Litter Box Troubles

The first thing to do with a Cat who is messing outside the litter box is to
take hir to a vet to rule out urinary infections or other physical
explanations.

Male Cats are particularly prone to UTI's, and they can be very dangerous or
even deadly... so you really want to keep an eye on your Cats' litter box
habits & keep your vet involved to be sure nothing is amiss.
If the Cat is not neutered or spayed, this may also be contributing to the
problem.

When you have determined that it is a behavioral thing, the next steps
are.....

Make sure there are enough litterboxes in the house for your Cats. There
should be AT LEAST one per Cat.
Some Cats object vehemently to using the same litter box as other Cat(s). If
you have a Cat who is picky in this way, try to provide a special box that
only s/he uses.

The litter boxes need to be scooped (at least) once daily. Scrub out the box
(be careful what, if any, cleaners you use- some can be toxic or smell
offensive to the Cat) and replace the litter frequently. It stinks to the
Cat long before it starts to stink to you. If any Cat in the household has
been ill, you'll need to change the litter & scrub the box VERY frequently,
as the scent of an ill Cat's urine is very revolting to Cats.

Some Cats are picky about their litter. There are many, many different types
on the market to try, including many different textures. Put out litter
boxes with several different types of litter, and see which litter(s) you
Cat goes for.

Some Cats do not like scented litter.
The litter pan itself must be large and roomy.
Some Cats object to covered litter boxes.
Some Cats are choosy about the depth of the litter. Deeper is better,
usually.

The litter box(es) should be located in a relatively private, quiet spot.
Make sure there is nothing in the area that the Cat may object to or be
repelled by (a noisy water heater, strong scent of cleanser on a nearly
floor, a cold draft, etc etc). If your home has more than one story, try to
locate at least one box on each story. Show the box(es) to your Cat so that
s/he knows where they are. Kittens, elderly and ill Cats may need a few
extra boxes, located in the areas where they spend most of their time, as
they may not be willing or able to make a long trek to another part of the
house.

Try elevating a litter box by placing it on a table or counter (make sure it
is very stable). Cats like to be up high, and feel safer there than on the
ground.

Clean up any accidents very, very thoroughly, asap.
Sprays and powders are available which smell offensive to Cats- you can try
leaving this scent in the spot where s/he is peeing outside the box.
If the Cat is peeing on a particular rug, pick up the rug. If the Cat is
peeing in a particular room, shut the door to that room. You might try
placing some furniture, crates or other physical barriers over the area.
Place a fresh litter box nearby so that when the Cat sees that hir choice
spot has been barricaded, there is a wonderful alternative at hand-
otherwise s/he may just pick a new (wrong) spot.

Praise the Cat profusely (treats would not be a bad idea) whenever you see
hir go in the litter box. (After s/he is done, of course- never disturb a
Cat when s/he is doing hir business.) Rebuke hir when you *catch* hir
eliminating elsewhere. Then take hir to the box and tell hir that that is
where she needs to go, place hir in the box and praise hir or give hir a
treat.

You can try putting the Cat's food bowl near the spot where s/he is
eliminating inappropriately, or leave treats there- they usually don't want
to pee where they eat.

You can also try putting a litterbox at the spot.
If problems persist, you may need to confine the Cat to one room and slowly
widen the territory as long as s/he is peeing in the box. If another
accident occurs, take astep backward.

Often, a Cat will eliminate outside the box because s/he is upset with you
or unhappy with something about the way hir life is going. Has anything
changed in the household recently- new move, new pet, new baby, changing the
furniture around, someone's job hours changed, a weekend away.... anything?
Is there a lot of noise and activity around the house, making the Cat
anxious? Is there strife between the Cat and other pet(s)? Are children
bugging hir? Are you giving the Cat enough attention? Is s/he bored?

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Questions or comments