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Cats can have behavior problems regarding the litter box for many reasons. One of those reasons is due to a location preference.
Unfortunately for many cat owners some cats will develop a problem with the litter box. Sometimes this problem is due to a medical problem, paying a visit to your veterinarian should always be the first thing done if kitty starts going to the bathroom outside of the box. The veterinarian will collect a urine sample and run tests checking for a feline urinary tract infection, bladder crystals or stones. If a medical problem turns up it is usually treated with antibiotics and/or a diet change. Male cats can develop a problem where they become blocked and unable to urinate, if your cat is straining in the litter box and not producing urine (may look like constipation) call your veterinarian immediately, this is an emergency situation that your cat could die from.
If a medical problem is not present then a behavior problem needs to be addressed. Litter box issues is the number one reason cats end up in shelters, these problems are not always an easy fix. The first step is to try and figure out why the cat is not using the litter box (remember cats are very sensitive creatures). The second step is to try to solve the problem with training and patience.
Cats might stop using the litter box because they have a litter box location preference.
Problem: A lot of cats have a location where they prefer to go to the bathroom.
- Some cats with a location preference will urinate in quiet dark corners of the home, under desks or stairs, or in closets.
- Cats will sometimes urinate in a place where a litter box used to be kept or where there are urine odors.
- A lot of cats will find a place to urinate if the litter box is on a different level of the house then what they are on.
Solution:
- Cats are extremely lazy creatures. Have at least on litter box on each level of your home.
- Make areas where the cat has been using the bathroom unattractive by cleaning with citrus scented cleansers or place a carpet runner upside down in that area. Placing aluminum foil in the area sometimes works as well. (Punch some holes in the foil so the area can breathe).
- Place a litter box in the area where the cat has been urinating. When the cats has successfully used the box for at least one month start moving the box to a more desirable location, but do not move the box more then one inch per day. Try praising kitty with treats when she comes out of the litter box. Cats can be very trainable.
This is meant to be some basic advice for one litter box issue, there are several litter box issues that a cat may have. If your cat is not using the litter box talk to your veterinarian first then try some behavior/training solutions. Contacting an animal behaviorist may also be helpful. Don't give up on your cat, training cats can be done it just takes a little time and a lot of patience. Stay in contact with your veterinarian and keep them apprised of the situation, if training alone doesn't help there might be medications that can help. Most medications are meant to be used along with training.
Related Articles: Cat Litter Box Issues, Cat Urine Issues, and Cat Urinary Problems
References: Kansas Humane Society
Dr. Emily Weiss, Kansas Humane Society Animal Behaviorist
The copyright of the article Cats With Behavior Problems in Pet Training is owned by Charla Dawson. Permission to republish Cats With Behavior Problems in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Mar 10, 2008 1:34 PM
Alicia King :
So, I admit it, I'm an AWFUL kitty-mom, and I procrastinated changing the
litter a little too long.
Pagan, my 7-year-old fluffball,
decided to telegraph her displeasure with me by urinating on my dog's bed.
I caught her in the act and made a big fuss (problem #1)
I cleaned it up immediately - thoroughly washing the bed and the
whole area to remove any lingering scent.
Two days later, I
caught her again & stopped her in time (problem #2) so she sauntered in
to the (now clean) litter box and went there.
After she peed on
his bed a 3rd time, in the middle of the night. I got rid of it. I was sure
it reeked of urine and just screamed "I'm a litterbox!"... and I
bought my dog a new bed. Which the cat peed on again within 24 hours of my
having brought it home.
I don't have a big house. (970 sq ft)
There's only about 12' between the bed she's peeing on and her litterbox.
And she uses the litterbox 100% of the time when there's no bed down
there.
I suspect that either (a) she's doing this for attention,
or (b) she's angry at the dog, or (c) both. I reinforced the behavior when
I made a fuss the first time, and then again when I caught her. I've made
an appointment with the vet, though I don't think it's a medical condition.
She doesn't seem to have problems controlling her bladder nearly as much as
her temper.
I'm washing the new bed again, and plan to clean and
spritz the area with a citrus odor she won't like. (I know ammonia is going
to smeel like urine, and she adores bleach.)
Is there anything
else I can do? Do I need a kitty psychiatrist?
Mar 13, 2008 5:15 PM
Charla Dawson :
Ok - I think you are probably right about it being a behavior problem but
still go to the vet and rule out the medical problem. Things to try - maybe
she prefers a soft surface so put a softer rug under the litter box so she
can step on something soft. Keep the litter box super clean - scoop daily.
Did you change litters? If so go back to the old litter. Citrus is a good
idea. You can also make the dog bed seem unattractive by placing an upside
down carpet runner over it. The dog won't appreciate that much but it might
keep the cat off of it and get her back in the litter box. Once she is
using the box again you can remove the carpet runner. Another thing to try
is using a product called Feliway. It contains feline pheromones - sounds
like hocus pocus I know but it seems to help some cats. It is supposed to
keep them calm and happy. It comes in a diffuser you can plug in by the dog
bed or in a spray.
Good luck, I hope this helps. Let me know. Feel
free to email me with more info.
Charla
Mar 28, 2008 10:09 AM
melissa danley :
I have a cat who is approximately eight years old. When she was a kitten
she was not aggressive and did not bite. When she was about four or so she
started biting. It is not an all the time thing, however it is consistent.
She bites when she does not want you to pet her, and her body language is
very obvious. I will admit that the times I have been bit, I should have
stopped petting her. It is hard because she begs for love and affection
like any other cat.
Usually when strangers or friends come over,
she hangs out in my bedroom or under my bed but last night I had a friend
come over and she was very friendly towards her. She exhibited the
"don't pet me any more" behavior and my friend and I agreed to
ignore the cat until she had another cat-mood swing. Then the cat rubbed
her head against my friends hand to be pet, and so my friend barely touched
her head and she bit her.
Hard! I am used to her bites, they are
deep, they bruise and they draw blood. She has bitten at least five people.
Me, my mom and dad, my ex boyfriend, my grandma, and now my friend. They
are all real bad bites, not at all cat like. I am worried now however about
the biting, and about the biting of a stranger, which has never happened.
She is perfectly healthy.
Mar 30, 2008 3:13 PM
Charla Dawson :
I'm sorry to hear about your cat problems and I think you have reason to be
concerned. Cat bites can be very dangerous. I'm going to give you one tip
but I think you should consult with a behaviorist.
Since you can tell
by her behavior that she wants the petting to stop I think you should stop
but then stand up and move away from her. This forces her from your lap on
your terms. Try it but no promises.
A behaviorist might be able to
help - contact your vet for names. Your vet may also have some clues or
additional tips.
4 Comments
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