Litter Box Training Your Cat

Getting a cat to use the litter box is simple for most pet owners. It’s the cat’s nature to defecate where they can hide the evidence. Your cat may be conforming to what it sees as the established pecking order. If a feral cat is not at the top of its social order, it will bury its waste; if a wild cat is not planting its destruction, it is likely the dominant feline. This behavior may be your cat’s way of acknowledging that you are the alpha in your household. However, it’s also possible that your cat is acting on a natural impulse to bury feces to cover their tracks and avoid being tracked by predators.

Assuming the mother is litter trained, the kittens will learn from her how to bury their waste and use the litter box once they are weaned.
If you adopt a kitten under a year old, you may need to place her in the litter box and scratch the clean litter with your fingertips after she feeds to teach her the proper behavior.

KITTY WASN’T AN INSTANT FAN OF THE LITTER BOX.

If you’ve tried litter training your new cat and she hasn’t caught on, you might try several typical methods. Keep your new family member in a small, cozy room with a hard floor. It would be best to put the litter box and food bowl in the room, but make sure they’re not too close. Naturally, your cat will avoid defecating in the exact location where she eats. Before closing your cat in the room, make sure there are no quiet places for her to urinate, such as on pillows, blankets, newspapers, towels, etc. Your cat may avoid the floor to prevent urine from splashing back on her fur if you keep her in a room with hard beds. Now that all other options have been exhausted, the cat will (hopefully) use the litter box.

NO LONGER DOES MY CAT USE THE LITTER BOX.

Before giving up hope, if your formerly housetrained cat suddenly reverts to her old ways, you can try a few things.

Is Fluffy’s Litter Box Filthy? The most typical reason a housetrained cat will stop using the litter box is that she finds your cleaning standards for the box unacceptable. Your cat may quit using the litter box if it is too dirty. Every day, or at least every other day, you should change up your cat’s litter. If it becomes too dirty, your cat may stop using the litter box altogether. If your cat has learned that if she defecates on the carpet, you promptly run and clean up the mess, she will associate the rug with a positive elimination experience. The most straightforward approach to prevent this issue is to maintain a clean litter box but keep in mind that your cat may have a different standard of cleanliness than you do.

To keep your cat healthy and clean, you must replace the litter regularly and not just empty it. Changing them once a week is ideal, as it prevents unpleasant odors and moisture from accumulating for an extended period and eliminates the risk of illness caused by an abundance of bacteria.

2 Anxiety. Stress can also cause a cat to defecate in inappropriate places.
Your cat may be experiencing significant anxiety due to the entrance of a new family member. Generally speaking, cats prefer a sense of predictability and stability in their lives. If you introduce a new animal (even a two-legged one) into the house, the existing inhabitants may become stressed and defecate in inappropriate places.

When you return from being away from your cat for an extended period (such as during a vacation or business trip), you may find that your cat has become distant and aloof. As a form of protest against what she sees as abandonment, your cat may urinate outside the litter box in this situation.

Your cat may also feel anxious about a new piece of furniture in the house or its absence. To be a cat, you should prioritize comfort and order. Your cat may not share your appreciation for fine furnishings; for example, if you decide to replace your old fabric sofa because of its ugly pea-green color and because it is falling apart at the seams with a brand new, sleek, top-of-the-line, leather sofa that features a refrigerator built into the side, as well as a massage and heating function, your cat may not view this as a stylish upgrade. Your cat will likely notice that something strange and perhaps threatening has replaced a previously known and safe napping spot.

Altering the brand of litter used. As anyone who remembers Morris the Nine Lives Cat can attest, felines have a penchant for routine and are notoriously picky eaters. If you switch litter brands, your cat may look for a new bathroom. Your cat may be sensitive to the perfumes added to some litter (for people, not cats), or she may prefer a different waste because of its dust-free nature, unique texture, or some other factor. Changing your cat’s routine by switching litter brands or types could result in an untidy floor. If you think this is the case, you can either return to the old litter or ease into the new one. Start by using a small amount of the new debris with the old one, and increase that amount each time you change the box until you use only the new waste. Your cat’s sense of routine won’t be disrupted, and she’ll have an easier time adjusting to the new litter brand.

Several Cats, Four. As previously indicated, introducing a second animal may prompt a cat to defecate outside the litter box. However, this may not always be the result of stress. Unless your cats have shown that they don’t mind sharing, a second cat in the house should have his litter box. Keep in mind that cats are neat, but they can also be possessive of their territory. Some cats may be OK with sharing a litter box, but others will likely object, resulting in another trip to the carpet.

5 Litter Box Dimensions/Location. Your cat may refuse to use the litter box if she has to squish about in there too much. Your cat will want to scratch in the litter box and feel at home there. You should provide ample space, make it simple for your cat to enter and exit (kittens need lower sides than adults), and place it away from heavy foot traffic, as cats prefer solitude when defecating. Finally, always provide your cat with easy access to the litter box. Keeping the litter box in a closed room is not a good idea. Your cat will be forced to locate an alternative elimination site if she cannot access the room where the litter has been placed.

Concealed Health Risks 6. Kitty incontinence could be affecting your cat. Animals are not immune to incontinence, which could indicate underlying health problems in your cat. A cat, like an elderly human, is at increased risk of losing control of her body functions as she ages. Take your cat to the doctor for an inspection, advice, and potential treatment if you think age or health issues are to blame for her litter box issues.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAT MAKES A STAIN

Scolding or punishing your cat if she eliminates somewhere other than the litter box is not recommended. You won’t fix your problem by letting her stick her nose in the muck and discarding her with the litter. It’s normal to feel angry with your cat after an incident like this, but showing that anger and putting her in the litter box will teach her to associate it with unpleasant memories.

The last thing you want is for your cat to develop a healthy fear of you. The situation calls for immediate cleanup. Place your cat in the litter box while speaking to it soothingly. Make your cat watch you while you scrape the clean litter with your fingertips, and maybe the message will sink in. Cover the area where your cat has defecated outside the litter box with a plastic sheet or something else hard so that she will splash herself with her urine if she chooses that spot again. Do all you can to remove the odor, such as using white vinegar if it won’t damage the upholstery or carpet. You can also try placing the cat’s food bowl on or close to where she previously discharged herself. Give your cat positive reinforcement for using the litter box, even if it’s just once. Pet her, play with her, and give her a treat.

Cats who defecate in inappropriate places are not always lost. Don’t write her off until you’ve exhausted all other options. If you can isolate the source of the problem, you’ll likely be able to fix it so that the cat and human can get along again.

Andy Markison is an artist, graphic designer, pet owner, and animal advocate currently based in Germany. ZapGraphix.com is his online shop selling amusing graphics and presents relating to pets.

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