Litter Box Problems

There are many possible reasons as to why cats don’t use the litter box.  The main reasons are an aversion to the box, a preference to a particular type of litter or a preference for a location of the box. A cat may also eliminate outside the litter box for medical reasons, stress, or because another area of the house is soiled.

A litter box problem can be a combination of a few factors, but to get the answer, a little detective work is sometimes needed.  Keep in mind that the source of the problem may not be the reason that it is continuing. 

Cats don’t stop using their boxes because they are angry with humans and out for revenge, so punishing them won’t make any difference.

Medical Issues

Cats that have medical issues may eliminate outside of their litter boxes.  If a cat has a painful situation (e.g. urinary tract infection) they may associate the pain with the litter box and start to avoid using it.  It is always best to rule out any medical causes as cats don’t always show that they are sick even when they are.

A declawed cat has very sensitve paws and may find that using the litter box causes them pain or discomfort.

Soiled Areas

A cat’s sense of smell is very strong, so they are more motivated to continue going to the bathroom in an area that smells like urine or feces.  I

Aversions

Some common reasons that a cat may not use the litter box:

· The box is not clean enough. Cats are clean animals with a sense of smell that is about 14 times stronger than that of a human. A stinky litter box is very unpleasant to a cat.

· They dislike the type of litter, the depth of the litter, the location of the box, or some other aspect of the box itself (such as its size or shape).

· They were startled while using the box, such as by a loud noise

· They may have been ambushed by another animal or child while using the box. Cat owners are usually unaware that such traumas have occurred.

· They associate the box with punishment (if someone punished them for eliminating outside the box and then placed them inside the box)

Territorial marking or anxiety:

Sometimes cats feel the need to mark their territory and will urinate or defecate outside the box. Often cats do this by spraying: depositing urine on a vertical surface. Sometimes though, cats will leave a puddle on the floor. This can indicate that the cat feels threatened somehow. Perhaps by the addition of another cat to the household or perhaps because a neighbour's cat comes to the window and makes the cat feel the need to mark territory. A cat that is exhibiting marking behaviour will usually continue to use the litter box as well. Common targets for marking are windows and doors, and owner's bedding and clothing.

The  presence of a cat's own urine odour makes the cat feel more comfortable and eases their anxiety.

Tips to help

First, take your cat for a medical check up to eliminate any possible underlying physical condition that may the cause the problem (such a bladder infection, gastrointestinal disease, obstructions, or arthritis).

Always keep the litter box clean.  Scoop any urine or feces daily and clean the entire litter box every 4 to 5 days. Note that covered boxes are often unappealing to cats because they hold odours in. (Also us humans tend to clean covered boxes less frequently). A covered box also restricts a cat's view and gives him only one escape route. He may find this undesirable.

If you have multiple cats, add a second box in, and make sure that the box is not located near an appliance or an area that may have a lot of noise or traffic.  Make sure that the cat has a good view of their surroundings from the location of the box. Place the box away from food and water as cats do not like to eliminate where they eat.

Animals develop preferences for surfaces upon which they like to eliminate.  These may be established early in life, but may also change overnight  without any obvious explanation. 

If you have changed the litter type and notice different behaviour from your cat, try switching back or go to a high quality scoopable litter.  If your cat eliminates on a smooth surface such as the sink or tub, try putting a thin layer of litter at one end of the box and leave on a harder floor.  If you are changing your cat to be an indoor only cat, try putting some soil in the litter. 
Cat’s aren’t a fan of citrus so if they are eliminating in an area, spread orange peels or use citrus scented cotton balls.

Thoroughly clean soiled areas. Do not use ammonia or products that contain vinegar as this just smells like urine. Use a cleaner with enzymes that will break down the components of the stain to eliminate odour. It is essential to eliminate the odour or the cat will continue to identify the area as its toilet. When elimination problems have not been addressed, it could be next to impossible to completely remove odours from areas that have been repeatedly used. This is why  it is necessary to address elimination problems as soon as they develop.

Try putting an extra litter box in the area where the cat likes to go, or make it unpleasant (add tin foil or sand paper to that area).  Alternatively you could add a water bowl nearby (cats don’t like to eat and drink where they soil)

If you catch your cat in the act of eliminating outside of the box, you can try to make a noise to stop the action but avoid scaring them.  Place the cat near the box and praise if they go in the box to eliminate. 

Never punish your cat for soiling outside of the box; it is too late to do anything other than clean it up.  Rubbing your cat’s nose in it, scolding her or inflicting any other type of punishment will only make them afraid of you, hide their “accident’s” or be afraid to eliminate in your presence.  Animals do not understand punishment when it is done after the fact, even if it is only seconds later.  This can often make matters worse.

Avoid placing the litter box in a high-traffic or noisy area.

Hints for trying understand what you cat is telling you:

1. if your cat consistently does not touch the litter (i.e. your cat always eliminates in some place other than the litter box, or your cat stands on the edge of the box and aims at the litter but does not touch it) you likely have a substrate aversion. Try another kind of litter (something softer and fragrance free perhaps)

2. If your cat eliminates next to the litter box, she/he may not like the location of the box

3. If you move the litter box to another location and your cat still avoids the litter, you may have substrate aversion.

4. Some cats with medical issues may find stairs difficult or painful. Try moving the box to a location where the cat does not have to overcome any physical obstacles. For cats with sore joints or mobility problems the sides of the litter box can be too high. (Kittens can also find the sides of some litter boxes too high). Try a box with lower sides.

5. Sometimes cats use the litter box to urinate but choose to defecate in another place. Cats can have difference substrate preferences for urination and defecation. For example, if your cat likes to defecate on your bed but urinates in the litter box, try placing something soft, like a blanket, in the litter box. If you cat seems to prefer carpet, place a carpet remnant in the litter box. Gradually add litter over time to get your cat used to a new substrate.

6. If your cat tries to find an acceptable "litter" such as potted plants or piles of paper in which they try to cover up their waste, they may simply be shy and find the location of their litter box to be too overwhelming or may find it too hard to go up and down stairs due to sore joints etc.

Litter box reconditioning

Sometimes, especially for cats that have displayed elimination outside the litter box for some time, they need to be confined to encourage them to get used to the litter box. Separate a cat from other cats in the household and confine them to a small area for a few weeks (such as a bathroom or bedroom). You still need to play with this cat and give it lots of attention. Offer the cat a clean litter box. Gradually reintroduce the cat to small sections of the house.