Sibyl Suddenly Hates The Basement?

My bedroom is in the basement and when we first moved into this house she refused to leave it, no matter what. She might venture into the hallway but nowhere else. Then, for about a week, she'd go upstairs with us when we went and explore a bit, but then go back down.

Now she refuses to go into the bedroom. If we put her in there, she complains and scratches the door until we let her out. As far as I'm aware, nothing has changed. The biggest issue is the fact that her litterbox and food is down there. She won't even go down there for food. Alice isn't acting any different, it's just Sibyl.

Is she just sick of that room? Has anyone else had a cat do weird things like this?

 

She could just be sick of it. The fact that she doesn't want to go down there for food, makes me wonder if it's more than simple preference, though.

Are you sure nothing has happened down there? Could there be a new small, for example? Or do you shut her in the bedroom frequently and she associates it with something bad now?

 

The only time I've locked her in there has been when the outside door opens because I'm scared her or Alice will run out. She has free run of the house otherwise. It's very odd. Though I did catch her down there for a brief moment last night, so maybe there's hope!

There isn't anything new that I know of. We haven't brought anything new down there or done anything and, as I said, my other cat isn't acting differently whatsoever. It's just odd.

 

Maybe you can lure her in with some treats. Did she have a bad experience down there? This sounds like the beginning of a horror movie! Where the pets don't want to go in rooms where ghosts are! Creepy!

 

Oh, geez, I hope not! I sleep in there!

I've started to take her down there and close the door when I go in for random things. I'm there with her, so she doesn't complain, and she'll at least use the litterbox. It's not as good as her going down there on her own, but it's something?

 

So if you don't take her down there with you, what happens? Does she go potty upstairs instead of going down to the litterbox? Does she refuse to eat? I'm wondering if you just let her do as she pleases, if she'll end up giving in and going down on her own. Or if she's maybe going down there at night or when you're not paying attention.

 

A mixture. If I don't take her down, sometimes she'll pee on the floor upstairs and sometimes she'll go down to her litterbox by herself. It depends on the day. We have dogs upstairs and she'll eat their food if she doesn't go down, or has been for the past day or two. We leave the door in our bedroom cracked at night, so she very well could come in then. I hope she does!

 

How weird.

Is there any chance of just moving the kitty litter box upstairs. I hate to succumb to her stubborness, but at the same time, if she's going to be peeing on the floor, it could be worth it.

 

I'm slowly trying. The people who sleep upstairs are being stubborn themselves about smelling cat poop at night. I've been taking her down there every few hours and that's working alright for now. I've also started bringing her food upstairs, as it gets her to eat a bit more like normal.