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If you have an indoor cat, you are well acquainted with one of the tools of the trade; a litterbox scooper. Yes, cleaning the litterbox is probably one of the least-liked things about owning a cat, but it sure beats having to get up on a chilly morning and take them outside to do their business.
Easy To Train
Training a kitten to use a litterbox is pretty easy; put them in it every so often and they’ll figure the rest out through natural instinct. If you bring home a cat who is already trained, just point them to the box. This is one of the greatest things about a cat; they take care of their own issues quickly and easily. But sometimes, a cat might do his business elsewhere, and that’s when the problems can begin. Up to 10% of all cats will develop a problem with elimination, but most of the time, the answer and the solution are simple and fixable.
Easy To Discover
There are several reasons why a cat stops using the litterbox and starts using your bathroom rug, your bedroom closet, or the corner of the living room behind the recliner. If this happens after your cat has been using the box regularly, the first thing you need to do is have him checked out by the vet to ensure that there is nothing wrong physically that is causing the issue. We’ll get into some of those issues later. If your vet gives your kitty the all-clear on his health, some of the most common non-medical reasons for misuse include:
- A full or unclean litter box
- Too few litterboxes for too many cats
- A small or cramped litterbox
- The box has a cover or a hood
- A box with sides that are too high
- Too much litter in the box
- A location that is not private and is enclosed
- Negative associates of pain with the litterbox
- Conflicts with other cats in the home
- Household stress; moving, new family members, new animals
- A desire to eliminate on softer surfaces
While most of these are related to issues with the litterbox, some issues are purely psychological. There are many things that you can do to rectify the situation, so try some of these solutions as they may make it easier for your cat to find its way back to the box:
- Scoop out the box once per day (or get a self-cleaning box)
- Clean the box with baking soda and hot water once per week
- Use less litter; no more than 2-inches deep
- Get a larger litterbox with low sides
- If you have more than one cat, provide one box for each. Though they may gravitate to one box, they like to have that option.
- Skip the litterbox liners and lids
- Use clumping litter that can be scooped and stick with the same brand that kitty likes
- Move the litterbox to a location that has low-lighting, is private, and has plenty or escape routes
- Remember, if your cat is having a problem with elimination, there is a reason. Do not use cruel and degrading punishment tactics like rubbing his nose in urine or feces, spanking your cat, or yelling at him and dragging him to the litterbox. If you feel like you must resort to these tactics, please consider a different type of pet.
Easy To Test
There are a few medical reasons why your kitty might be eliminating outside of the box, including:
- A Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Feline Cystitis
- Bladder Stones (or a blockage)
These are issues that can be treated by a vet. You might notice that your kitty appears to be in uncomfortable or in pain during urination if it has one of these problems. Your vet can prescribe medications that will ease their pain and get them back to good health in no time.
A Cat Food Analysis: Foods For Urinary Health
Once your vet has helped clear up your cat’s UIT or bladder infection, most likely through a round of antibiotics, there are a few things that you can do to keep him healthy. The biggest thing that can prevent bladder issues, UTI’s, cystitis, and stones is hydration. Cats need plenty of fluids to keep their elimination systems running smoothly, so fresh water is a vital to their good health.
Try incorporating canned (wet) cat food into his diet as well, as this will add to the water intake. Even swapping one dry meal a day for wet can help. Some good canned foods to try are:
- EVO 95% Chicken & Turkey Canned Cat Food
- By Nature Rabbit Stew Wet Cat Food
- Addiction Turkey with Cranberries & Apples Entrée
- Felix Adults Chunks In Jelly – Beef in Jelly
Doing a cat food analysis on dry foods will help you determine what dry varieties are best, but again, be sure that you provide plenty of fresh water for hydration. Stay away from cat foods that are high in ash and phosphorus as these ingredients can make cats susceptible to urinary health problems. Products with fish might contain ground fish bones, which have phosphorus, so ditch the surf and stick with turf. Cranberries contain a component that prevents bacteria from attaching to the bladder and urethra, and it helps lessen crystal build-up, so look for dry foods that contain them. Some to try include:
- Innova Grain Free Chicken and Turkey
- Wellness Complete Health Chicken Recipe
- Blue Wilderness Adult Duck
- Solid Gold Katz-n-Flocken
Hopefully your kitty will get back to his old self and start thinking inside the litterbox once again. Whatever you can do to help will get you both back on track. After going through a litterbox boycott, you might find that scooping isn’t so bad after all.
