Tips for Solving Litter Box Problems

By Julia Williams

In the “bathroom habits” category of the Cats Versus Dogs debate, fastidious kitties win paws down over canines. House training a puppy can be a lengthy process fraught with accidents; house training a kitten, on the other hand, usually involves placing them gently in a litter box once or twice and calling it a day.

A cat’s natural instinct to bury their waste typically means that litter box problems are few and far between. However, there are exceptions, and solving litter box problems requires being a bit of a “pet detective.” There’s always a reason why a cat stops using its litter box, and to get them back on track (or in the box), you have to figure out what it is. Litter box problems can be the result of a medical issue, or they can occur when your cat develops an aversion to the litter box for many different reasons.

Possible Causes of Litter Box Problems

1. Medical problems should be ruled out first. A urinary tract infection, blockage, or crystals in their urine can make elimination painful. It’s assumed that cats associate the litter box with the pain, and begin to avoid it. You may also see them spending a long time in the box but producing very little or no urine, and/or frequently licking their genitals. Urinary tract problems occur more often in male cats, although females have them too. It can be life threatening, so take your cat to the vet immediately if you suspect this to be the cause of your litter box problem.

2. The box isn’t kept clean enough. Imagine how you’d feel if you lifted your toilet lid to see multiple “offerings” in the bowl. Not a pretty visual, is it? Since cats can’t scoop the poop, it’s your job as a responsible pet owner to make sure their box is as inviting as possible. How often it needs cleaning will vary with how many cats and litter boxes you have, and the type of litter you’re using.

3. The location of the litter box isn’t acceptable.Your cat’s bathroom facilities should be located in an easily accessible area that’s relatively quiet and offers some privacy. Be sure it’s not near washing machines, refrigerators and other appliances that make startling or loud noises. If you have toddlers or dogs, put the litter box in an area that you can make off limits to them, such as with a baby gate. This ensures kitty doesn’t get ambushed while doing his business, and also keeps curious mouths and hands out of the cat litter. If you have kittens, elderly or ill cats, or a multi-level home, provide several litter boxes in different locations to make using the box as convenient for them as possible. Having more than one box will also make it easier to keep them clean.

4. The litter box is not to their liking. If you offer your cat a particular type of litter or container they don’t like, they may decide to use your rug or houseplant instead. The box may be too small, too high and hard to get into, or your cat may not like the smell, texture or depth of the litter. Some cats prefer the seclusion of a covered cat box, while others object to the lack of head room, fresh air and maneuverability. Some cats don’t seem to care one iota about any of these things (I feel blessed that this describes my three to a tee) while other felines are quite finicky about their box. For the latter, you’ll need to use detective skills and trial-and-error to figure out your cat box conundrum.

Switching to a different type of litter suddenly can also lead to box avoidance. If the litters are compatible, try mixing a small amount of the new with the old and gradually increasing the percentage of new over several weeks. If you’re switching from clay-based litter to something like pine pellets that can’t really be mixed together, place two boxes in the same location to see if your cat will use the new litter. 

Be aware that sometimes, what caused a litter box aversion may not be why it continues. For example, your cat may stop using the litter box because of a urinary tract issue but subsequently develops a preference for a particular surface or location. If that's the case, you'll need to address these factors to solve your litter box problem.

Keep in mind that it’s much better to head off potential litter box problems before they occur, rather than trying to fix them once they do. Just keep the cat box clean, situate it in a good location, and provide the type of kitty litter your cat prefers.

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The Strange Behaviors of Cats

By Julia Williams

Does your cat do weird things? Rest assured, if your feline friend regularly engages in strange behavior that makes no sense to you –you’re not alone. I could fill a book with all of the peculiar things my cats have done over the years. It leads me to believe there must be some unwritten “rule of paw” that every cat knows about and agrees to adhere to, once they get adopted by a human. It probably goes something like this: “I will always engage in strange behaviors that drive my human crazy.”

Okay, maybe not. But having been around cats all of my life, it does seem like they are always doing odd things for no particular reason. Perhaps my cats have a perfectly good reason why they won’t sleep in the adorable plush cat bed I bought for them, but will curl up inches away from it on the cold, hardwood floor instead; if so, it eludes me. Perhaps they know exactly what makes a cardboard box – any cardboard box – so darn irresistible. I’ve seen my cats turn into little Cirque du Soleil-like contortionists to wedge themselves into a teeny tiny cardboard box for a nap. It doesn’t look the least bit comfortable to me, yet they snooze away.

My cats are disinterested in most of the cute cat toys I buy for them. They like to play with straws instead, and will even steal them out of my drink when I'm not looking! My idiot kitties used to hang their behinds off the side of their litter box and leave little “droppings” on the floor, but I put an end to this objectionable behavior by switching to a covered cat box. However, I have not yet found a solution to their confounding habit of forever trying to stick their furry little rumps in my face. “No Thank You” doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel about that behavior.

My cats have always been very good about using the various scratching posts I’ve strategically placed around my house. Nevertheless, every so often I will catch Rocky (a.k.a., my “problem child”) in the act of sharpening his claws on the carpet – right next to one of the scratching posts!

One odd cat behavior that always makes me laugh is the overzealous and prolonged digging in the litter box. Sometimes it lasts so long, I think they must surely be trying to dig a hole to China. Another funny cat behavior is when they scratch the floor next to their food bowl. Some theorize this is because they’re unhappy with the food offering and are trying to cover it, but I’m not convinced. I’ve been feeding them FELIDAE cat food exclusively for about five years, and they seem to love it. Why would it be acceptable 99 days out of 100?

Kneading is a common behavior that almost all cats do. Kneading is a vestige of kittenhood, when they would knead the momma cat’s belly during nursing, to help the milk flow. When adult cats do it (very often on their human “mom’s” belly!) it’s typically thought to indicate that they’re happy and content.

A strange behavior my cat Annabelle does that looks similar to kneading is what I call “angry marching in place.” She will furiously march with just her back legs, usually on the bedspread or the carpet, with an odd expression on her face. I have no idea why she does this, but she looks more possessed than happy when doing it.

Does your cat follow you into the bathroom? I’m not sure why felines are so fascinated with what goes on in that room and want to be in there with you, but most cat owners I’ve talked to say this is a typical behavior at their house. I learned long ago to warn my guests to firmly shut the door when they use my bathroom. Otherwise, they could find themselves sitting on the throne with a cat staring at them, and the door flung wide open. Cats never gently nudge open a door; they push it open with all their might.

Drooling while being petted is another common cat behavior. Animal behaviorist’s say this simply means your kitty is happy and relaxed, and enjoying the attention you’re lavishing upon them. It makes sense to me. My three cats all drool excessively when I pet or brush them, but never at any other time. Once, at the end of a marathon brushing session with Annabelle, I reached down to kiss her paw and discovered that it was sopping wet! (I’m much more careful about what I kiss now).

Cats are funny creatures, to be sure. But those of us who love them, accept their strange behaviors because it’s a part of what makes them so endearing. If you’d like to share your own cat’s quirky behaviors, please feel free to leave a comment.

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