How You Can End Litterbox Problems!

The main concern of many owners of indoor cats is that their cats have stopped using their litter boxes. This is not just aggravating, but it can be very costly as trips to the vet and cleaning expenses add up quickly.

If this is happening, your cat is trying to tell you that something is wrong. It’s up to us as our pet’s caretaker to understand what exactly is wrong and then fix it! To do just that, let’s consider a lot of the common reasons cats stop using their litter boxes.

Dirty Cat Litter Box. Indoor cats are really particular in terms of having a clean litter box. If you haven’t been vigilant about keeping your cat’s litter box nice and clean, then you can definitely expect litter box problems from your cat. In fact, we’ve probably all opted at least one time or another to go to the bathroom ourselves in the great outdoors instead of going in a filthy outhouse or gas station bathroom. It’s no different for your cat.

If the box is dirty, then you’ll need to thoroughly clean it, as well as the area around it. Dump out all the dirty litter, wash the box with a cleaning solution like diluted bleach, and refill the box with clean cat litter. Use Nature’s Miracle, a product that kills odors, to decontaminate the area all around the cat litter box, to include wall surfaces. A black light will show you where the stains are. Clean and/or replace any cat litter box rugs or mats you may keep outside the box.

Scoop frequently, at least one or two times per day. Change out the cat litter, taking care to wash the box, at least once every month.

Illness. Indoor cats often develop kidney and urinary tract infections. These are usually painful for cats and can lead them to eliminate outside the cat litter box. It’s hard to tell when a cat is sick because cats are very good at hiding their symptoms. Therefore, if you in the least bit suspect your cat may be ill, please seek immediate attention from your veterinarian! Just as with humans, the longer a problem goes undetected and untreated, the more difficult it is to cure.

A good way to help keep your cat from developing urinary health problems is to make certain your cat gets an ample amount of water on a consistent basis. Feeding your cat a diet of canned food with high water content and providing your cat with a fountain are a couple of the best approaches to be sure your cat’s water intake is sufficient on an continuing basis.

Placement: Cats need peace and tranquility when they use their litter boxes. Maybe the cat litter box is near an appliance that makes intermittent noises, or perhaps your cat needs to walk past a grumpy dog. Look at this from your cat’s viewpoint and choose a better location. Make sure your cat has free entry to the location at all times (i.e., if it’s in the basement, make sure the basement door is constantly open). Also, make certain the cat litter box is away from your cat’s eating area.

Types of Litter and/or Litter Box: If you’re using scented litter, immediately replace it with unscented litter. Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat is a fabulous choice, and so is ScoopAway’s unscented clumping litter. There are also other kinds of litter available, including corn or pine based litters. Many cats do not like these other types of litter so if there’s an question, opt for clay.

Enclosed cat litter boxes trap odors and dust, which can bring about respiratory problems; boxes that aren’t big enough are hard for cats to use; and automated boxes can malfunction and startle your cat. If any of these scenarios fit your situation, change to a roomier, uncovered litter box.

Going Forward. Since everyone understands that bad habits are hard to break, it’s wise to keep them from forming to begin with. Below are seven steps you can take to prevent future cat litter box problems: 1) Keep the litter box clean at all times. 2) Keep an extra litter box. The rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one. 3) To help prevent urinary illnesses, ensure your cat gets enough water by feeding canned food and providing a fountain. Vist the veterinarian annually. 4) Use unscented litter. 5) Change to a good-sized, unhooded litter box. 6) Look for a quiet spot for the cat litter box that is nowhere near your cat’s eating area. 7) Praise your indoor cats whenever they use the litter box! Create a code word, for example “box” and use it with your cat when you praise him so he learns what that means. Then you can remind him if troubles do arise in the future.

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