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"(cat's name) would like a nice, clean litter box"

One of my cat's profiles was orange so I asked them what's wrong. It said "Felix would like a nice, clean litter box" but the litter box was clean. There's no option to encourage a cat to use the litter box, either from the litter box or from clicking on the cat so I can't direct her to use it.
I bought a new box, but she hasn't used it.

Anybody know what to do? I'm at a loss.
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Comments

  • mistwolf7mistwolf7 Posts: 78 Member
    I had the same issue. I bought a new box and placed it in a new location, and closer to the cat and that worked for me.
  • Saradomin50Saradomin50 Posts: 5 New Member
    Getting this as well.
  • floridameerkatfloridameerkat Posts: 1,190 Member
    I've had this a few times as well. Sometimes it seems like a glitch, but other times it's because the litterbox trash (I forget what the game calls it) needs to be emptied. If that's the case, the option will show up when you click the litterbox.
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  • BooV7227BooV7227 Posts: 282 Member
    edited November 2017
    I had this too; I sent my sim into the bathroom with the litterbox and whistled for the cat to follow, then it used the box.

    (ETA: his name was Felix too! After a tuxedo kitty I used to have ♥‿♥ I miss him...)
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  • InvisibleaesInvisibleaes Posts: 1,526 Member
    Ive had it when the laser box hadn’t finished zapping the box yet too in a few more mins of gameplay they went and used it!
  • BabySquareBabySquare Posts: 7,869 Member
    Thanks for the feedback. I'll try moving the box and see what happens. Maybe Felix isn't aware it's been cleaned.
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  • Shades302Shades302 Posts: 1,072 Member
    I had this issue, cat wanted to use the litter but the litter was on the highest floor of vlads house (I know I am mean)
    Seems the cat was unaware of the litter being in the house? I went to the room with the litter box in it, and called my cat to me while standing there, when my cat arrived, he used the litter box and was okay, idk I think maybe the range a cat can detect a litter box is not very good? They should make it so a cat can detect a litter anywhere on the lot...
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  • IcewolfIcewolf Posts: 709 Member
    Have the same exact issue.
  • Goth583Goth583 Posts: 1,203 Member
    Yep, that was my issue. I finally found a litter box that works and lets my sims empty it once the cat is done.
    https://originalsimmer.blogspot.com - Check out my current TS4 Legacy!
  • PugLove888PugLove888 Posts: 674 Member
    edited November 2017
    This has also happened to my sim cat Waffle! I had two litter boxes, one on each floor and both were clean! So I deleted one and got the laser litterbox just in case, because I also have a dog and a toddler in the house and I might not always be able to clean it in time if I'm taking care of the toddler. She eventually found both boxes! :)
    (The dog in my avatar is Waffle's "brother" and is named Nugget! <3 Their last name is Loomis if you want to download them from the Gallery. ;) )
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  • VuloriVulori Posts: 94 Member
    I had to remove the roomba because my cat with the curious trait kept ignoring the litter box...which was like three feet away. The other cat had no problem finding the litter box. I'm finding the my curious cat was just obsessed with the vacuum to the point he ignored his own needs. :/
  • Rae357Rae357 Posts: 922 Member
    I've had this issue today. I can only guess it is a glitch because I have the laser litter box and the tray one. The tray one does not need to be cleaned. Also today I keep getting the fear which is the sim with a lampshade. I had my cats for two days without these issues.
  • a_niles06a_niles06 Posts: 3,019 Member
    Been having this issue as well. Usually just replacing the box fixes it but I definitely think it's a bug.
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  • Goth583Goth583 Posts: 1,203 Member
    edited November 2017
    I've been turning cheats on and clicking to reset it when I get this message and then I reset the cat and it seems to fix the problem. I don't have to reset all the time, just once every few hours RT.

    I originally had the laser litter box, but that seems to be the most broken. I now have a cheaper scoop free one and that once is working.
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  • tegteg87tegteg87 Posts: 305 Member
    I've had the same issue and just made sure the litter box (the cheapest one) was clean. Then I would just ignore it and eventually the cat would use it.
  • ZabarroZabarro Posts: 2 New Member
    My cat actually used the litter box on the second floor of my house and then the next day she ran away because she needed to go potty and couldn't use the litterbox anymore for some reason even though I had the auto cleaning one and it was in the same spot and everything. The doors weren't locked and she had actually just used it the previous day and all that so i'm like ????
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    I've had some problems with this as well. I usually have the sim go near the box and whistle or replace it. But yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a bug. I found a ghost cat in the graveyard who had to go but couldn't because there was no box. I suspect that cats not being able to go outside is part of the bug because I imagine they should be able to.
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  • JimG72JimG72 Posts: 1,161 Member
    BabySquare wrote: »
    One of my cat's profiles was orange so I asked them what's wrong. It said "Felix would like a nice, clean litter box" but the litter box was clean.

    This is just the generic message you get when you ask them what’s wrong and their bladder or bowel needs are low. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no litter box or that they can’t reach it.....that may be the case, but you’ll get the same message regardless. It’s just their way of giving feedback on needs since we can’t see them.
  • kitty29041985kitty29041985 Posts: 792 Member
    My cat was asking clean box too despite it was just bought new. Then I put in right in front of him, and it worked. May be glitch :((
  • PugLove888PugLove888 Posts: 674 Member
    JimG72 wrote: »
    BabySquare wrote: »
    One of my cat's profiles was orange so I asked them what's wrong. It said "Felix would like a nice, clean litter box" but the litter box was clean.

    This is just the generic message you get when you ask them what’s wrong and their bladder or bowel needs are low. It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no litter box or that they can’t reach it.....that may be the case, but you’ll get the same message regardless. It’s just their way of giving feedback on needs since we can’t see them.

    @JimG72 , I think your are right! B) And I think it is the same with dogs who have been potty trained or not... it is just feedback to tell us and the human Sims that they are uncomfortable for the time being. ;) If the animals were controllable like they were in TS3 there would have been no confusion. I find that when I get the litterbox message I just send my Sim by the litterbox and then click on the whistle to call them and that usually reminds them to go. For the dogs I just ask them to potty and they usually go outside and potty. I now notice that just like real-life dogs, they will turn in circles and sniff if they get in this state and now I don't even have to ask what's wrong -- I just tell them to potty! B) Also sometimes I notice a poo symbol or peeing symbol above their heads in a thought bubble. This will always tell you they have to go! I'm guessing cats have something similar, but I haven't noticed it yet. And since I've never owned a cat I don't know their pre-potty behavior enough to recognize it in-game like I can with dogs. :* Maybe someone who really knows cats can enlighten us! ;)
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  • JimG72JimG72 Posts: 1,161 Member
    Yeah, I tried that mod that lets you control the pets. The cat had an uncomfortable mood and her bladder and bowel needs were way down in the yellow. I asked her what was wrong and she gave me the "litter box" message and then a couple of second later she went to the litter box and did her business. However, there could also be an issue with litter boxes being outside of their detectable range or obstructed...but I think the message is just standard bladder/bowel need feedback.
  • islarosexivislarosexiv Posts: 454 Member
    edited December 2017
    I'm having the same problem.

    No mods installed that deal with pets.
    I initially had the laser kitty litter box when I started getting the bug. There was nothing to empty, etc. So, I figured it was a glitch and put the automated litter box in the house as well. Both had clear paths and were accessible, and one was placed on each floor. No help. I just placed the basic box and the Katzen Poopen box, thinking maybe it has to do with the item actions? We'll see.

    I've noticed that the new box will work fine the first time the cat uses it, but afterward it fails to recognize the box again or acts as though it's dirty when it isn't.

    With dogs, they eventually "learn" to let themselves out the doggy door if you tell them to potty and then reward them. This is my only my second time playing with cats - with my first cat-having household I never had to deal with the cat stressing about using the box -- it would just do it when needed without issue, so this is annoying and doesn't seem to be normal (in the first 1-2 weeks after the pack launched, anyway).
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  • PugLove888PugLove888 Posts: 674 Member
    I'm having the same problem.

    No mods installed that deal with pets.
    I initially had the laser kitty litter box when I started getting the bug. There was nothing to empty, etc. So, I figured it was a glitch and put the automated litter box in the house as well. Both had clear paths and were accessible, and one was placed on each floor. No help. I just placed the basic box and the Katzen Poopen box, thinking maybe it has to do with the item actions? We'll see.

    I've noticed that the new box will work fine the first time the cat uses it, but afterward it fails to recognize the box again or acts as though it's dirty when it isn't.

    With dogs, they eventually "learn" to let themselves out the doggy door if you tell them to potty and then reward them. This is my only my second time playing with cats - with my first cat-having household I never had to deal with the cat stressing about using the box -- it would just do it when needed without issue, so this is annoying and doesn't seem to be normal (in the first 1-2 weeks after the pack launched, anyway).

    @islarosexiv , I have used all the litter boxes that come with the game and they all get that same message. The litter boxes aren't "failing" like we first thought, it is just the game's way of letting us know the state of our pets' bowels and bladders. ;) The real problem is that the message is worded in a confusing way, leading us to at first believe the litter boxes were failing. :/
    That said, since you do use CC/Mods, just know that even though your Mods/CC aren't ones that deal with pets, it doesn't mean that it won't affect pets. :o This is especially true for Mods and CC that were made before Cats & Dogs came out because the makers of these Mods couldn't have possibly known the coding involved for the dogs and cats and all the new items and interactions. :* This is why if a person is having problems with their game, they are always advised to remove all CC and Mods. :)
    Home is where your Pugs are! <3
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