PONCA CITY HUMANE SOCIETY

Solving Litter Box Problems

If you’re having a hard time persuading your cat to use the litter box, it just may be time to draw a line in the sand. Most cats prefer eliminating on a loose, grainy substance, which is why they quickly learn to use a litter box. But when their preferences include the laundry basket, the bed, or the Persian rug, you may find yourself with a difficult problem. By taking a closer look at your cat’s environment, you should be able to identify factors that have contributed to the problem, and make changes that encourage your cat to head for the litter box once again.

The most common reasons why cats don’t use the litter box are an aversion to the box, such as dislike of a covered box, or dissatisfaction with the depth of the litter. Two other common reasons are a preference for a particular type of litter not provided in the box, or a preference for a particular location where they is no box.

Sometimes, the problem is a combination of all these factors. To get to the answer, you’ll need to do a little detective work----and remember, the original source of the problem may not be the reason it’s continuing. For example, your cat may have stopped using the litter box because of a urinary track infection, and then developed a surface preference for carpet and a location preference for the bedroom closet. If that’s the case, you’ll need to address all three of these factors to resolve the problem.

Cats don’t stop using their litter box because they’re upset at their human caregivers and are determined to get revenge for something that "offended" them. Because humans act for these reasons, it’s easy for us to assume that our pets do as well. But animals don’t act out of spite or revenge, so it won’t help to punish your cat or give her special privileges in the hope that she’ll start using the litter box again.

Medical Problems

It’s common for cats with medical problems to begin eliminating outside of their litter box. For example, a urinary track infection or crystals in the urine can make urination painful---and both are serious conditions that require medical attention. Cats often associate this pain with the litter box and begin to avoid it. So if your cat has a house-soiling problem, check with your veterinarian first to rule out any medical problems. Cats don’t always act sick, even when they are, and only a trip to the veterinarian for a thorough physical examination can rule out a medical problem.

Cleaning Soiled Areas

Because animals are highly motivated to continue soiling an area that smells like urine or feces---and because cat’s sense of smell is much stronger than human’s---it’s important to thoroughly and properly clean the soiled areas.