On Feb 6, 4:10*pm, "Rene S." wrote:
I make sure the boxes are both clean and unobstructed. *When I catch
Aster in the act I scold her and pick her up and put her in her own
box. *I think she partially doesn't "get it" and partially it's a game
to her. *And who knows what goes on when we're at work all day.

Any advice besides correcting her 'in the act' and making sure the
boxes are clean to STOP one cat (Aster) from using the other's box?
Ezzie had been alone for the first 6 years of her life so we don't
want to make them share a box even though many cats do. *Plus, Aster
has a sensitive stomach. *We've had her tested for everything and they
say she's healthy, but knock on wood, if something does ever happen we
don't want any diseases passed back and forth, or just germs in
general.

Basically, you can't stop her from using another litter box. (It's
better she uses another box than the floor or another undesirable
place, like your bed.) Please don't scold her when she uses the
"wrong" box. She might start being more secretive about going in other
locations. You can add a third box near the "wrong" box to see if
she'll use that. Some cats like to urinate in one box and defecate in
another box anyway, so you should ideally have three boxes for two
cats.

I am unsure why you don't want them sharing a litter box. If you scoop
twice per day and regularly scrub the boxes, there is little chance of
disease transmission.

Thanks for the reply. Most cat owners I know (not on here but just in
general) I've seen give each cat a box if possible. The reason for
not wanting them to share is that they don't get along fantastically.
The older cat tolerates the younger, but what has been HER food, HER
water, and HER litter box for 6 years is tough to try to make her
share. I thought/think for sure that it's more fair to the older cat
to not disrupt her space like that, no?

Point taken on there being no 'wrong' box. But the older cat never
goes in the other box, and the younger cat didn't used to go in the
'wrong' box, and only now does it occasionally. They have separate
food, separte water, etc. I've never thought of a cat wanting to poop
in one box and pee in another.

But, it noticeably disturbs the older cat when the young cat uses the
older cat's litter box. She's not OK with it. Plus, I figure if they
each use their own box, then each box will not get as nasty so quick
and I can scoop them daily without fear of them ever getting full.
With two cats firing away it would get filled twice as fast and be
twice as nasty. Just my opinions; I don't really disagree with what
you said either :-)

Thanks
T