Litter Box Issues

Many cat owners, frustrated with their cats improper elimination contact Cat Rescue, Inc. in order to find a new home for their pet.

Let's be honest: A cat that is eliminating outside of the litter box has a very small chance of being adopted and Cat Rescue, Inc. cannot withold that information from a prospective adopter. Ask yourself this question: Would you adopt a cat that doesn't use the litter box?

Then why would anyone else?

Generally speaking, if your cat has stopped using the litter box, there is a chance that your cat is trying to tell you something is wrong, it could be a physical problem or it could be a behavior/territorial issue, but generally these proplems can be solved with a little effort.

Cat Issues 

The first issue to consider is an underlying medical problem of some sort. These proplems could range from a urinary tract infection, a blockage of the urinary tract (especially in male cats) to cancer. Any time a cat begins to eliminate outside of the litter box, your first visit should be to your Vet's office.

A cat feels very vulnerable while using the litter box. If you have a multi-cat household, is the cat that is eliminating improperly being harrassed or attacked by a more dominant cat while using the litter box? If the cat that is eliminating improperly is the more dominant cat, this could be a mark of it's territory or an intimidation tactic against the more submissive cat. Try seperating the cats in different parts of your home.

Has your cat suffered some sort of injury to it's paw(s)? If your cat has recently suffered an injuryto it's paw or worse, been declawed it could be that your cat associates digging in the litter box with the pain in it's paw. Imagine yourself getting your hand slammed in a car door or worse, someone has cut off the tips of your fingers-would you want to dig in a box filled with cat litter?

Is it possible that there is another cat lurking outside of your house and your cat is marking it's own territory against this unwelcomed visitor? Try blocking your cats view of the outdoors with drapes or blinds. There are also products available at hardware stores you can sprinkle outside of your home to keep unwanted animals away.

Was there another animal in this home? If this is the case, usually a cat will have a "favorite spot" that they like to mark.

Has your cat been spayed or neutered? Having your cat spayed or neutered reduces "spraying" and roaming for the purpose of finding a mate.

People Issues

Sadly enough, people can be a cause of a cat's litter box issues and we don't even realize it, so let's examine some of the ways people cause the problem.

For some reason, people locate their cat's litter box in the strangest places! Closets, utility rooms or other remote locations are not uncommon. Let's be honest, would you buy or live in a house where the bathrooms were in an odd or remote location? One of the drawbacks of having a litter box in a remote location is the old saying, "out of sight, out of mind" and litter boxes can become neglected. This is tolerated in the feline world about as well as neglected bathrooms are in the human world.

Another problem in households with several people, the "I thought you did it" monster also exists. People might assume that another member of the household took care of this responsibility and as a result, it was overlooked entirely. Not only is this unsanitary and unhealthy, it is a violation of Virginia law § 3.1-796.68, Adaquate Care of a Companion Animal.

In households with multiple cats, too often there is only one litter box to service the needs of several cats. Cat Rescue, Inc. advises this formula-one litter box above the number of cats you have. If you have one cat, have two litter boxes, two cats, three litter boxes and every box get's scooped every day.

We cannot overemphasize the importance of regularly scooping your cat's litter box because not only is it important for sanitation, much can be learned by what your cat is or is not doing in the litter box. Too much or too little of one thing or another might be a sign that your cat has a medical problem. 

How often do you change your cat's litter? Simply refilling the litter might not do the trick. When your cat's litter get's low that is the best time to change the litter entirely and while the box is empty, this is a great time to wash out the litter box with a mild soap/hot water solution. Everyone like to use a freshly cleaned bathroom-even your cat!

If you use a covered litter box, don't forget to clean the cover! Smell and fumes can linger in the cover of a litter box and when a cat finds this place unappealing, they will simply find another place that is more to their liking and probably less to yours.

Have you recently changed cat litter? Cats like consistancy and replacing your cat's litter might confuse it. If you are going to try a new cat litter, add it to your old brand of cat litter and increase the amount you add until you have gotten your cat acclimated to the new litter.

Has there been a major change in your life? Perhaps a new baby, perhaps a relative coming to live with you or a relative that visited and brought their pet? Is there another problem that is causing a lot of emotional turmoil such as money problems, family or marriage problems? Has your work schedule changed or have you gotten a new job and now you're coming home with different smells on your clothes?

Cats like a regular routine and the first sign of a problem could be to eliminate improperly.

Possible Solutions

If you have taken your cat to the Vet and it's been given a clean bill of health and your litter boxes are all kept clean, here are some additional solutions you might consider.

Try a cat litter called "Cat Attract"

If your cat has a "favorite spot" that it likes to eliminate, clean this area with an enzyme remover. If the improper elimination continues in this spot, try covering the spot with heavy plastic or aluminium foil. If these measures fail, place a feeding station in the location where your cat is eliminating.

Some cats will urinate or defacate on tile or in the bathtub. These cats may prefer no litter in the box. Try using newspaper on the bottom of the box, or tilt the box using a  pad or thin piece of wood. Put some litter in the low end. Your cat will use the end without litter and the urine will run down into the litter to be absorbed.

Confine the cat to a large cage with a place to sleep, a litter box and a feeding station to make sure it uses the litter box. After about a week, let the cat out to see if this cures the improper elimination. Repeat if required.

Talk to your veterinarian about anxiety medication.

Consider Bachs Rescue Remedy for stress or anxiety, usually found at health food stores.

Enlist the services of a pet communicator such as Chris Stakes.

The problem we find is, people tend to want a solution to these problems is two-fold. First, they wait too long to begin addressing the problem and second, when they do decide to seek assistance, they expect a solution "right now, today!"

Unfortunatly, cats operate on their own schedule and none that we know of have any use for a wrist-watch. These problems take time to understand-the solution could be as easy as some antibiotics from a vet or, a behavior modification program that takes some weeks.