Why can't cats aim their butts?

[thistlechaser]

Today's Ellie update was going to be all happy and upbeat: She's making such progress! She spent the evening with me in the living room instead of off on her own as she previously had been. She wants pats! She almost took treats directly from my hand!

But that was before the poop. Like my previous cat had done, she stands inside the box with her butt outside the opening and pooped. Unlike my previous cat, she decided ALL of the litter needed to be scooped out of the box to attempt to cover the offending poop. That failing, she attempted to cover it with the bathroom rug.

I don't have a too-small box, I bought the biggest one in the store. Why can't cats step in, turn around, then squat? What's this stepping in, squatting, then turning around and leaving?

I really, really hope this is a one-time thing. The box has a cover on it so there's only the one opening, so maybe odds will be this not happening again, but the odds didn't matter with my previous cat.

Does anyone else's cat do this? Am I flailing over something common?

Comments

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

I never knew any cat I lived with to do that, but none of them had a box with a cover. Perhaps your cats are scared to go in, because it's got a cover? Or they think, as soon as the head is inside, that this will do?

I've no idea what to do about it, sorry.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

If it happens again, I'm going to try taking the cover off and see if that helps. I'd rather not see the inside of the box, but I'd rather not clean the outside more. :P