Soiling outside of the litter box is one of the most common behavioral complaints from cat owners. If your cat begins to urinate or defecate outside the box, the first thing you should do is to make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your Vet will do a complete physical exam, urinalysis and fecal exam. Health problems can cause your furry feline to stop using his/her litter box. As your North Wales cat sitter, I’ve found that these are some reasons what kitties won’t use their litter box.
- Cats like to be clean! So if your vet has ruled out medical issues, then the problem might be that the litter box isn’t clean enough for your cat. Always sift litter daily or even more often. Empty and wash the box with mild dishwashing soap every couple of weeks. Do not use bleach, citrus, floral, or pine scent. A covered box often holds in odors.
- Location, location, location! The location of your cats litter box is important. Its location should be in an area that isn’t heavily used, especially by dogs or even small children. If the cat feels trapped, it will look for an alternate place to do its business. Sometimes a covered box will allow other cats or the dog to ambush the cat using the box.
- Not enough litter boxes! There should be a litter box on every level of your home. Also there should be at least one litter box for each cat.
Never punish your cat for performing its normal behavior, even when it’s not in the litter box. This could hurt your relationship with your baby and cause your cat to have anxious or aggressive behavior.
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