Solving Litter Box Problems - Stress is the Key

Dominant Felines Often Root Cause of Inappropriate Urination in Cats

Aug 19, 2009

Litter box problems and a stressed cat often go together. Prevent inappropriate urination in cats by reducing stressful situations in a feline's life.

Litter box problems often occur because the cat doesn't like where the box is located, often due to problems with another feline. This leads to inappropriate urination in cats, where the kitty urinates in the closet, behind the couch, or just about anywhere but the litter box.

A cat who won't use the litter box is hard to ignore. This behavior can become a hard-to-break habit if the problem is not solved quickly.

Before assuming there is a cat behavior problem, it's essential to take the pet to the vet for a check-up to rule out any possible medical issues, like a cat bladder infection, or feline diabetes.

A Stressed Cat May Find Another Potty Area

People think that felines lead charmed lives, but stressed cats are actually quite common. Stress is often at the root of litter box problems.

In a multi-cat household, there's usually a dominant feline. This kitty may be making life miserable for the other cats, unbeknownst to the owner. Sometimes a dominant cat will hang out in the litter box area, just staring at the other kitty. For a cat, being stared at is unnerving. The lesser kitty will often just avoid the situation by finding another area to use as a potty.

The dominant cat, or even a dog or a small child, may jump out at the other kitty when she's leaving the litter box, scaring her. When a feline has a bad experience while using the litter box, she'll associate the experience with the box. To avoid this experience, she often creeps off to find her own place in the world.

Sometimes a kitty just prefers a different place than where the litter box is located, especially if it's in a busy, noisy area. She may prefer someplace more quiet and protected, like behind a dresser, or under the stairs. Or if the litter box is downstairs, she may want an upstairs location.

It's possible that the cat is frightened of the furnace or the washing machine. These machines start up unexpectedly, and make a lot of noise. If the litter pan is located nearby, the kitty might be too intimidated to go near her pan. This is especially true for kittens, who may be too scared of the big dark basement to go down there looking for a litter pan.

Tips for Solving Litter Box Problems

There should always be one litter box for each cat, plus one extra. These boxes should be located in different areas in the house. This often ends the problem of the dominant individual staking out the litter pan. If one cat is being jumped on all the time, make sure there's a second way out, so the less dominant kitty can avoid the more aggressive feline.

People often like to put the litter box in the basement to avoid cat litter smell. It's better to clean the pan daily to avoid odors, while putting it in a location where the kitty is more at ease.

Try putting a litter box where the cat has been urinating. When she starts using it, move it about an inch a day until it's where the owner wants it.

Feed the cat where she's been urinating. Felines don't like to eat in the bathroom area. Also try covering the area with aluminum foil or a plastic runner to make it less appealing to her.

It's possible to solve the problem of a cat who won't use the litter box by identifying and reducing the causes of stress in her life. While this is a challenging cat behavior problem, it can often be solved with time and patience.

The copyright of the article Solving Litter Box Problems - Stress is the Key in Cat Care is owned by Darlene Norris. Permission to republish Solving Litter Box Problems - Stress is the Key in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.