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Litter Box Problems with Cats

Litter Box Problems with Cats

Cats are scrupulous creatures, and nowhere is that more evident than in their litter box habits and problems. When your cat don’t use the litter box, the cause could be anything from an unclean box to an illness. At least 10% of all cats develop an elimination problem. The main and the best thing to do immediately is to have her checked out by a veterinarian to rule out a health problem, before you try some easy and everyday strategies to get her back in the litter box. If you’ve just introduced a new cat to your household, make sure the litter box is as cat-friendly as possible to prevent a problem in the future.

There are so many reasons of why your cat won’t use the litter box. These common litter box problems are: An unclean litter box which is the most common reason. Or you have too many cats in the household and few litter boxes, cats don’t like to share their litter boxes. They love marking their territory. They won’t be using a cramped litter box, litter box with a hood or liner or a litter box with sides that are high.

Too much litter in the box or an uncomfortable location that doesn’t allow for privacy and multiple escape routes will also repel your cat for using the litter box

Your cat may have been upset while using the box. She may also connect the box with painful elimination, even if her health is back to normal. Stressors like moving, adding new animals or family members to the household. A conflict with another cat in the household. A new preference for eliminating on certain surfaces or textures like carpet, potting soil, or bedding are all the reasons which can make your cat develop an elimination problem.

If you have several cats and can’t figure out which isn’t using the litter box, you can ask your veterinarian for fluorescein. It is a harmless dye that makes urine glow blue under ultraviolet light for 24 hours. You’ll need a UV light to shine into the litter box to see which cat is using the box. The dye must be given (usually in food) to each cat, one at a time or you won’t be able to differ the urine in all the cats. An easier way to determine which cat isn’t using the box is to temporarily confine your cats, one at a time, with a box nearby. Do this only for a few days, and try to use a room without carpet or a laundry pile. If you’re using the bathroom, block off the bathtub or keep an inch of water in it to discourage kitty from using it to eliminate.

If your cat has developed a preference for eliminating on another surface or location, make that area less appealing. You can add bright lights or motion sensors to the area, or place tin foil, upside-down carpet runners, or double-sided sticky tape on the preferred surface to repel your cat.

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