You've always heard that cats are clean animals, and your cat has always used the litter box. Then, to your horror, you discover a mess on your carpet, and worse, it keeps happening. What happened?
Your cat may have a disease such as feline lower urinary tract disease or other medical conditions. Take your cat to the vet as soon as you start having issues with the cat not using the litter box so that you can begin treatment immediately if there is a medical cause. If you notice your cat having difficulty urinating, get the cat to the vet right away as this can lead to death.
Another cause of the cat not using the litter box can be the location of the litter box. Cats prefer privacy, so a location in a noisy area such as a family room or a laundry room can cause the cat to seek another place for toileting. Make sure to have a litter box on each floor of your home, and if a litter box is in a room with a door that could accidentally be closed, have at least one litter box in another place in case the door gets shut.
Changing litter box products can also lead to cats not using the litter box. Your cat may not approve of the new brand of litter that you tried. Or, your cat may prefer to use a litter box without a liner or one with a liner if you haven't been using one.
The litter box can be an issue. Is your cat easily able to get into and out of the litter box? Many cats like the large, open litter boxes even though owners find the covered versions more attractive. A large male cat in a covered box may not leave him enough room to maneveur. Automatic litter boxes can scare cats when they switch on to sift the litter, causing the cat to avoid the litter box in the future.
Are you scooping daily? Some cats will protest an unclean litter box by refusing to use it. And, you need to completely change out the litter approximately every two weeks even if you use scooping litter as there will be an odor after weeks of use.
How many litter boxes do you have? You need to have at least one for each cat and one extra. Locate them in different places so your cat has more likelihood of having a box nearby when the urge strikes. Also, more boxes can help you out if you occasionally miss that daily scooping.
Stress and anxiety can also be a cause of cats not using the litter box. Bringing a new cat home or a new family member can be stressful for your cat. Your cat being locked inside the house while another is outside looking in the window can cause your cat to start spraying to mark his or her territory. Anti-anxiety drugs can sometimes be successful in alleviating the cat's stress and changing the cat's litter box behavior. Or, neutering male cats is highly successful in getting spraying behavior stopped.
There are many reasons for cats not using the litter box. With a little detective work, you should be able to find the cause and help your cat to use the litter box once again.
Learn more about cat behavior, cat-related products and other cat topics at http://www.felineinfo.com/blog
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