Cats And Litter Boxes. What Does It Mean?

If you have a cat that doesn't seem to want to use its cat litter furniture, don't be concerned. You are not alone as many cat owners complain about this problem. Lets see why this might be the case and find out what you can do about it.

If a cat does not use his or her litter box cabinet, this may be happening due to one of two reasons. The first reason is that the cat has developed a dislike for the litter box for some reason. The second is that some kind of stress is causing the cat to stop using the litter box.

A dirty litter box is most often the cause of cats not using the litter box. If you think this might at all be a problem, you should first scoop every day and change the litter more often than you have been doing previously. A cat may also develop a dislike for its litter box simply because it is somehow not easy enough to get to. Some cats either can't or don't want to spend a lot of time trying to get to their litter boxes. Therefore, if you place the litter box in a more accessible place, you take this obstacle away from your cat and make the litter box easier for the cat to use. Another problem is that the cat may not like where you've put the litter box. Try moving the box and see if it helps solve your problem. Often cats prefer a quiet and private place where they can do their business without stress or interruption.

If your cat is under any kind of stress, he or she may also urinate outside the litter box. In multiple cat households, for example, stress is often present that an owner is unaware of. Cats' group dynamics have recently become an interesting topic in behavioral research. Recent studies have shown that even though one cat may not be actually deliberately be kept away from the litter box, the cat may still be anxious and may be manifesting this by going to the bathroom inappropriately outside of the litter box or by even using "marking" behavior. Try using one litter box for each cat, placed in various locations. This gives each cat a choice of location and can also help the cat choose who he or she would like to share the litter box with, if at all.

Cat may also develop a preference for the material of their litter box. Oftentimes, cats prefer hard porcelain surfaces or smooth soft ones.

Another reason this behavior may occur is that your cat may have developed a urinary tract infection. This can cause a previously completely litter box trained cat to begin going to the bathroom outside of the litter box. Cats also can associate unpleasant memories with locations or with particular people. Therefore, if the cat has a urinary tract infection and goes to use its litter box, the cat may then associate the litter box with the pain of the infection. The cat therefore thinks that if he or she no longer uses the litter box, the pain will go away. Therefore, if the cat is normally very good about using the litter box and suddenly stops doing so, take your cat to the vet immediately and have it checked out for a urinary tract infection or other cat health problems.

Finally, owners often complain that their cats "misbehave" and urinate on bedding or clothing when "parents" leave the house; many owners think that their cat is simply angry or upset with them and is showing its displeasure. However, this is not true. Cats don't develop separation anxiety, although dogs might. Cats simply do not become as strongly attached to their owners, as many of us cat owners have come to relize. However, cats can become stressed by change. This can cause anxiety, which cats can manifest by inappropriately urinating or defecation outside of the litter box.

David Lee is an expert on pet care. See his site for more information on cat furniture, pet steps, German Shepherd training and dog bone cancer .