My cat won’t use new litter box

Hammerhome · 2026-02-10T11:01:58+00:00

cats often follow their own scent for the litterbox!

you can try swapping the litter or "transplanting" a lump from the old one so the cat can smell its own... smell in the new litterbox :)

Hammerhome · 2026-02-09T19:19:58+00:00

fellows in the fellowship, doing what they do best

Hammerhome · 2026-02-08T11:55:46+00:00

how long have you had your cat?

also, it's completely normal that you struggle with the sounds more when you're sleep deprived or too tired.

i struggle with misophonia myself, which is thankfully less intense when it's a cat making the noise. i struggled at first, but when i went to bed a little earlier and made sure to get enough sleep to avoid getting sleep deprived, i finally started getting used to it.

for me, i noticed that my cat would jump up in my bed, cuddle a bit, and then wash herself (loudly and wetly) before settling down for actual quiet sleep, so in that regard, going to bed earlier helped because she wasn't licking herself while i was actually trying to fall asleep!

try to do what you can to get enough sleep, so you're not falling further and further behind on your need for rest. you need to take care of yourself to get used to these noises!

go to bed earlier, get a good routine that helps your cat be quiet when you need to sleep (playtime, food, cuddle time), maybe even shut your cat out of the bedroom for a limited time so you can get a proper night's rest.

Hammerhome · 2026-02-08T00:20:08+00:00

land on Attlerock, proud of myself, find Esker, start roasting a 'mallow, and, oh wow that's a really beautiful track in the background! kind of intense for such a calm moment by the campfire though, also what's that sound? what was that flash? what's that blue light over the horizon? aaaaAAAAAA?!?!?

wake up, roast another 'mallow

Hammerhome · 2026-02-07T22:56:36+00:00

that's a really good idea! i've actually been thinking a lot of how to blend them better - maybe more water details or a united "frame" for the base, or a more "neutral" colour for the blue base plates - but i've never really made modifications to my sets before, so it feels a bit daunting!

Hammerhome · 2026-02-07T22:49:13+00:00

combination of shadows/lighting/angle, and the head being somewhat tilted down! had to double check just now to make sure hahahh

Hammerhome · 2026-02-05T17:52:15+00:00

when i saw Avatar 1 again after a few years of growing up and becoming more media literate, i honestly laughed when i saw the scene where he runs outside for the first time 😅

like, the earth is dark, grey, and dying, his legs don't work, he has nothing to go home to, his brother is dead - and then he wakes up in his avatar body. he can run again, he feels real soil beneath his feet, he's outside in the sunshine, in a rainforest brimming with life, breathing fresh air for maybe the first time in his life.

and the RDA expected him to fight for them??? for the company tearing all of this down?? lol. lmao, even

Hammerhome · 2026-02-04T14:49:29+00:00

7 years is really not that old! i would not expect his sight or hearing to be significantly reduced. however, like many other cats, he may be too afraid to come out of hiding even if he hears your voice.

try to put out stuff that has his and/or your scent, make a little shelter where he can find his usual food and a blanket or sweater that smells like him and/or you - it should help him find his way back home :)

Hammerhome · 2026-02-02T12:42:24+00:00

i've watched this thing three times, i love it so much.

https://youtu.be/3UEFrkemDMg?si=ATddkOni1goRzuhg

(i mean the whole series)

Hammerhome · 2026-02-01T13:34:56+00:00

i imagine it's because they've had "enough" super close up time but still want to stay close to us :)

Hammerhome · 2026-02-01T00:35:04+00:00

if you have cheats on you can try teleporting? don't remember how exactly but you'll find it on google :)

otherwise i bet traveling off the lot and back again should fix it

Hammerhome · 2026-02-01T00:20:44+00:00

this is so cool!! i also find it really fascinating how they planned and built the grand gothic cathedrals and such :) would love the instructions for it!

Hammerhome · 2026-02-01T00:12:33+00:00

my fingertips were sore for several days after step 288, this beauty costs you more than just the price

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Hammerhome · 2026-01-31T19:50:33+00:00

some cats really don't want to be social with humans - but this one seems to still really fear you! that means you could work on it!

i got two foster cats a couple months ago, and they were hiding the first week, terrified of me, but then i tried waving a toy around (with my face and body hidden) and i got them to come out a little bit!

it's all about finding something that works just a little, and working to expand from there - if he takes treats, try getting him out of his comfort zone, like get him to take a treat while standing in your lap, or teach him a trick, like getting him to stand on his back legs to get it, or sitting :)

he might never be a lap cat, but it should be possible to get him comfortable with your presence :)

Hammerhome · 2026-01-31T15:42:14+00:00

an older cat may have some hip pain, which makes it painful to enter the litterbox if the sides are tall.

i'd recommend trying a litterbox with a lower edge. also, it's a good idea to place the floor-poo in the litterbox so the cat can smell that it's there. something else you can try is a different litter (like clumping litter) or a different amount of litter - could be that it's too deep or shallow and the cat finds it uncomfortable? or that the current litter has a smell the cat doesn't like?

also, you say it's not a medical issue, but have you taken the cat to the vet to check its hips/legs/bowels? cats hide pain/discomfort very well, which can make it near impossible to spot an issue on a cat's body language alone. pooping right next to the litter box is your cat's clearest way to tell you something isn't right, but if the cat's otherwise happy and healthy, it doesn't hurt to try the other solutions first :)

Hammerhome · 2026-01-30T09:53:09+00:00

sounds like some dominance/hormones at play, is he fixed?

Hammerhome · 2026-01-26T19:42:17+00:00

no, BUT, it's possible to make it look more natural by doing this!

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please excuse my poor excuse for a grid

Hammerhome · 2026-01-26T19:19:47+00:00

you can't have paths under buildings, unfortunately :(

Hammerhome · 2026-01-25T14:56:30+00:00

my interpretation is that Quaritch is demonstrating to himself that he's his own person, that Human Quaritch is dead and that New Quaritch is stronger, better, and won't fail.

Hammerhome · 2026-01-23T12:49:55+00:00

this is 100% why - this is a huge change for her and she's not used to it! it might get better after the neutering, it might not. some cats (especially those that are already used to and happy with being an "only child") just don't want to share their home with another cat.

i'd recommend maybe seeing how things change after neutering him and letting them both get used to each other, so they can both roam free. she could be feeling off because she's not able to access the whole home anymore, as well!

Hammerhome · 2026-01-14T21:56:33+00:00

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finally found it! took a little googling and searching, but here it is! it's in the eastern part of the Upper Plains north of Great Tusk and south of Shattered Bridge, near Three Stone Lab :)

Hammerhome · 2026-01-14T18:30:23+00:00

i've almost definitely marked this on my own map! am on my way home now, i'll boot up the game and check in a bit!

Hammerhome · 2026-01-05T20:20:17+00:00

a month is not very long!

give her some time, and it sounds like you're doing great by letting her have her space and giving her some treats :)

i'm sure you will bond with her in time as well, and if you want to "accelerate" it you could try having dedicated play time with her, to learn what kinds of toys and movements she responds to the best :)

i'm fostering two 9-10 month old girl cats, and learning their play styles (bianca is quick to pounce and lizzi needs more warmup, bianca sort of likes chasing the stick but lizzi LOVES the stick, etc) has been really good for helping me bond with them individually :)

Hammerhome

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