Common Mistakes in Litter Box Training a Cat

Exploring the Reasons Cats May Eliminate Outside Their Litter Pans

Sep 13, 2009

When a cat stops using the litter box, there may be many causes. There are some simple but important things that cat owners can do to encourage return to the litter box.

Feline behavioral issues involving the litter box are common complaints for cat owners. Medical issues can play a role in feline inappropriate elimination. Cats not properly using the litter box should be examined by their veterinarian for feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and other health issues. However, behavioral problems involving the litter box may also occur due to litter box aversions or marking behaviors.

Litter Box Training for Cats and Aversions to Cat Litter Boxes

Some cat owners fail to recognize that cats may have personal preferences regarding their litter boxes which may not coincide with their owner's preferences. There are a number of common mistakes cat owners make regarding cat litter and cat litter boxes.

Many owners do not provide adequate numbers of litter boxes, particularly in multi-cat households. The number of litter boxes in the home should equal the number of cats plus one. For instance, a three cat household needs four litter boxes.
Cat litter boxes should be distributed throughout the home.
In multi-level homes, there should be at least one litter box on each level of the home.
Litter boxes must be kept very clean. Boxes should be scooped daily and completely emptied and washed thoroughly every 1-2 weeks.
Many cat owners use heavily scented cat litters in their cat's litter boxes. However, many cats object to strong smells. Using unscented cat litter may be more appropriate for most cat litter boxes.
Many cat owners provide covers for the litter box but covers tend to keep odors trapped inside the litter box and may cause some cats to avoid the litter box.
Litter boxes should always be placed in quiet areas of the house where the cat may use the box without distractions or interruptions.
Cats tend to prefer large litter boxes over smaller boxes and may have individual preferences as to the type of cat litter and litter box provided.
Concessions in the height of the litter box may be necessary for kittens and older cats with musculoskeletal difficulties.

Reducing Conflict and Stress in Multi-Cat Households to Avoid Failures in Cat Litter Box Training

Many cat owners fail to realize that the interactions which occur between cats in multi-cat households may affect the toileting habits of some cats. Though these interactions may be subtle and difficult for cat owners to observe, they can nevertheless affect the cats profoundly.

Several steps can be taken to reduce inter-cat aggression and stress in multi-cat households.

All cats in the household should be neutered or spayed.
Adequate resources, including food stations, water stations, litter boxes, and cat perches should be provided for all cats and in more than one location throughout the house.
Periodically separating a more aggressive cat from a less aggressive cat in the household may help reduce stress and conflict between cats as well.
Aggressive cats can also be fitted with collars containing bells to warn more timid cats of their approach and allow them to keep their distance.

Reducing Outside Stresses for Cats with Behavioral Issues Pertaining to the Litter Box

Cat owners often fail to realize that stray animals visualized outside can impact cats which are housed indoors and can lead to behavioral issues relating to the litter box. These issues can be reduced by:

closing curtains or blinds to block the view outdoors
discouraging stray cats from visiting the yard by removing bird feeders and installing automatic motion sensors which make noise or squirt water when outside animals approach

Dealing with Soiled Areas Outside of the Litter Box

For cats exhibiting spraying or marking behaviors outside of the litter box, the areas being marked should be made as unattractive as possible.

Aluminum foil, carpet runners placed upside down or double sided tape can be placed on the areas to discourage the cat.
Citrus scents may discourage the cat from using the area to eliminate.
Removing items being used for marking, such as clothing or rugs, can be helpful where appropriate.

However, cat owners should realize that their cats may simply select different areas to eliminate if the underlying motivation for not using the litter box is not corrected.

When cleaning soiled areas, pet owners should clean the area first with enzymatic cleansers to remove the smell of cat urine. Ammonia should never be used to clean these areas as cat urine contains ammonia.

Encouraging Other Forms of Urine Marking for Problem Cats

Encouraging a territorial cat to mark in other ways can help solve litter box issues also.

Scratching posts should be supplied.
Using pheromones, such as Feliway®, to promote facial marking instead of urine marking can help.
Drug therapy may be helpful in some cases of territorial urine marking.

Another alternative for cats which are spraying on vertical surfaces is to provide an acceptable spot for the cat to spray by leaning an empty plastic box against the wall. The plastic box can be easily cleaned as needed.

Cats which choose to ignore their litter box training and urinate or defecate outside of the litter box are frustrating. However, there are many training techniques which cat owners can use to lure the cat back to the litter box.

Sources:

Elimination Behavior Problems in Cats. Borchelt PL, Voith VL The Compendium on Continuing Education. 8(3)(1986): p. 197-207.

Cat elimination behavior problems. Borchelt PL Veterinary Clinics of North America Small Animal Practice 21 (2)(1991): p. 257-264.

Feline Urine Spraying. Dehasse J. Applied Animal Behavior Science 52(1997): p 365-371.

The copyright of the article Common Mistakes in Litter Box Training a Cat in Pet Training is owned by Lorie Huston. Permission to republish Common Mistakes in Litter Box Training a Cat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.