
Hmmm..
I been trying to come up with ideas how to get him not to use the cats litterbox.
Is there a way you can put the cat in a different room and put a second rabbit litterbox where the cat one is currently? Maybe that will change his mindset seeing the cat box is no longer him to access.
@Hazel I know :/ dead honest I wasn’t trying to let him out I opened the door to his condo to give him more hay and check his box and when I was busy unclipping it he dashed out… So stubborn he blows my mind.
And unfortunately I live in a tiny bedroom I don’t really have a ton of places to put the cats box that he couldn’t get to :/ I even tried to lift the box for a few hours and I let him out and he hopped around like normal and just waited for me to put the box back (I can’t take
It away forever it’s not fair to the cat) he seems VERY set on using that box no matter what.
Switch the litter boxes then and see if that helps. Give your cat the buns large box and give the bunny the cats older box. To see what happens. Also, what kind of litter are you using for your bunny? Perhaps he doesn’t like it and prefers the softer litter the cat is offered. Perhaps give him care fresh or something more plus for him to use and maybe he’ll decide his box isn’t so bad. Did this only start happening after you changed is litter box? Maybe since it had a “new” smell he didn’t want to use it and now that he’s been using the cats box he is more drawn to it as it smells like his toilet. Which is why maybe just switching the cats and rabbits boxes and see what happens.
I also agree. Do not let him out until he uses the restroom. He can only hold it in so much and a bun won’t purposely hold it in so long to where it kills them. Lock him in all day, 24 hours, and then take a look in his box. When you open his cage, take the cats box and out it away just in case he does get out again. The cat can deal while he is out romping around for an a couple hours to stretch if you do decide to let him out. If he just waits for you to out it down, don’t put it down! Buns are very stubborn and hard headed and you have to be too when it comes to this kinda stuff :p
Good luck!
And when you switch the boxes of course give them their OWN type of litter :p hope you understood what I was meaning.
He actually has the same box he’s been using for 2 weeks now with no problems. And he has care fresh litter which he’s been trying to eat since then which I’m not thrilled with as it is.. And I even gave him cat litter (in his old corner box covered by a grate) hoping that he would use it then. But it’s just the fact that it’s cats and that he loves the space. As of right now I just have him free roaming (he’s a really good boy) and I’ve watched him carefully and he uses the cats box every time (his box is still 4 days later totally empty) and he hasn’t tried to eat it or dig in it.. I’m not thrilled with it but i prefer them sharing a box and me cleaning it more than he holding it for god knows how long. It blows my mind how stubborn he is. He absolutely refuses to use his box anymore. He found a litter box outside of his cage and he’s a clean animal so I can’t really be that surprised :/
What about using littler that is ok for both like the wood pellets?
You said something about liking the spot, what about moving the rabbit’s hutch or whatever to the spot the cat littler box is currently at and putting the cat one somewhere else?
Can you divide a room or something using Cube wall things?
Yea definitely. i’m even gonna try mixing the cat litter with the care fresh half and half to see if he’ll still use it.. and gradually fade it out. My bun is all of a sudden kind of pick with litters it seems.. The rabbit has a huge condo (made out of those nic cube things) in the corner. the box is literally diagonal from his condo, like 5 feet away, but apparently that makes a HUGE difference to him… he’s a picky little guy. I’m looking into finding wood pellets I can use in the box, that way it’s safer.. Living in NJ makes that a tad more difficult but I’m trying
It’s also kind of ironic that he’ll eat the Carefresh that’s in his box with hay, but he won’t TOUCH the cat’s litter… I’ve been watching him SO carefully but he has no interest lol
Remember it has a respiratory risk too, not just the dangers of eating it (the non clump clay)
Remember a risk is a risk, it might not happen, but it is a good idea to avoid if it is possible to wean him off it. I hope it is the spot, not the type of litter he got addicted to.
Not to mention he may not eat it now… But he can start. Rabbits are funny that way and like to start new habits. Right when you’re comfortable with him not eating the litter, he may take a bite. Or during grooming he can lick little dust particles off his feet. Idk, I’d feel uncomfortable allowing this to go on further… Have you tried putting care fresh in the cats litter box? I wonder if he’d decide he doesn’t like the cats litter box either since it has care fresh. Then you’d at least know it’s the litter and not the box or box placement.
Maybe have you cat lay in your rabbit’s litter box for a bit so it smells like cat. LOL
i am in NJ too. I buy horse stall pellets from tractor supply co.