http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-your-cat-on-a-litter-box-strike.html
Is Your Cat on a Litter Box Strike?
If your cat has suddenly stopped using the litter box, don’t take it personally. Ten percent of cats develop a litter-box problem, and the sooner you address this messy issue the better your chances of resolving it. The bad news? There’s no surefire path to success. Start with these simple steps, and if the problem doesn’t resolve seek guidance from a behaviorist.
• Test for medical causes like a urinary-tract infection.
• Felines are finicky, so scoop daily and completely change the litter once a week. Use a large box without a cover, which traps odors and makes cats feel vulnerable to attack, or a liner that creates an undesirable texture. Choose a fine-grained, unscented litter and keep the box in a quiet location where the cat won’t be disturbed by loud noises, children, dogs, or other cats.
• Since cat urine contains ammonia, be sure to use an ammonia-free cleaner that contains enzymes or oxidizing agents.
• Make the soiled areas unattractive for elimination by changing the significance of the area for the cat, like making it a feeding area.
• If you have more than one cat, provide at least one box per kitty and place a box on each level of your home.
Read about the environmental aspects of kitty litter in Kitty Litter for a Happy Planet.
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27 comments
add your comment »I am obsessive about keeping the litter box clean. Scoop at least 3 times a day. We have had cats for over 28 years and always been a multi-cat household and we have had to deal with a lot of litter box problems. Having more than one box does reduce the bottlenecks and it also provides an alternate place when you have a cat who is very territorial about one box. We have also found that standard litter boxes are too low. We have had a couple of cats who didn't like to squat or didn't really know the exact location of the end of their butts so would over-shoot the low rim. We started using large rubbermaid storage boxes 25 years ago and have never had to wipe a spill since. As the cats aged and were no longer great jumpers (to get into the box over the high walls) we cut an opening into the front end. The cats also seem to really like the privacy that the high walls of the storage box gives them. We have also stopped buying those flimsy plastic scoopers that snap off at the handle. I went to a kitchen store and bought a large stainless steele wire spoon - the kind used in Chinese kitchens to remove boiling dumplings. Works great.
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ew
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When I got Danny at 10 weeks old, ten years ago, she wouldn't poop and pee in the same box and that's how I learned that some cats refuse to poop and pee in the same box. The point was driven home when I drove to visit my dad with only one litter box, figuring that for a few days she could live with one.
Well, Danny showed me. She pooped in the box and peed on the bed I was going to sleep in, right up by the pillow. Next morning, I went out and bought her a second box and she was good the rest of the time we were on holiday.
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As far as litter goes, I've had fantastic success with chick starter (feed for small chicks). I've been using Dumor Chick starter now for about two or three years. As long as I clean the box regularly, there's no smell, it scoops cleaning and clumps well, and it's by far cheaper than scoopable litter -- I get it for about $14 for 50 pounds. The best part is there are no chemicals in it that would make my cats sick.
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thanksss...
Kabin
Konteyner
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If you’ve seen my other comment suggestions, here are a couple more…
Warning: “…if your cat suddenly stops using the litter box, please consult with your veterinarian immediately. There are plenty of medical reasons for a cat to stop using his or her box - some can be life-threatening - so please......start with a veterinary exam.” - catinfo.org.
Cats get stressed too. This can be a possible cause for inappropriate elimination (IE). Behavioural experts now say most cats need more love & positive attention than previously thought – at least 15 min per day, more or less. Try & figure out what they require in order to create a safe, calm environment, & encourage them to play daily. Being alone for an extended period can cause extreme stress. Check out the reviews on different feline behaviour books – buy some or get them from library.
Some vets recommend calming or hormone medication to reduce stress. I would first research this if they suggest it.
Cat nip, while it initially makes some cats excited, is listed as a calming herb. I like to get a large container of organic ‘nip & give a pinch or two daily to any cats who’ll eat it.
One of our declawed foster cats was very anxious & didn’t get along with any other cats. We re-homed him with a single, pet-free relative where he is thriving & using the litter box 100% of the time. They are really enjoying their retirement together.
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There are so many potential causes, known & unknown. I learned important information about this from an online essay called The Litter Box From Your Cat’s Point of View, by vet Lisa A. Pierson on catinfo.org. I AM AWARE of the pros & cons of different types of pans, boxes & litters, including clumping clay, from other articles, sites & forums too. Dr. Pierson is still on a quest to find the best litter. Three of our cats developed inappropriate elimination (IE) due to painful urinary problems I believe were caused by feeding them dry kibble (- that works out to more than 10% of our animals). The essay also taught me how important it was to change their diet & try to understand feline behaviour. Diet change got rid of our cats’ IE caused by cystitis & dehydration.
There is also a strong link between declawing, IE & other behavioural problems. Good info about this on pawproject.org under FAQs. Many people may not be aware of this.
Even neutered toms are often super territorial. We experienced more IE problems while fostering other cats. We find it helps to allow two of our males only limited, supervised access to the other half our house.
One of our female cats HATES to poop in the same box as the males, no mater what litter we use. We just keep her on the side of the house with basement access. Otherwise we’d have to keep her cooped up in a room where other cats couldn’t use her litter box.
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I've personally had a negative experience with "Feli-away" diffuser as my neutered tomcat marked the door frame right next to where the diffuser was plugged in!
Two notes on litter box cleaning: I've read if you clean the poopy box too well and change all the litter, the cat (whose box it is) will loose the personal connection with the box, no longer feeling it is his and may start to "go" in other areas.
Secondly, I use diluted white vinegar to neutralize the ammonia odor whilst cleaning the box, as Pamela C. stated ammonia and chlorine are a toxic mix--for everybody!
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My little girl persian gets very angry at my husband when he pets the neighbors cat and talks to their kitty. She is a 6 pounder and the neighbors male is about 22 pounds. He climbs on the pass-through counter just outside my kitchen window, and my little girl jumps up there and stands on her hind legs, pounding on the window and making her tiny mew sounds. He backs up as if in fear of her, 1/4 his size.
When she hears hubby chatting to the male cat, she runs into his bathroom and poops in his sink! What do you think of that? I am grateful that it is not on furniture or carpeting, and it is a pain to clean up, but I make hubby do it. I tell him it is his fault for being unfaithful with another kitty! LOL!
Just another funny about this stuff, I had a male flame-point siamese about 10 years ago. After hubby and I started co-habitating, he was so jealous, he started spraying the walls. I was cleaning and deodorizing daily. We went out of town and had my brother house sit. He called and told us 1/2 the electricity in the house went out. When we got back to town, we found our siamese had sprayed into an electric socket, shorting out the house. He did this twice, costing $500 for electrician each time. When he passed of kidney failure, I had to replace all drywall 2 feet up, entire house. Also, removed all carpets and pads. This fiasco cost $12,000!
I will take the poop in the sink over that any day! Do you blame me?
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