This is actually pretty normal, I think. To avoid having this happen, we installed a cat door (with flap) in our laundry room door. That way we could keep the cat box in a place she could access, but the dogs couldn't fit through the cat door.

We had the same problem with our border collie, but it seems to be a doggy universal. Dogs just seem to love what the cat leaves behind. :(

We moved the box to the powder room and later a closet. We put a block in the door to set the width so the cat could come/go and a bungee cord to pull the door against it.

It wouldn't stop him if he had time to work at it, but it is enough to slow him down. After a little discouragement from us ('leave it' when he showed interest), he sometimes looks at the door, but doesn't challenge it.

Suppose it will depend on the dog for how much repetition and correction is needed. I've had friends use squirt bottles plus command to aid in the negative association for sticking their nose in the box. Bet the cat found that amusing after it's squirt bottle 'training' to not scratch the couch.

Locking away the box has been a good stepping stone to having the box out in the open for us. Besides the cat may like the privacy from the dog. :)

I don't think it is normal behavior. I would start by putting the cat boxes somewhere where the dog can not access them but the cats can. Speak to your vet about the problem.

it is so normal for that to occur in dogs. They say that ((believe it or not)) dogs get some sort of stuff they r not gettign in their own food. It is weird I know but I have discussed this with vets before. Just put the litter box somewhere only the cat can get. My 1 year 9 mnth old pomeranian didnt even touch the litter box the other day when I had it out I was so happy for him.

Thanks for the advice! It's good to know Kana isn't the only one doing this. :-) I'll try to figure out a better place for the litterboxes. I really like the idea of the cat door!

I've never met a dog that didn't love to eat cat poo...my Dad used to call it "sweet bread" GAG! HAHAHA! When I had a cat and a dog at the same time, I had to put the litter box where my dog couldn't get to it if that was possible or I made darn sure I kept it cleaned of the poo asap!

On the advice of some posters on here, I turned my litterbox around. Of course, that only works if you have a cover on it, otherwise, thats just silly!

But, I turned it to the wall, and left just enough space that the cats could get in, but not the dog and we haven't had an issue. I accidentally left it turned around about 2 weeks ago after a cleaning, and I've left it since and the dog hasn't even looked at it. I don't think she realises it's open for business again.

Her eating dog poop however, still an issue!

Since I have both dogs and cats I found a covered cat litter box called Clever Cat. It is basically a tub with a lid with a hole in the top. The dogs can't get to the cat poop. The cats don't seem to mind the covered box. All 3 adapted to it quite well. The deep box with the cover also prevents the cats from slinging litter all over. Our tortoiseshell, Minerva, is quite a scratcher and would sling litter all over the place with a regular cat box.

I just wanted to give an update on this (even though it's been a while!). I bought a new Booda litterbox which doesn't allow the dog access to the litter (cat has to walk up a circular staircase to get to the litter part) which solved one rooms' issue (and looks a lot better to boot!). Then I moved the covered litterbox that was in that room to the bathroom closet and flipped it around so the dog can't get in it, but the cats can climb over it and still use it.

So far so good! There has only been one incident where Kana literally tore off the lid to the one in the bathroom closet, but that made so much noise I was able to immediately correct her with a "No!" and take her outside.

Thanks all for your wonderful help!!!! I'm mostly just a lurker on this forum, but I love reading all ya'lls wonderful tips! :-D

And they say dogs are smarter than cats : )

Dogs consider cat poop to be delicacies. With my last dog, I had to put the boxes in the basement, behind the boiler turned away so the only access was behind the hot water heater. She still figured out that if she moved the box enough, she could get her head in the opening and use that for leverage to turn the box around. Ummm ummm, good. Then we just blocked her access to the basement. She ate a good food, but the litter boxes had tempting treats. She never, ever ate dog poop.

My dog also loved the litter box. He eats the poop, the litter clumps - all yummy! In my small home there is only one place for the box, and that's the bathroom. So now the cat and the dog are both on a toileting schedule. The cat has learned to use the litter box when me and my SO wake up in the morning and get home from work. During nights and weekends when we are home, the cat will simply meow at the bathroom door and we will let him in to do his business. It's been almost a year with that arrangement and kitty is perfectly healthy and we've had no accidents in the house.

Dogs eat cat poop because cats laeve alot of undigested protein in their feces....this is what the dog smells and what the dog is after. Look at your dogs food - does it have alot of fillers in the top of the ingredients list?? Corn, wheat, or meat "by products"? - if so I suggest changing your dog food graudally to a higher quality dog food. Then when you are home, take your dog over to the cat box, and shake a poop can which has been emptied of the pop and refilled with dried beans and sealed with tape, shake it vigourously at your dog and tell him leave it in a firm tone. BC's are exteremly intelligent dogs use to workingfor 8 hours a day, make certain your pup has at least a couple of good hard walks or running time a couple of times a day and with time you are home, you might start teaching him some stupid pet tricks - to keep his mind active... Good luck

my pup eats my kittys poo too, we call them tootsie rolls.. lol i put his litter box under the sink in the bathroom and linked a rope to the door and it only opens enough for him.. and she hasn't tried since..

I disagree with mazer. My dog gets very high quality food yet he still goes for the cat poop. And human poop too when we're hiking...now THAT'S really gross!

I talked with my vet at Kana's yearly checkup today and he wasn't worried about any medical reasons for her loving kitty krunchies - he said she was very healthy and some dogs just like it. Removing the temptation or training was what he suggested to deal with it. The vet assistant even commented on how nice and soft and shiny her fur was so I'm happy with the food she's getting. I feed her Nutro Lamb and Rice and while I know it's not the absolute highest quality food, she loves it and it agrees with her.

Mazer I don't mean to be rude, but taking the dog to the litter box and scaring her with a bad noise seems a little harsh. Isn't that kind of like taking a dog back to a pee or poop accident they had earlier and trying to discipline after the fact? I've always heard (and practiced) that if I don't catch them in the act of being disobedient not to punish. Of course, I'm no expert so maybe that works for some. :-)

Naturegurl I know what you mean! I lived with my sister while I was finding a house to buy and Kana got out once and went straight to the port-o-potty of the house under construction next door and *rolled* in people poop. I don't even want to think about her eating any!!!!! She got the longest bath ever after that!!! ;-)

Here's a pic of my happy little fur-baby:

{{!gwi}}

I have the same problem, but the solution isn't as simple as relocating the litter box. My cat thinks he's a dog and goes outside to do his business. Meanwhile, when Grace, my 18 month old min pin, goes outside, she is always on the trail and can sniff out the cat poo from anywhere in the yard. I don't know how to train the cat not to do his business in our yard. Any ideas?
Dee

kfntaine -- I had to laugh at your post because I thought we were the only ones who called them "tootsie rolls!"

moonbyte5, "Kitty Krunchies" might be even funnier!

In our experience, all dogs, no matter what food they are given, will eat those if given the chance.

We don't allow our dog access to the room containing the litter boxes. She's too big to fit through a cat flap and can't jump a baby gate, a couple of solutions that work for some dogs.

I thought I heard somewhere about putting msg in the pet's food, but I don't know whether I'd have to put it in the cat's food or the dog's food. Does anyone have any information on this?

Best thing to do to keep them from eating the kittie tootsie rolls is put litter boxes in room and put a baby gate at the door. kitties can jump over but dog can't get in.

moonbyte5 your pooch is beautiful!