Litterbox Problems In Cats by Amanda K. Jones, AAS, BS, LVT Introduction Does your cat urinate outside of the litterbox? You're not alone. Housesoiling is the most common behavior problem for which cat owners seek assistance. It's also a major reason why many cats become abandoned or eventually euthanized. The first thing you must do for a cat who is urinating/defecating out of the litter box is to eliminate any medical problems. Your veterinarian should perform a physical examination and urine/fecal tests should be performed. How to Obtain a Urine Sample From Your Cat This is really not as difficult as many people think. Confine your cat to a small room-- bathroom, utility room, laundry room, etc. Provide your cat with an empty litter box or fill the bottom with a non-absorbable litter (available from your veterinarian). Close the door and wait. Do not offer your cat any other type of litter or litterbox. I've seen pet owners offer their cat two litterboxes--one with the regular litter and one with the non-absorbable litter. This defeats the purpose as the cat will choose his regular litterbox everytime! If your cat does not go within 12 hours, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. If you find urine in the box, transfer it as carefully as you can into a plastic container or pill bottle. Urine can be stored in the frig for up to twelve hours. NOTE: If you have a male cat and he hasn't urinated in over 24 hours, is acting painful, is vocalizing, or appears to be straining to urinate or defecate, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY and you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if your vet is closed, take him to an emergency facility. His condition will continue to deteroriate the longer you wait. Not only is this more painful for him, it will cost you more money to have the condition treated. If your cat does not urinate at home and you've made an appointment with the veterinarian, make sure when you take him to the vet there's nothing on the bottom of the carrier, like a towel or newspaper. That way, if the cat urinates in the box, it will not be absorbed by anything. Don't worry--the veterinary staff will be happy to clean up your cat once you arrive at the hospital. It's their job!
If nothing is physically wrong with your cat then you are probably dealing with a behavioral problem. The next step is to determine whether or not your cat is showing signs of inappropriate urination or is marking/spraying. Inappropriate Elimination vs. Spraying Litterbox problems involve two separate entities: inappropriate elimination and spraying. Your method for solving the problem depends upon which behavior your cat is performing. So what's the difference between the two? Inappropriate elimination mimics what should be taking place inside the litter box. It is defined as urinating and/or defecating in locations that the owner, not the cat, considers inappropriate. Some signs are: * Large amounts of urine as well as feces are found on horizontal surfaces. * Your cat performs in squatting position. * Your cat tries to hide or cover using pawing motions. * Your cat digs or scratches at surface to prepare for elimination. Spraying or urine marking is a form of communication. However, it normally is not used to mark a cat's "territory." It's more like leaving a note to your friends and neighbors announcing, "Tigger was here." Cats also mark using scent glands in their cheeks and paw pads but due to our limited sense of smell we usually aren't bothered by this type of marking. Some signs of spraying are: Small amounts of urine are found on vertical surfaces. Popular areas are those that lead outdoors such as walls, windows, doorwalls, doorways, etc. Some cats even like to spray on owner's clothing because they contain scents from the outside world. Your cat performs in a standing position. Your cat treads with back feet and tail quivers in preparation for spraying. More popular with unneutered/unspayed cats but can occur in neutered/spayed cats as well. It's important to keep in mind that cats do not urinate inappropriately because they're "mad, jealous" or "trying to get even." Behaviorists call this anthropomorphism. It refers to our tendency to attribute motivations, characteristics, or other attributes to nonhuman things. Cats are intellectual creatures. But their little brains simply aren't capable of putting together these kinds of schemes! When a cat is urinating inappropriately it's usually because of something very simple that the owner is overlooking.
Curing the Litterbox Blues OK, you know your cat has an elimination problem. What can you do about it? Usually behavior caused by inappropriate elimination is more easily solved than that caused by spraying, so we'll tackle that first. It makes sense that the most common reason cats eliminate outside of the litterbox is that there is something about the litter box they don't like. Studies show that cats have different tastes when it comes to their litterbox so it will benefit you to take the time to figure out what your cat likes best. Cats have different tastes when it comes to: Litter Type Most litters today are tested and developed for owners, not cats. The majority of cats seem to prefer an unscented clumping litter. However, many cats prefer clay litter while others like the sand material found in boxes at playgrounds. Some cats (especially those that spend a lot of time outside) like soil sprinkled on top of their litter. Litter Depth Some cats like to dig to China while in their litter box. Other cats prefer little or no litter at all in their litter box. If cleaned frequently, most cats are content to work with only one inch of litter. The Box Itself Once again, most litterboxes today are targeted towards the owner's ease of use, not the cat's. Most cats prefer a large, uncovered box. Uncovered boxes allow odors to escape (very important for cat) and allow a cat to see if anyone is coming and to escape easily should a sudden ambush occur (important in busy households with kids, dogs, and other cats). Most litterboxes available in pet stores are too small for many cats. Rubbermaidtype storage containers can offer the cat more room. High-sided boxes are good for cats who like to dig and are able to get in and out of them easily (bad for old, crippled cats). High-sided boxes are also helpful for cats who like to spray during their visit to the litterbox and for those who urinate in a standing position (yes, some cats do). Location Many owners fail to choose a proper location for their cat's litterbox. Privacy is important but shouldn't result in your cat's litterbox being inaccessible. If your cat
has to go through an anti-dog obstacle course in order to get to his litterbox you are doing him a disservice. Many owners place their cat's litterbox in laundry rooms (noisy), or basements and garages (cold, dark, damp). This may be suitable for some cats, but picky cats may find more suitable areas to eliminate. If you can't keep your dog out of the litterbox you may consider installing a cat door in some area of the house where you would like to place your cat's litter box. Litterboxes should be in quiet, but easily accessible areas of the house. Some cats are startled by washing machines, dryers, furnaces, etc. and will never return to their litterboxes again. Where does your cat spend most of his time? It doesn't make sense to keep your cat's litterbox in the basement if he spends the majority of his time in the secondfloor bedroom. Don't be surprised if your cat chooses another location to eliminate should the urge strike him suddenly. Litterbox Hygiene The first step toward preventing improper elimination is keeping a clean litterbox. Litterboxes must be cleaned on a regular basis. If you think the litterbox is stinky just imagine how it smells to your cat their sense of smell is many times more sensitive than ours. The box should be scooped at least daily. Boxes with clay litter should be cleaned weekly. Boxes with clumping litter should be cleaned every 10 to 14 days (this is despite manufacturer's claims to "just add more litter." Ignore this advice. This is like saying you don't have to clean your toilet because it all gets flushed eventually.) To clean the litterbox, empty completely and wash with unscented dish soap. Rinse and dry well. If you insist on disinfecting the box add one tablespoon of bleach to the dish soap. Another word of warning: some cats are offended by the scent and feel of baking soda when it is added to their litter. Also make sure that you don't have any air fresheners hanging out near your cat's litterbox. If may smell good to you, but it doesn't smell good to your cat. In fact, some cats will dislike the smell so much that they'll choose another place to eliminate so they don't have to deal with it. Citrus odors like orange and lemon seem to be the most offensive for some reason. Your cat's litterbox does not need to be an offending object. Regular cleaning will make everyone's noses happy. You also needn't waste a fortune in litter by cleaning the box on a weekly basis. The litter only needs to be an inch deep if the box is cleaned frequently.
Other Causes There may be other causes for your cat to eliminate outside of the litterbox. Some cats associate the litterbox with pain. This is usually caused by some medical condition that made elimination painful or from digging sore paws in the litterbox after declawing. There may also be some reason why the cat is unable to go to the litterbox. Perhaps on its way to the litterbox it is being bullied by a cat, dog, or child. Eliminating in another area is preferable to an encounter with the bully. Finding a more suitable location for your cat's litterbox would be the solution in this case. To avoid inappropriate elimination in multi-cat households, the best rule-of-thumb is to have one box per cat plus one. This is not so each cat can have his/her own private box, but to increase the chances that a clean box will be available. Separate and spread the boxes throughout the household. It doesn't make sense to have all the boxes stored in one area. This also helps to avoid ambushes between cats that don't along. There's nothing worse than getting attacked on your way to the bathroom! Stopping Spraying Housesoiling becomes a bit more complicated when spraying is involved. Spraying increases from 25% in single-cat households to 100% in households with more than 10 cats. Males and females that are not spayed or neutered will exhibit this behavior more frequently than those who are. To avoid spraying, first determine, if you can, which cat is responsible. You may want to put the cat's food bowl in the area where he/she is fond of spraying. You can also place a scent deterrent (mint, air freshener or anything you know the cat dislikes) near the sprayed area. Some behaviorists advise startling the cat right before it begins to spray (or within 30 seconds) with a water-bottle or air-horn. Either way, physical punishment, including rubbing the cat's nose in the soiled area, is useless after the fact and is potentially dangerous to both cat and owner. If you continue to have a problem with spraying you may also want to try a product called Feliway. It is a special-formulated liquid that is sprayed on objects in the cat's environment. The idea is create a familiar atmosphere that calms and reduces the cat's impulse to spray.
The presence of outside cats is also an inciting cause for urine marking inside the home. It should also go without saying that your first line of defense against cats spraying in your household is to have them all spayed or neutered. Summary The first step to solving your cat's housesoiling problem is to rule out any medical condition. If the litterbox turns out to be the problem the solution is usually easy to find. Things to consider are litterbox hygiene, litter and box selection, and litterbox placement. More problems arise when marking is determined to be the deciding factor. Owners may need to seek further advice from their veterinarian and/or behavior specialist. To ensure cleanliness and prevent future problems always clean soiled areas with an enzymatic odor neutralizer (the label will state that it contains "odor neutralizing enzymes." This will make previously soiled areas undetectable to the cat. Regular cleaners will only make the soiled areas smell clean to you. ****************************************************************** Amanda K. Jones is a licensed veterinary technician and has been working in a small animal practice for the past seven years. She s a published author and has a special interest in pet behavior and nutrition. Her new website offers free information on basic pet food nutrition for owners who are interested in learning more about commercial pet food and homemade diets. For more details please visit http://www.petfoodbible.com