Litter Box Survival Guide

Everything You Need to Know, from Setup to Troubleshooting

There is no subject more misunderstood by cat owners than the litter box. When kitty faithfully uses it, all is peaceful in the house. Should kitty begin rejecting his box, though, life in the household is dramatically turned upside down. Tension runs high, punishment is often inflicted, and in many instances the cat is given away to a shelter and/or euthanized. A once loving cat/owner relationship transforms into a stressful day-to-day battle that nobody wins.

You’ll never “win” if you think of it as a battle—what it takes is understanding the litter box from his point of view and the role it plays in his life. If the thought has ever entered your head that your cat wasn’t using the litter box deliberately, to spite you, then you haven’t been looking at it through his eyes. Stop thinking like an owner. If you thought it was just a plastic box filled with litter that you stick in the corner of the laundry room, you’re underestimating the power that it has over your cat’s emotions.

By knowing how to set up the box in the correct location, provide proper maintenance, and understand signals that your cat may be sending regarding it, you stand a good chance of avoiding future problems.

There are no secret tricks. Owners keep trying to find ways to prevent litter box odor from permeating the house and unfortunately they fall victim to quickfix temporary solutions. The best and only way to reduce litter box odor is to keep it clean.

One of the things we find so appealing about cats is the fact that they do use a litter box, but many owners don’t understand the origins of this basic instinct. The cat’s instinct to bury his waste is based on a need far more important than his owner’s convenience. Survival is the motivation behind the ritual of burying waste. A cat’s urine is very concentrated and has a strong odor that can be detected by predators in the wild. Cats in the wild urinate and defecate away from their nest and cover their waste so they don’t attract predators back to their young. For safety, cats don’t eliminate where they eat, sleep, play, or raise young. Your indoor cat has those same instincts.

Which Litter Box?

I find it amazing how complex and elaborate some litter boxes have become. I’m sure you’ve seen the ads on TV and in magazines for boxes that are sifted and cleaned simply by rolling them over, or better yet, boxes that clean themselves electronically. Manufacturers continue to knock themselves out trying to come up with a litter box so maintenance-free that an owner will hardly know it’s there. The problems I have with those are:

1. If owners aren’t maintaining the boxes as often, they also won’t be monitoring their cat’s elimination habits as often. For example, if you aren’t sifting the box every day, you may be unaware that your cat has diarrhea.

2. It has been my experience through the years that the more complicated the litter box setup is, the less likely the cat will use it faithfully.

A simple, basic box is all you need. As you stand in the store aisle staring at the dozens of boxes, consider your cat’s age, size, and health. If you have a tiny kitten, you don’t want to start out with a jumbo box that might be too high-sided for him to climb into. You may need to purchase a small box initially and then switch to a larger one as your cat grows. On the other hand, if you have a rather large cat, the litter box needs to be of an adequate size for him to move around comfortably.

The basic litter box is a rectangular plastic pan. It comes in sizes ranging from a small cage-sized box to a jumbo multicat model. I find that owners commonly make the mistake of buying too small of a box in order to have it fit in a corner somewhere. Look at the size of your cat and pick a box that would give him enough room to eliminate in a couple of areas and still have clean spots to stand on. As a general guideline, the length of the box should be 1½–2 times the length of an adult cat, and the width of the box should be the cat’s approximate length. If you have more than one cat and they vary greatly in size, base your measurement on the largest cat. It’s a major part of your cat’s life, so don’t skimp on size just so it’ll fit under the vanity. Keep your cat’s needs in mind when shopping for a litter box. If, after looking through the displays at pet supply stores, you still don’t see one that fits your cat’s needs (for instance, if he sprays urine over the sides of an ordinary box), go to the discount store and check out plastic storage containers. Sterilite makes containers in a wide variety of sizes. The higher sides of a storage box may just do the trick.

Wouldn’t it be easier to simply get a covered litter box? Read on.

Covered Boxes

Covered boxes have two functions: to contain the smell and to ensure that urine and litter stay within the confines of the box. In theory, that sounds very appealing and practical. The problem is it appeals to you, not the cat. A covered box really does contain the smell—by keeping it trapped inside so that your cat must endure the concentrated odor each time he enters. The cover on the box also reduces the amount of air circulating so the litter takes longer to dry, creating a perfect environment for odor.

A covered box can also be uncomfortable for a cat. He may feel cramped as he tries to find a comfortable position. A tall cat may have to duck his head to avoid touching the ceiling of the box. If you’re considering a covered box to reduce litter scatter or urine spray, you will do just as well getting a taller, open box instead. The effect is the same and your cat will be more comfortable.

A covered box in a multicat household may also cause a cat to feel trapped should another cat show up. More on this later.

Litter

If you thought there were many varieties of litter boxes, wait until you start shopping for litter. The number of choices can be overwhelming for a new owner. Heck, it’s overwhelming for seasoned owners.

Every single type of litter on the market claims to have the solution to a cat owner’s ultimate quest: odor control. Some litters tout their virtually dust-free properties. Others highlight their super-strong clumping ability. Which should you choose? What’s a cat owner to do? Here are the fundamentals: The first decision to make is whether you want regular nonclumping clay, scoopable, or one of the many alternative types. Clay litter is the most basic and not very good at odor control. It was the first commercial litter, introduced by Edward Lowe, back when owners were just using ordinary sand. Scoopable litter is sandlike in texture, only when it becomes wet it clumps into a ball. This makes it easy for you to scoop out, leaving the rest of the litter dry and odor-free.

There are also multiple brands of alternative litters such as wheat, corn, or newspaper, just to name a few. Some are scoopable and some aren’t. Some are flushable, some aren’t.

When you choose a litter, go for unscented or if you must choose scent, pick minimally scented brands. The scented kinds that smell so wonderful to us are often too perfumed for a cat’s nose. Cats want to be able to identify their own scent in the litter and the heavy perfume can actually drive him away. If you regularly scoop out the waste, you’ll have an odor-free box without all the extra perfume.

Catwise Clue

Scented litters may mask odors but they don’t eliminate them.

Basically, from a cat’s point of view, litter should meet three requirements:

1. It has to be a substrate that he doesn’t mind standing on.

2. It has to be loose enough for him to dig a hole and cover afterward.

3. It shouldn’t have a strong odor.

If you have just adopted or purchased a new kitten or cat, it’s best to start out using whatever the previous owner or breeder used. If you decide to switch later, you should do it gradually so the cat won’t reject it.

My philosophy on litter is to stick to what a cat would naturally seek out in the wild (with a few modifications, of course). I recommend a scoopable litter with a texture similar to the sandy type of soil a cat would naturally choose. The scoopable aspect makes it easy for you to clean and greatly reduces odor since you’ll be removing the soaked ball of soiled litter.

Many cats seem to prefer this substrate and for some cats who have been declawed the soft texture can be more comfortable.

Another advantage to scoopable litter is that it can help you monitor changes in your cat’s urine output because you’ll be able to see an increase or decrease in the size of the hardened clumps.

There has always been somewhat of a controversy surrounding scoopable litter. Some people continue to have concerns over whether the litter, if ingested by a cat, will turn cementlike in the intestines. There have been no documented veterinarian reports of cases of intestinal damage due to ingestion of litter. If you have any questions, discuss this with your veterinarian.

You’ll find several variations of scoopable litters. There are low tracking formulas, unscented, super-scented, and heavy-duty formulas guaranteeing rock hard clumps that won’t fall apart. If you have more than one cat sharing a box then consider one of the stronger multicat formulas.

There are also numerous alternative litters. Each cat is individual in his preferences and needs, as is each owner. So if you have a specific situation where the more commonly used litters won’t work for you, look among the wide variety of alternatives.

Deodorizers

These products aren’t usually beneficial to the cat. They tend to have a very strong fragrance that can drive a cat away from the box, which is not quite the effect you want.

How Much Litter to Use

An important aspect of odor control is how much litter is in the box. Doing my in-home consultations, I’ve found many owners go to the extremes, using either way too much or not nearly enough. If you use too much scoopable litter, it’s just a waste and ends up being kicked over the side of the box. On the other hand, not using enough litter results in a very smelly box because urine hits the bottom of the box and forms puddles where there are not enough granules for adequate absorption.

A good guideline is to spread about a three to five-inch layer of litter in the box. This gives your cat enough for digging and covering. Watch your cat’s digging habits and adjust the amount of litter accordingly. In multicat households, you don’t need more litter in the box, you need more boxes.

Maintain a consistent litter level by topping off the litter every few days as you remove urine clumps.

Where to Put the Box

Location, location, location. It applies to real estate and it most definitely applies to litter boxes. Where you put the litter box is more important than many owners realize. You can have the perfect box, filled with the best litter in the world, but if it’s put in an area that the cat finds unacceptable, it may be rejected.

There is one rule that cat owners should never ever break under any circumstances : Don’t put the litter box near the cat’s food and water. Many owners mistakenly believe that having the box right next to the cat’s food will serve as a reminder to him. Unfortunately, this plan can only backfire and you lay the groundwork for litter box rejection. Remember, cats eliminate away from the nest. If you put his food and box together it sends him a very confusing message. He’ll be forced to make a decision about whether to designate the area as a feeding station or an elimination spot. Since the food is only available in that one area, he’ll search for another location for his litter box needs. If you have no choice but to keep his food bowl and litter box in the same room, at least put them as far apart as possible.

The most common place owners put the box is in the bathroom. This is a good spot provided you have the room. It makes cleanup easy and it’s convenient in terms of your being able to regularly scoop it. Keep in mind, though, that if lots of steamy hot showers are taken in the bathroom it will be humid in there and that may cause the litter to take longer to dry.

Pick a spot in your home away from heavy traffic to provide your cat with a feeling of privacy and safety. However, don’t choose an area too remote or you’ll forget to check it daily. I met one owner who put the box in the “ junk ” room on the second floor of the house. No one routinely went in there, so the box was forgotten and became so full and dirty that the cat couldn’t stand to use it any longer and began urinating on the carpet in the den. Wherever you locate the box, be sure you’ll remember to check it twice a day.

A two-story home should have a box on each floor. If your indoor/outdoor cat doesn’t use a litter box and prefers to eliminate outside, keep a litter box indoors anyway in case he chooses not to go out in bad weather or becomes ill.

In a multicat household, more than one box will be needed. This is not just because one box gets dirty too quickly (although it does), but also because some cats object to sharing and one cat may be too intimidated to pass another cat in order to get to the cat’s area. The litter box rule: have the same number of boxes as you have cats.

Multicat households can create litter box placement problems. If there are any territorial disputes going on or if your cats don’t especially care for each other, the boxes should be placed far enough apart so that if one is being guarded, there is easy access to another. It’s worth taking the time to pay attention to the areas of your home where each cat seems to spend the most time. You may be able to avoid future problems by placing boxes in rooms within each cat’s general preferred locations. Boxes spread throughout the house are better than ones grouped together in one location. It may not initially seem very convenient as far as you’re concerned, but trust me, there is tremendous convenience in not having to deal with location-aversion litter box problems.

There is another potential problem to consider when setting up a litter box for multicat households in which there is some feline animosity. A litter box wedged in a corner can make a cat feel trapped. If a cat thinks he doesn’t have enough avenues of escape and fears being attacked, he could reject his box. This problem is covered more specifically later in this chapter.

Cleaning the Litter Box

You will need a slotted scoop or shovel to sift through the litter for solid waste. It will also enable you to separate the soiled urine clumps from the dry, clean litter if you’re using clumping litter.

If you use nonclumping litter, you’ll also want to use a slotted shovel to remove solid waste. A long-handled unslotted spoon is good for removing mounds of wet litter. Saturated litter left sitting in the box is what will create an odor. Don’t stir the wet litter around or you’ll just end up soiling the whole box. I hope you’ll reconsider the use of nonscoopable litter and will gradually switch your cat over to the more convenient scoopable kind. You’ll find the box will have much less odor and you’ll be able to do a more efficient job when it comes to cleanup.

Keep the litter scoop in a container by the litter box for convenience. There are several companies that make scoop and holder combinations. This will make it much easier and cleaner. Scooping and sifting should be done at least twice a day. It only takes seconds and will make a significant difference in odor control. Scoopable litter will be worth nothing if your cat has to climb over old clumps from days ago in order to find one corner of unsoiled substrate.

Most scoopable litters, especially the heavy-duty formulas, aren’t flushable. Clay litter should never be flushed down the toilet. The most convenient method I’ve come up with for disposal of soiled litter clumps is to keep a small plastic storage container with a sealable lid lined with a plastic grocery bag right next to the box. I scoop first thing in the morning, depositing all the clumps into the container, then I snap the lid shut until the evening’s scooping when I’ll tie up the plastic bag and dispose of it in the outside trash can. There are also commercial litterdisposal products. These products are available through pet supply retailers and online. They’re similar to the diaper disposal systems that have been on the market for years. It doesn’t matter what method you come up with as long as it’s convenient enough so no one will have an excuse for letting litter box maintenance slide. And remember, always wash your hands after scooping out the litter box.

Scooping twice daily will not only keep the litter box clean but it will alert you to potential health problems. Routine scooping will help you become familiar with your cat’s litter box habits. I know it doesn’t sound like a thrilling job, but it can mean the difference between a happy, pain-free cat or one who has to endure a painful medical condition because it has gone undetected by his owner. You’ll soon be familiar with your cat’s habits: how often he goes, his daily urine output, the formation and consistency of his stool. Should any of that change, you’ll be aware of it right away and able to get prompt medical care.

Catwise Caution

Pregnant women should exercise caution when cleaning the litter box because of the danger of toxoplasmosis. This is a condition caused by a protozoan parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that can infect a fetus and cause birth defects. Cats spread this parasite through egg spores in their feces. If possible, have someone else do the litter duties for the pregnant owner. Their daily scooping of waste will greatly reduce the risk because the egg spores of Toxoplasma gondii must incubate for several days before they reach the infective state. If you’re pregnant and must attend to the litter, keep a box of disposable gloves near the box.Wash your hands after scooping the litter box and instruct your family to do the same.

In addition to daily scooping, the box itself will also need routine cleaning. If you use regular clay litter or one of the nonscoopable varieties, you should do a thorough cleaning at least once a week. This involves disposing of the litter, then scrubbing the box and all related utensils. If you use scoopable litter, you can go longer than one week between cleanings. Don’t be fooled by the ads for scoopable litter claiming that because the waste is being sifted out you’ll never have to scrub the box. Not true. Urine will still come in contact with the plastic. Boxes containing scoopable litter should be completely scrubbed and replaced with fresh litter about twice a month.

When you clean the box, don’t use harsh cleansers that can leave a smell. I use bleach that I’ve diluted with water (¾ water to ¼ bleach). I also scrub all of the utensils and their plastic container. Then everything gets thoroughly dried before the box is refilled with fresh litter.

Plastic Liners

The idea of a plastic liner in the litter box seems wonderful in theory. In reality, the animals who step into the box have claws so the liners often end up being more of a nuisance than a help. When you lift up the liner to throw it away, you may find litter escaping through holes that your cat has scratched in the bottom of the liner. Plastic liners can also make litter box odor worse because urine can pool in creases and folds, and urine that leaks through any tears or holes will sit on the bottom and become very smelly.

Your objective is to make the litter box as inviting and comfortable as possible for your cat, so you certainly don’t want him struggling to dig or cover because his claws keep catching on the liner.

The Facts About Toilet Training Your Cat

You’ve probably heard about people who can toilet train their cats. There are videos all over YouTube by people who claim that kitty can use the same toilet as the human family. Perhaps you’ve been considering the idea of teaching your own cat to use the toilet so you won’t ever have to deal with the mess of scooping and cleaning a litter box. In theory, toilet training may seem mess-free but there are things to consider before you attempt this route. There are serious downsides to the toilet training option that many owners don’t take into consideration until problems have already taken hold. I’ve done many consultations with clients because of cat behavior problems stemming from disastrous toilet-training attempts. The cats end up with anxiety-related elimination problems and the owners end up very frustrated.

You might be interested in the idea of toilet training because you hate dealing with litter box mess and odor. The truth is, litter boxes don’t have to be messy and smelly. They end up that way because they don’t get scooped and cleaned often enough. Litter granules can only hold so much liquid, so if you haven’t been scooping regularly, the box will, of course, start to stink. So rethink the idea of toilet training to avoid litter box odor—instead, get on a better maintenance schedule.

Here’s a list of reasons why toilet training isn’t something I recommend owners attempt with their cats:

• When kitty eliminates in the toilet you won’t be able to accurately see whether there has been a change in urine volume or frequency. If the urine is going in the toilet instead of a litter box, you really can’t accurately judge whether volume has increased or decreased. A change in urine output is an important clue to potential underlying medical problems. Whenever you scoop the box, you’re alerted to changes in urine clumps.

• Toilet training is counterintuitive to the cat’s natural survival instinct to dig, eliminate, and then cover his waste. Although many cats won’t have a problem with that change, many won’t make the adjustment very smoothly.

• The toilet lid must always be up when you have a cat who uses the toilet instead of a litter box. The first time someone accidentally closes the lid, kitty has no option but to eliminate elsewhere. Imagine how confusing and stressful it must be when the cat goes to use the toilet and finds it inaccessible.

• Unless you teach your cat to flush the toilet, the odor from solid waste will linger until someone does flush. So, if you’re thinking toilet training causes fewer odors than a litter box, it doesn’t. And, if you attempt to teach your cat to flush, keep in mind that he may end up enjoying the “game” of watching the swirling water go down, and might flush repeatedly throughout the day just for entertainment purposes.

• In a multicat home, cats may not want to share the same toilet.

• Even though you can buy toilet-training kits, eventually you have to do away with the kit and have kitty straddle the actual toilet seat. For a young cat, one who is ill, has arthritis, or limited mobility this may not be comfortable or even possible.

• Toilet seats can be slippery for the cat.

• If your cat falls in the toilet, although he may be able to get out, the panic and stress may cause him to not want to eliminate in the toilet again. Should he fall into a dirty toilet, then you’ll have the added anxiety of having to bathe him. If he’s home by himself, he’ll have to remain wet and soiled until you get home.

• If your cat is ever hospitalized or boarded he’ll be put in a cage with a traditional litter box. Once back home, you may end up having to retrain him to the toilet.

Introducing Your Cat to the Litter Box

The first step is to make sure your cat knows where the box is. If dealing with a kitten, confine him to a small area until he’s using the box successfully and comfortable with his new surroundings. If he doesn’t get the idea, then after he has eaten, place him in the box and scratch in the litter with your finger. Don’t force him to stay in the litter box, though.

Catwise Clue

Both male and female cats squat to eliminate. The standing posture is reserved for spraying behavior. Male cats, unlike male dogs, don’t lift a leg to urinate.

If you’re planning to use a covered box, don’t put the cover on during this orientation process. You want to make the learning process as easy as possible. And, while you’re waiting for your cat to get used to his new box, go back and reread the section in this chapter on covered boxes so you’ll fully understand why they’re not as good for your cat.

If your kitten doesn’t appear to grasp the concept of the litter box and he urinates or defecates on the floor, collect it as well as you can and deposit it in the box. The scent of his own waste should direct him there next time.

Litter Box Aversion

It’s high noon. The place is deserted. A few hair balls roll around lazily. There’s an eerie ghost-town stillness in the air. The only sound is the lonely echo of your footsteps as you enter the room. It all looks innocent enough but you know that somewhere in this room that thing awaits. Suddenly you see it in the corner, covered in dust. The cobwebs laced over it glisten in the sun. It is the litter box that your cat refuses to use.

LITTER BOX CHECKLIST

• the right box

• proper location

• appealing litter substrate

• slotted litter shovel

• large unslotted spoon to collect wet litter (for nonclumping litter users)

• washable container to hold litter shovel

• washable container with lid to collect soiled clumps

• plastic bags

• small broom and dust pan or small vacuum and/or litter tracking mat (to control litter scatter)

• Scrub brush or sponge designated for litter box cleaning

• Enzymatic pet stain/odor cleaner (for accidents)

“He’s doing it out of spite!”

“He knows he’s being bad!”

“He’s too lazy to go to his box!”

“My cat is so stupid, he pees on the carpet!”

“He did it because he’s mad at me!”

The above is a small sample of the sorts of things I hear on my answering machine. While I certainly can understand an owner’s sense of frustration, none of the above statements are at all true about cats. It’s only when you stop interpreting your cat’s behavior as mean, spiteful, stupid, deliberate, or lazy that you stand a chance of correcting the problem.

Understanding what type of behavior your cat is displaying is crucial. Indiscriminate urination is usually done on a horizontal surface such as the floor, carpet, or tub. Spraying is usually done against vertical surfaces such as walls, furniture, or drapes. There are some cats, though, who do display horizontal spray-marking behavior. These cats may not feel confident enough to engage in vertical spraying.

You must first identify whether your cat is indiscriminately urinating or spraying. A cat may also defecate outside of the litter box, which we will discuss later in this chapter.

If your cat is spraying and he hasn’t been neutered, now would be a really good time to make an appointment for the surgery. A male cat reaches sexual maturity at about seven months of age, and spraying can begin at that time. Neutering will eliminate the spraying behavior in almost all cases.

Spray-Marking: Kitty’s Calling Card

If your cat has already been neutered and is still spraying, he either feels that his territory is in danger, is anxious about something and trying to self-soothe, or is trying to exchange information with another cat in a safe way. Many things can prompt a cat to spray, such as the appearance of another cat outside or the arrival of a new cat in the household. If a turf war is being waged in your home, the cats should be separated and individual behavior modification begun (covered in this chapter). Then the cats can gradually be reintroduced. You do this the same way you’d introduce two unacquainted cats for the first time. For specific instructions on this, refer to Chapter 11.

When marking, the cat stands stiff-legged with his hindquarters facing the target. His tail is upright and quivers as he marks. He may close his eyes halfway or completely. Some cats tread in place with their front paws while in the act of spraying.

Some cats will also spray horizontally on items such as bedding or clothing. The urine will be in a thin stream as opposed to the puddle associated with indiscriminate urination.

The key to correcting spraying behavior is to find the cause of the cat’s fear/ anxiety, and either remove it or modify it by working on changing your cat’s association. Spray-marking is an important form of communication in the feline world so if you have a sprayer in your house, he’s trying to say something to somebody! Spraying can be performed by confident and nonconfident cats alike, so if you have a multicat environment, don’t automatically assume a culprit.

Catwise Clue

Many people assume that cats spray exclusively to mark territory. Spray-marking is far more complicated than that. It’s a complex form of communication used for many purposes.

If the spraying is happening near doors or windows, there’s a good chance the cat is reacting to the presence of an outdoor cat. Spraying on new items such as bags or boxes brought into the house, or a new piece of furniture, could be a reaction to the unfamiliar scents on those items in the cat’s territory. And of course, the most common reason a cat sprays is usually due to the arrival of a new cat in the home or because of intercat conflict with a companion cat.

The first step you should take if your cat stops using the litter box is to take your cat to the veterinarian. Indiscriminate urination is a common sign of a medical condition known as feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). It’s not unusual for a cat suffering from FLUTD to make frequent trips to the box but only void small amounts of urine. As the condition worsens, the irritated bladder creates an urgent need in the cat to urinate immediately in order to relieve the discomfort. Sometimes a cat begins to associate the pain he feels upon urination with the litter box itself. FLUTD is very serious and can be fatal if crystals form and block the passage of urine through the urethra. Have your cat checked immediately should he stop using the litter box. For more on FLUTD, refer to the Medical Appendix.

POTENTIAL REASONS FOR A CAT TO SPRAY

• sexual maturity

• the appearance of a strange cat in the yard

• the addition of a new pet or family member

• to patrol territory

• scent of unfamiliar cat on owner’s clothing or shoes

• tension or aggression between companion animals

• too dense of a cat population in the household

• renovation or remodeling

• move to a new home

• to calm and self-soothe

• unfamiliar visitors

• to relay information

• victory display after a confrontation

• covert aggression

Feces Marking

Known as middening, this is where a cat will deposit a fecal marker. Sometimes it’s deposited on a pathway frequented by other cats. It may be a way of leaving a visual as well as an olfactory sign. This behavior is exhibited more in outdoor cats. Middening is not common behavior with indoor cats. If a cat is defecating outside of the litter box it’s usually not a marking behavior.

There are other medical conditions that could cause your cat to change his litter box habits, such as diabetes or kidney disease, just to name two. Any change in your cat’s litter box habits or food/water consumption should be checked by the veterinarian.

If you have a multicat household, you may have difficulty figuring out which cat is the perpetrator. If there is indiscriminate urination and FLUTD could be the cause, don’t waste time waiting to catch a cat in the act. If you notice any suspicious signs (see above), take the most likely suspect to the veterinary clinic first.

POTENTIAL REASONS FOR INDISCRIMINATE URINATION

• medical condition

• dirty litter box

• covered or inappropriately sized litter box

• unacceptable litter substrate

• abrupt change in litter or litter box location

• unacceptable litter box location

• aversion to scent of product used to clean litter box or perfumed litter

• anxiety/fear

• negative association with litter box

• punishment by owner so a fear of being near the box develops

• increase in owner’s absence from cat

• tension or aggression between companion pets

• inadequate number of boxes for multicat home

• need for more escape potential so cat has more option for existing box

• inconsistent litter levels

• geriatric-related problems

SOME SIGNS OF FLUTD

• frequent trips to litter box

• voiding little or no urine

• blood in urine

• urinating outside of litter box

• crying while in litter box

• little or no appetite

• appearing depressed or irritable

• frequent licking of genitals

• spending longer amount of time in box

In a multicat household you can separate and isolate cats to try to determine which one isn’t using the litter box. The problem with that method is one cat may be eliminating outside of the box because of a tense relationship with another cat. If the cats aren’t together, there may not be a display of inappropriate elimination. The most reliable way to determine which cat is eliminating outside of the box is to use video.

Beginning at the Source (the Litter Box)

Take a long, hard, critical look at the litter box. I mean now, this very minute. How does it really look? Have you been keeping it clean? Have you been reliably sticking to your twice daily scooping and routine cleaning? If you haven’t, then chances are the poor conditions of the box are driving your cat to find cleaner, less smelly places. Even if you’ve been scooping twice daily and routinely cleaning, that might not be enough for your particular cat. Some cats want a pristine box every time they step into it.

In certain weather when there’s increased humidity (especially if you don’t have air conditioning), the litter box cleaning schedule may have to be adjusted. Also, if you keep the box in a bathroom frequently used for steamy hot showers, that will raise the humidity level, and litter will take longer to dry. If you’ve been using a covered box and you keep it in a bathroom with a high humidity level, remove the cover at the very least. Also, keep the bathroom exhaust fan running during showers to reduce humidity.

Check the amount of litter that you’re putting in the box. Make sure there’s at least a three- to five-inch layer to permit sufficient digging and covering. If you use scoopable litter, you should periodically be refilling the box with clean litter to maintain a consistent level as you remove the soiled clumps.

An abrupt change in litter can also be enough to make a cat stop using his box. A cat takes comfort in knowing that when he steps into the box, he’ll feel the same texture under his paws and the same scent (or lack of scent) he’s used to. A change in litter texture or a drastic change in scent can be confusing. Keep in mind how sensitive a cat’s senses are; a change in brand may seem subtle to you but may be offensive to your cat. Your kitty is also a very tactile creature and the feel of the litter against his paws can be of extreme importance. A sudden change from a soft, sandy texture to a pelletized litter can be off-putting enough to drive a cat to seek a softer substrate—and that choice might be your bathroom rug or the lush carpet in your bedroom.

If you plan on changing litter brands or types, do it in a way that allows the cat time to adjust. Start by adding a little of the new litter into the box containing the current brand, gradually increasing the amount of new litter while decreasing the old, over the course of about five days.

If you feel your cat may have come to dislike his current brand of litter, or maybe dislikes the texture, you can do a test by placing a second litter box near his current one. In the second box, place a different litter. When I’ve done such experiments, I’ve found that if it’s a choice between clay, crystals, alternative litters, or scoopable many cats seem to prefer the soft texture of the scoopable. Cats are individuals, though, so if you feel puzzled by what type of litter to buy, experiment by setting out different types—cafeteria style—and let your cat make the decision. You don’t have to spend lots of money on litter boxes for this experiment: buy disposable boxes for the short-term. This litter box “buffet” allows the cat to make his own choice. In a multicat household you may find that one cat likes one type of litter and another cat prefers a different type or texture. This way, you’ll know to set up litter boxes in each cat’s area with their own preferred litter.

If you aren’t sure whether your cat actually dislikes his litter or not, there are some clues he may give you. He might stand with his front legs on the rim of the box or he may perch on the very edge. In order to minimize his contact with the litter he may also scratch the area outside of the litter box when attempting to cover his waste. He may not even attempt to cover at all and just bolt out of the box after eliminating (though not all cats cover their waste). The cat may even eliminate on the floor or carpet right next to the box. All of these behaviors can also be associated with an underlying medical condition (such as FLUTD) or it can be simply the result of a too-dirty box. The bottom line is that the cat is telling you something needs to be addressed immediately.

Some people have no problem placing a litter box on carpet and others feel it’s a recipe for disaster. Some kitties mistake the soft feel of carpet for litter. Sometimes a little kicked out soiled litter can create an odor problem if left sitting on carpeted surfaces. Also, if the box doesn’t meet your cat’s standards for cleanliness, the carpet will begin to look especially attractive to him. If you decide to put the litter box on carpet, put a litter scatter mat or piece of sturdy plastic under the box. The litter scatter mat will help control those tossed out litter granules while also protecting your carpet. Litter scatter mats are a good idea even if the litter box is placed on a hard surface to prevent litter from going everywhere. When choosing a litter scatter mat, though, be aware that your cat may have a texture preference. A mat with pointy nubs on the surface may trap litter effectively but your cat may not like the feel on his paws.

There are some cats who, no matter how diligently you clean, won’t use the litter box once it has been soiled. If you have this type of cat, invest in two litter boxes for the room so he’ll always have a clean one should you be unable to scoop up the waste before his return visit. You may also be one of the lucky owners of a cat who refuses to defecate in the same box he uses for urination. Put a second box down for His Highness so he can designate one for urination and one for his princely poop. It may seem inconvenient to clean two boxes, but I’d rather scrub an extra litter box than clean urine out of my carpet. In many cases the boxes can be relatively close together, but not so close that your cat views them as one big box (otherwise you’ll defeat the purpose of having two). With some cats, the boxes will have to be farther apart—maybe on opposite sides of the room.

The Disappearing Litter Box

In an effort to find a location that will meet with the approval of all family members, sometimes the litter box gets moved around too much. This is where planning ahead proves very helpful. Think about the pros and cons of the area you have chosen before you start playing musical litter boxes. The harder you make it for your cat to find the box, the more inviting your oriental carpet will look to him when his bladder is full.

If you need to change a litter box’s location, place a second box in the proposed spot before moving the original one to make sure it’s an acceptable area. Then you can gradually move the first box a few feet a day toward the new location. Once they’re in the same location you can then dispose of one of the boxes. If you don’t want to go to the expense of using a temporary second box, you’ll have to relocate the box VERY gradually—no more than a couple of feet a day—but make sure the final location is one that your cat will find acceptable.

Monitoring A Recently Relocated Litter Box

I was called in for a consultation because Sparkles, a four-year-old female cat, suddenly refused to use her litter box. The owners also had dogs. The history I received was that the cat, who was in perfect health, had a very outgoing, friendly personality, loved being around the dogs, and up until two months before, when she stopped using her litter box, had been the perfect cat.

Upon further investigation, I learned that the box had recently been moved. Originally it had been situated in an unused extra room, but now was in the bathroom because the owners were planning to convert the extra room into an office. For six months, Sparkles handled the relocation just fine. Then she began eliminating in the old location. Why the change in her behavior after six months? Eventually, I learned that during those first six spring/summer months, the dogs had been kept outside, as usual. However, they’d started sleeping indoors two months ago since the weather got colder.

The dogs had never been allowed in the section of the house where the extra room was located. The owners had installed a baby gate to keep them out. Sparkles, however, was free to roam anywhere, and had just hopped the gate to get to her box. But the dogs now had access to the new litter box location in the central area of the house, and they’d discovered the fun game of following Sparkles to the litter box and crowding her while she was trying to conduct her private business. Apparently, since moving indoors, the dogs had been anxiously awaiting the deposit of feces so they could “snack.” No owner wants to believe his or her dog would display this behavior but it is, nevertheless, a relatively common one among canines.

I figured it out when the owners told me that they often saw the dogs hanging around the bathroom door. Because all of the pets got along, they never imagined there was a problem. When pressed, neither owner recalled scooping feces out of the box for the last two months. Each just assumed that the other had already cleaned it.

Understandably, Sparkles was upset at the intrusion upon her privacy, so she went back to eliminating in the old area, which felt much safer. Perfectly logical from a think like a cat perspective.

The solution to the problem was for Sparkles’s owners to relocate the box back to the section of the house that was off limits to the dogs, or to install a hinged baby gate at the entrance to the bathroom with a small elevated landing box on the bathroom-side of the gate so Sparkles could manage the gate easily.

If you plan to relocate the litter box, think carefully beforehand about what potential problems and obstacles your cat could encounter in the new place. Also, will the new location be convenient for you to maintain your scooping schedule? If you locate the box in the basement, for example, because you don’t like the look of a litter box on the main floor of the house, will you remember to go down there twice a day to do box maintenance?

After you’ve moved the box to a new location, monitor everyone’s reactions and behavior to catch any early warning signals (in the case of Sparkles’s owners, it was noticing the dogs at the bathroom door).

If Your Cat Has Been Declawed

The first ten days after declawing surgery are painful for the cat. For some cats, the wounds on their paws remain sensitive long after the usual healing period. He’ll need a special litter in his box while he’s healing to keep the wounds clean. Your veterinarian will probably recommend shredded newspaper or a pelleted litter. Try not to use shredded newspaper because it’s terrible at odor control and is very messy.

Not only can the pain cause the cat to not want to deal with the litter box, the sudden shock of encountering a strange litter substrate can bother any cat. Either circumstance can cause litter box aversion.

If you’re set on having your cat declawed (refer to Chapter 9 before making that decision), plan ahead and mix a little of the pelleted litter in with his regular litter before the surgery. Then, after the ten-day healing period, you can reintroduce his regular litter again. If you were previously using regular clay litter and it now seems to cause discomfort, do a gradual switch from the pelleted to scoopable litter. A soft, sandlike texture will be gentler to his paws.

New House

The first time I moved to a new house was an overwhelming and traumatic experience for me. I can understand exactly what a cat must feel at such a time. Everything familiar was suddenly gone and I was faced with the task of establishing new territory. Because I remembered how it had felt, I planned enough in advance to make transitions much easier for my cats when it came time for future moves. If only someone had pampered me the way I pampered my cats.

If you’ve recently moved and your cat has stopped using his litter box, it might be because of the unfamiliar surroundings. Remember that he’s a creature of habit and was used to his comfortable, familiar territory. The best way to prevent pussycat panic is to set up a small area for him while he gets his bearings.

Renovation/New Furniture/New Carpets

The frightening sounds of renovation and all of the unfamiliar faces of construction workers can be perceived as a threat to a cat’s territory and cause him to spray. A cat may also urinate away from the litter box if it’s located too close to the noise or if he feels too frightened to venture near it.

The addition of new carpet or even a new piece of furniture can be threatening for some cats. They may feel that it doesn’t belong in their territory until it has been sprayed with their scent.

It is best to keep a cat as far away from construction noises as possible. If there’s a quiet room in your home (preferably not one with new furniture or new carpeting), set him up in there with his litter box. Play soft music to block out some of the distant hammering and drilling.

When you bring in a new piece of furniture and you’re concerned about how your cat will react, rub it down with a towel that you’ve rubbed your cat with. Another option is to keep the piece covered with a sheet or blanket for a day. Using a sheet that you’ve slept on can speed up the acceptance process because the cat will detect your comforting scent. Always try to initiate new furniture as quickly as possible with the familiar scent of your home.

The Comings and Goings of Family

Whether it’s the new sofa cushions or the new spouse, change is change, and most cats don’t care for it! Even though down the road it may be wonderful, any change in the family status can cause litter box aversion.

A common worry that owners have is how their cat will react to a new baby. The answer is, if you haven’t prepared him for the change, there is a good chance he might not like it.

A new marriage may be the cause of a lapse in good litter box etiquette especially if your new family includes another cat or even a dog.

Remember to ease your cat through the very confusing changes of an addition to your family. Forethought can make the difference between a smooth, incident-free transition and a full-blown family crisis.

For specific information on cats and their relationships with family members, refer to Chapter 11.

Peeping Toms (the Feline Version)

The peaceful sight of your cat looking out the window to watch the birds could turn ugly if he spots another cat in the yard. At best, your cat may perk his ears up and thump his tail. Maybe he’ll even issue a hiss or two. At worst, he may view that cat’s presence as a territorial threat and become concerned with marking his turf and/or finding an outlet for his anxiety. If your cat is allowed outdoors and he confines his spraying to backyard trees, bushes, or fence posts, you’re okay. If your indoor cat feels threatened enough to spray, then Houston, we have a problem. You may notice streaks of urine on the walls under windows. Another common area to spray is around the front door. If your cat saw the uninvited feline on the patio or deck, then there’s a good chance that the doors or any nearby drapes have been marked.

A cat with a spraying problem may or may not continue to use his box or he may only defecate in the box.

If the unwanted visitor makes frequent appearances, try to find out if he has an owner. If he’s a stray, do your best to catch him because he probably isn’t vaccinated or neutered and could pose a serious health risk to other cats. You can contact a local feline rescue group in your area for guidance and assistance.

If you know the cat has an owner and you’re unable to convince him/her to keep the kitty indoors, you may need to set up a deterrent. ScareCrow by Contech is a motion-activated sprinkler that may do the trick, depending upon your situation. You can find this through online retailers.

Check around the outside of your doors and windows to see if the feline stranger has been spraying. If so, your indoor cat may be picking up on the scent so clean away any urine odor close to the house.

Block off your cat’s view through any windows from which he might be able to see the outdoor cat. You can use poster board, opaque film, or anything else that can be securely fastened. You need only cover the bottom half of the windows. I know it’s going to look strange but I’d rather have an opaque film on my windows than cat urine on my walls.

Follow the instructions in this chapter under “The Three-Step Retraining Program.”

Hostile Takeovers

In a multicat household, if you isolate a new cat in a separate room before integrating him into the cat family, it will help ease litter box disputes. Refer to Chapter 11 for more on new cat introductions. Now, what if you’ve followed all of the correct introduction procedures and you still notice someone not using the litter box? This could happen even if there isn’t a new cat in the house. One of your three longtime companion cats might suddenly begin eliminating outside of the box.

By now you know that in a multicat household it’s essential to have enough litter boxes (the think like a cat rule: have the same number of boxes as cats). The boxes must also:

1. Be kept clean

2. Be the right size

3. Be filled with an appealing substrate

4. Be in appropriate locations

5. Have escape routes

Wait a minute ...an escape route for a litter box? Most definitely! Look at it from your cat’s point of view. He goes into the litter box, which is probably wedged in the corner of the bathroom. Perhaps it’s even a covered box. Let’s say the opening to the box doesn’t face the entrance to the bathroom. If another cat comes into the room and approaches the box—whether it’s with trouble on his agenda or just a routine pit stop—the cat inside the box is taken by surprise. He truly is trapped because there’s only one way out and his potential enemy is blocking that route. If the encounter at the litter box is between feuding felines, the fellow trapped inside feels a great sense of threat. Even an open box, if wedged in a corner, may only allow for one way out.

The escape potential from the litter box is important in any cat household but it’s of the utmost importance if you’re in the midst of trying to resolve an indiscriminate urination or spraying problem.

Look at the box from a cat’s point of view and adjust it to avoid the possibility of him getting cornered. If the box is covered, remove the top. If it’s in a corner, slide it out a little. If there’s a more open area in the room, relocate the box there.

Another way to create an escape route is to afford your cat more warning time. Do this by making sure the box gives him a vantage point from which to view the entrance of the room. If the litter box occupant can see another cat coming, that may give him a few more seconds’ warning—enough time to get out of the line of fire. I often recommend that a client place the box opposite the room’s entrance so kitty has maximum warning time. That way he can see the length of the room and the room’s entrance. Based on your furniture layout this may not be possible but the farther from the door you can place the box, the better.

More than one litter box in different areas of the house is a must to reduce anxiety. It ensures kitty has an alternative in case one box is being guarded. This also means a cat won’t have to pass another cat’s area in order to access the litter box. So, while you may like the fact that the litter box is well hidden and out of the way, a cat may feel the location is setting him up for an ambush.

If you’re dealing with a feline inappropriate elimination problem in your multicat household, look at the places chosen for urination or defecation. You may find that targeted areas offer a cat what the litter box can’t: escape. Perhaps the cat is eliminating behind the chair in the living room. The cat has privacy and cover but the openness of the area allows him to view the room and offers several escape routes should he perceive a threat. I’ve found that very often, if the target spot is in a room with only one entrance, the spot will be by the far wall so the cat can have a good view of the doorway.

Pay attention to the route a cat must take to get to the litter box. The journey can be tense and harrowing in a household where there’s a turf war. If a more assertive cat stations himself in the long narrow hallway that leads to the litter box, a low-ranking cat will want to avoid an encounter.

Within a hostile household you may encounter both spraying and indiscriminate urination. Spraying may be done by the new cat to establish a territorial space of his own or to leave information about himself in such an unsure environment. It may also be done by the resident higher-ranking cat either as a reminder to others of his status or as a victory display after a confrontation. Unfamiliar cats who are trying to gather information about one another without having an actual confrontation may spray-mark. Find out who is displaying the behavior and what kind of behavior it is (spraying or indiscriminate urination), because that’s crucial for solving the problem. Remember, it could be more than one cat and it might be the one you least suspect.

The Three-Step Retraining Program

Let’s start with what not to do. Don’t punish your cat in any way for eliminating or spraying outside of the litter box. If anyone has ever advised you to rub your cat’s nose in his mess, DON’T follow it under any circumstances. This method doesn’t work and is actually inhumane. By rubbing his nose in his mess you only manage to communicate that the very act of urination and defecation are bad and he’ll be punished every time he goes. He won’t make the connection that you’re displeased only with his choice of location. He’ll assume that whenever he has to eliminate, he’ll be punished. This only adds to the anxiety he already feels. For whatever reason, his litter box isn’t a comfortable place so he’ll soon find more secluded hiding spots to avoid your reprimand. He may also become afraid of you or defensive in your presence.

Catwise Caution

Any form of punishment will only make a cat more secretive in his location choice for inappropriate elimination due to the added fear of the owner.

The next big don’t on the list: don’t hit your cat. Once again, he’ll associate the act of elimination with being punished and he’ll become afraid of you or even react defensively.

Another common but counterproductive retraining method is to grab the cat while he’s in the act of spraying and forcibly whisk him off to his litter box. If you think that transporting your cat to the box mid-pee will work, you’re sadly mistaken. Trust me, he hasn’t forgotten where his box is.

Confinement is a method sometimes suggested, but it won’t help you to determine the underlying cause of the behavior. If you haven’t addressed the true cause for the behavior then the inappropriate elimination will resume once confinement ends. This method is good for cats who are in an unfamiliar environment or are just learning what the litter box is actually for.

Now, what should you do? First you want to reduce the appeal of your carpet or furniture as a litter box alternative. Begin with cleaning, odor neutralizing, and making the area seem less attractive as an elimination choice. Regular household cleansers may get rid of stains but they only mask the odor. The scent of urine on the carpet or along the baseboard of the wall can trigger the cat to soil that same spot repeatedly. Completely get rid of the odor so that your cat’s sensitive nose doesn’t lead him back there again and again. Pet stain and odor neutralizing products are what you need.

I have outlined below a basic three-step program for retraining your cat to the box. Even if your veterinarian determines that your cat has been urinating because of FLUTD or another medical condition, you may still need to follow the steps listed below. The cat may have formed negative associations with the box from the pain he felt during urination, so you may also need to use behavior modification. At the very least you’ll need to clean and neutralize all soiled spots.

Step 1: The Cleanup

Before you can clean and neutralize stains and odors you have to identify where they are all located. There may be obvious ones that you can see, but there may also be ones that are hidden or old. You also want to make sure you clean the entire stain. That’s when a special detection light becomes a necessary tool. A black light can be held a few inches away from a surface and will cause urine stains to fluoresce. If you think your cat has hit several locations, the light will be a very worthwhile investment. Get a roll of painter’s tape so you can mark the soiled areas for cleanup. There are several brands of black lights available at pet supply stores and online.

You’ll also need a pet stain and odor neutralizing product. When you shop for these products, make sure the label says that it is specifically for pet urine/feces stain and odors. Don’t use regular household cleansers.

Read the instructions before using. The cleanup technique isn’t the same for all products. Also, it may recommend testing an inconspicuous area first.

If the spot is fresh, start by gently blotting up the urine with paper towels. Be careful not to force the liquid deeper into the pile of carpet or the fabric of upholstered furniture. After you’ve blotted up as much as possible, you can press down to absorb the rest of the moisture. Keep replacing wet towels with dry ones. Next, use a pet stain and odor neutralizer on the spot.

If you’re cleaning carpet, leave the pet stain and odor remover on long enough so it can reach all soiled areas. If the urine has seeped through to the padding, the pet stain and odor remover needs to soak that far down also. Follow the product’s instructions for how long to let the product sit and then blot with towels until you can’t get up any more liquid. Some products have to be rinsed with water, so make sure to read the label carefully. Then, if needed, you can set up a small fan to help accelerate drying time.

If you’re using the pet stain and odor remover on an area of the carpet that’s been sprayed repeatedly, you may need to dilute the old urine residue before you use the product. All that built-up urine may be too much for some products. First treat the stain with plain water and then blot with paper towels. Now you can treat the area with the product just as you would a fresh urine stain. The instructions on the product you’re using will indicate whether this step is necessary. If in doubt about how to use a product, call the manufacturer’s toll-free number.

To clean feces from carpet, slip a plastic sandwich bag over your hand and carefully remove the solid stool. If the stool is well formed, you should be able to lift it off the carpet easily. I don’t advise using newspaper to pick it up because you run the risk of pushing it deeper into the carpet. If you decide to use paper towel or toilet paper, be very light handed. Once you’ve removed the stool, treat the area with the pet stain and odor remover, following label instructions.

If the stool is very watery, you can avoid causing more of a stain if you carefully scoop it up along the top of the carpet with a spoon or thin metal spatula. Diarrhea that is pure liquid should be blotted up with paper towels and the area cleaned as previously described for urine stains. Remember, try not to force the stain down deeper into the carpet.

Never use ammonia or ammonia-based products because urine contains ammonia and the smell could trigger your cat to revisit the cleaned spot.

Step 2: Protection

This step applies to your carpets and furniture. If your cat has targeted specific areas of the home, limit access to these spots during the retraining phase. If he’s targeting a specific area of the carpet, cover it with a piece of plastic carpet protector. If it’s the bed that’s getting peed on, put a plastic shower curtain on top of the comforter or use a water-proof pet coverlet. Cover targeted pieces of furniture with sections of plastic carpet protector, pieces of plastic shower curtains, or water-proof pet throws/quilts.

If the cat is targeting an entire room, block his access to it when you aren’t there to supervise or when you’re not retraining (see Step 3).

Step 3: New Associations

If you’ve been reading this book carefully, you know that in order to resolve litter box problems, you have to uncover the underlying cause. If you’re still unsure of what could be causing your cat to eliminate outside of the box, go back and reread the beginning of the chapter for clues. You’ll never fix the problem just by cleaning the area with a pet stain and odor remover if you haven’t figured out why kitty is displaying the particular behavior. He’ll just find a new spot for every spot you clean. Take the time to look at the environment from your cat’s point of view. The answers are there.

If you’re thinking like a cat, you understand the power of changing a cat’s association with a particular location or behavior. Playtime is a great way to switch a negative association to a positive one. When a cat is in prey-drive, those “feel good” brain chemicals are flowing. Do interactive play sessions in the areas where your cat has eliminated in the past. The more often you do them the more he’ll associate the spots with good experiences.

You can also help change a cat’s association with a targeted area through clicker training. Click and reward the cat when he walks over to an area he has previously soiled, just sniffs it, and walks away.

Feeding your cat in previously soiled areas (once they’ve been cleaned) is another technique for changing association. Cats will not eliminate by their food. If he’s urinating in only one area, you can feed him his entire meal there. If he’s urinating in various spots, place a small bowl of food at each spot. Don’t pile on the food because you don’t want to increase his daily portion. Just divide up his normal amount.

Address any intercat conflict by following the behavior modification techniques previously outlined in this chapter. The cats need to be segregated for a while and then reintroduced. Each cat needs to feel comfortable in the home and have safe and unthreatened access to resources—feeding stations, litter boxes, sleeping areas, and playtime opportunities—then you can gradually reintroduce them using positive association. Reintroduction won’t work, however, if you haven’t addressed the resources issue. Having to share a litter box and risk ambush or feeling intimidated at the food bowl will trump all your good reintroduction progress. It’s a package deal and you can’t take shortcuts if you want a spraying cat to feel spraying is no longer necessary or a cat exhibiting inappropriate elimination to feel safe in his box again.

There is a product called Feliway, by Ceva, that contains synthetic feline facial pheromones. It’s based on the theory that cats don’t spray-mark where they facially mark. Feliway comes in a spray bottle to use on specifically targeted areas or can be used as a plug-in diffuser. It should not be used as a replacement for behavior modification, though. Some people report excellent results with Feliway and others notice no effect.

Another Litter Option

A product that has been very useful for many cats who display indiscriminate urination is a unique litter called Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract made by Precious Cat. It contains a special combination of herbs that encourages the cat to return to the correct substrate for elimination. Developed by a veterinarian, it’s 99 percent dust-free and clumps very well for easy scooping. The product is available through pet supply retailers and online.

Give It Time

If your cat has had prior negative experiences in an area, go slowly, and let him set the pace. Say for example, the narrow hallway leading to the litter box has been a scary place because that’s where an intimidating cat would lie in wait to attack. Put the intimidator in another room and then begin a low-intensity interactive play session with the victim of intimidation. Stay within his comfort zone by letting him set the pace of how far into the hallway he wants to go. It may take several sessions of playtime and clicker training to raise his confidence level. If ongoing intimidation or hostility is the cause of litter box problems, you’ll probably need to separate the cats and then do a reintroduction in order to permanently resolve the litter box issue. Refer to Chapter 11.

When attempting to retrain a cat to a litter box there is another very important aspect of behavior modification. It’s the one aspect we tend to be short on when the going gets tough: patience. Many indiscriminate elimination or spraying problems didn’t happen overnight, so they won’t be solved overnight either. Some of the clients I’ve seen had been living with a spraying cat for several years before contacting me. Those are not problems that can be corrected in forty-eight hours. Quick fixes don’t work.

Data Tracking

Put a calendar on your refrigerator and keep track of when your cat inappropriately eliminates or sprays and note the locations. Note the time of day (if known) and what the potential antecedent might have been.

Data tracking will help you to see any pattern and will give you a better idea of how behavior modification is progressing.

Contacting a Certified Behavior Expert

As you’ve read this chapter you’ve become aware of how complex, stressful, and sad litter box problems can be. It can be a deal-breaker when it comes to whether the cat stays with the family or is sent outside, abandoned, relinquished to a shelter, or euthanized. If you’re dealing with a litter box problem without success, there are options available for you. Talk to your veterinarian about a referral to a certified behavior expert. For more on this, refer to Chapter 7.

Behavioral Drug Therapy for Litter Box Problems

There are times when behavior modification won’t be enough to counteract all the problems that a cat may have. The serious nature of the problem, the length of time the problem has been going on, or the extreme level of fear or stress in the cat may preclude the use of modification techniques at this time.

There are now drugs used in animal behavior therapy that are very effective with few side effects. If there is an accurate diagnosis and the appropriate drug is used, it could save a cat with a behavior problem from being euthanized. A word of caution, though: do not, under any circumstances, take it upon yourself to medicate your cat with any drugs you may be taking. An accurate diagnosis must be made by your veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist and then the appropriate drug and dosage must be prescribed.

Although psychoactive drugs can be extremely beneficial for cats with behavior problems, they’re not one-size-fits-all nor are they a quick fix. Before you and your veterinarian decide to go the route of drug therapy, you need to have a thorough discussion about all aspects of this treatment, including how it might affect the medical health of your cat, the cost of the drug, potential side effects, and the type of monitoring required to ensure the cat’s safety. No drug therapy should begin without a complete medical workup on the cat. Be sure you know the expected duration of drug therapy as well as instructions for how the cat should be weaned off the drug at the end of therapy.

POINTS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BEGINNING DRUG THERAPY

• the medical health of the cat

• the accuracy of the diagnosis

• inefficacy of behavior modification so far

• inefficacy of environmental modifications so far

• possible side effects of the drug

• cost

• ability of owner to administer medication

• how the drug affects the behavior

• how long the cat will need to be on the drug

Drug therapy must always be used concurrently with behavior modification or else you stand a very good chance of seeing the problem resurface after the drug has been stopped. It’s part of the complete behavior modification program, and not a way to avoid doing the work necessary to help your cat.

If you feel drug therapy is needed, make an appointment with your veterinarian to discuss the options thoroughly. A referral to a certified behavior expert may be needed before your veterinarian feels drug therapy is appropriate. Don’t take shortcuts. Be an informed owner—your cat’s life depends on it.

Unusual Elimination Preferences

Cats mostly prefer a soft substrate that enables them to scratch, dig, and cover. Every now and then, though, a cat comes along who prefers to eliminate on hard surfaces and turns his nose up at litter of any kind. Because urinating in tubs, sinks, or on floors is a common sign of FLUTD, make sure such a cat has been checked by the veterinarian. If in fact the problem is behavioral, then it’s time to figure out just what kind of substrate he would prefer.

If your cat only eliminates on smooth, flat surfaces, put an empty, low-sided litter box where he is currently eliminating. If he starts eliminating in there you can gradually start to add soft-textured scoopable litter in there. If he eliminates on the floor again then it usually means you’ve put too much litter in too soon. If, no matter what you’ve tried, he doesn’t want any type of litter whatsoever, place an absorbent sheet in there (similar to puppy pee pads). The absorbent material will have to be changed quite often but it’s better than having your cat pee on the floor.

Another preference of some cats is to eliminate only on rugs, towels, or clothing. If you’ve gone through the medical checkup, tried the behavior modification, and offered your cat a variety of litters (buffet style), provide a litter box with a soft material inside instead of litter. This can be a towel or scrap of carpet, depending upon the type of material your cat has been using for urination. If he uses the box, keep replacing the soiled material with clean, then gradually begin to add small amounts of scoopable litter on top. As you replace the carpet or material piece make it a bit smaller each time. If you do this gradually enough, you should be able to acclimate him to litter again.

Catwise Clue

Remember to use your think-like-a-cat detective skills before assuming the cat is eliminating on the floor because of a texture preference. Make sure the cause isn’t due to a medical issue, a need for more escape potential, or an aversion to the size of box, type of box, or cleanliness of litter. Also, make sure you’ve offered a variety of litters, buffet style, to to see if there’s a more appealing substrate texture for him.

Plants and Cat Pee

Eliminating in the potted plants happens more often if the cat has spent much of his life outdoors. It can also happen if a cat discovers he prefers the texture of soil to that of the substrate currently in his litter box. If you’re using traditional clay litter or another litter that doesn’t have a soft texture, place a second box out with soft, scoopable litter to see if that texture is what the cat is seeking.

Set up deterrents in the pots to discourage your cat from using them as a litter box. Sticky Paws for Plants, made by Fe-Lines, is a product that can be placed over the pots in a tic-tac-toe pattern. For large floor planters, cover the soil with rocks. The rocks need to be heavy enough so the cat can’t push them away. Another option is to cover the soil with garden netting. All of the above-mentioned methods will allow you to continue to water your plants easily.

Geriatric-Related Litter Box Problems

As your cat ages, physical and/or mental deterioration may result in housesoiling behavior. Arthritis can make it difficult for him to get in and out of the box. Climbing and descending stairs might be too painful. Some cats can become disoriented as they age and may have trouble remembering the location of the litter box. Diabetes, kidney disease, and other medical conditions that create increased water intake and urine output can also make it difficult for a cat to reach the box in time.

Provide several low-sided litter boxes that are easy for your cat to get to. If the lowest litter box is still too high, use plastic serving trays. If your cat eliminates in his sleep, put absorbent pads on top of his bed. Be tolerant of accidents and make life as convenient as possible by providing multiple litter boxes throughout the house. For more on geriatric-related issues, refer to Chapter 16.