Cat Article: Solving Cat Litter Box Problems - Part 2

Abstract: Being proactive with your cat's litter box situation, feeding your cat the best food you can supply, and understanding more about your cat's body language can greatly reduce future problems with the litter box.


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"Solving Cat Litter Box Problems" was written by Nan Kené Arthur, CPDT www.wholedogtraining.com.

Produced and edited by Well Beings - Senior Cat & Dog Products.

Copyright © 2005 WellBeings.com. All Rights Reserved.

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Stress and things to watch out for when moving

Stress is always a component to consider if your cat is eliminating outside of the box. It may appear as though cats have it made with nothing more to do than to be doted upon by humans, but in reality, they suffer from stress symptoms just like all animals. Because of the boundaries and limitations of our homes, cats are limited in their options for relieving stress naturally. Cats can suffer physical stressors from things like allergies or disease or display symptoms resulting from loud noises, household changes, lack of mental exercise, or general issues such as fear.

Take the Cat Stress Test to see if you need to reduce some of the stressors in your cat's life. Often just recognizing that cats suffer from stress and anxiety can help you make changes that will facilitate her to relax more, resulting in successful and continued litter box use.

There is no doubt that moving is stressful for cats! Heck, moving is stressful for humans, never mind the cat! The difference is that moving is often "good stress" for humans, in that you are moving into a better situation, but for your cat, moving is usually "bad stress" that sometimes leads to inappropriate elimination.

Unless your cat has a rock of a personality, it is always a good idea when you first move to a new place to restrict your cat(s) to a single room with all her supplies, including her litter box so she doesn't get the idea that she should stake out her territory or relive her stress by leaving her mark. You should be able to gradually increase your cat's space until she finally has free roam of the new digs, but always go slow and observe your cat as her freedom increases.

Unfortunately, if you allow immediate access to the entire home directly after the move, your cat may not know where to find her box, or worse, if there were other cats previously in the home your cat may go potty where they had access, just to make sure the world knows she is now "in the house."

A good way to gauge how your cat might react in a novel situation is to consider her behavior when new people enter your home for a visit. Does she approach calmly and confidently? Does she run away at first but come out after a bit, or does she hide the entire time people are there and sometimes even after they leave?

If your cat tends to hide for long periods of time when people are over, there is a good chance that in a new situation she could stay hidden for long enough periods that she might not make it out to use her litter box. This is the type of cat that should be put in a smaller area with access to her food, water, and litter box when a new situation arises - moving, new people visiting, etc. If your cat is more confident with new people and new situations, she is less likely to hide and have accidents when changes in her environment occur.

Cats with physical problems

Your cat's health should also be considered in terms of the side height of the box. If your cat is older, ill, or has had an injury that makes it difficult for her to climb into the box, get a box with lower sides, cut down the front of a standard box, or find something like a cookie sheet that can substitute for a litter box depending on your cat's needs.

Obese cats might have a hard time getting in and out of the tall-sided boxes as well, and may need to be accommodated which a special box. Solutions might include a lower box, and then helping your cat lose some weight after a visit to your vet for a general health check and recommendation for the weight-reduction program.

Larger cats may also have difficulty using too small a box, or a covered box so it's important to provide an amply-sized box to ensure your cat is comfy and has plenty of room to move around in the litter box.

Geriatric cats also need special consideration in not only the height of the box but the location as well, since your cat may not feel up to going all the way to the other side of the house or up or down stairs when she feels the need to go potty. Older cats and/or cats with back or leg problems can also have difficulty getting in and out of a tall-sided box. Again, a lower box in a convenient location is recommended.

Home alone cats

Many people choose to have cats because they are "low maintenance". Unfortunately, this is too often a euphemism for leaving lots of food and water out when people have to be away for a few days or more. What happens, however, if while you are gone your cat decides her litter box has gotten too dirty to use, a door is accidentally closed and she is trapped and unable to get to her box, or something frightens her (a car backfires outside, sirens go by, etc.) and she is so frightened she will not go back to the area where the litter box is located? (These things truly do happen sometimes.)

It is best to have a friend, family member, neighbor or pet sitter come over to check your cat daily, clean the litter box, and adhere to the regular daily feeding routine your cat is used to. Cats should be checked on every day if for no other reason than some cats may not be eating properly, might have gotten injured while you are gone and need medical attention during your absence, or may be in need of some good old fashioned human contact.

If you are going to have someone come over during your absence, it's a good idea to invite the person over for a couple visits with your cat, pre-trip to allow your cat to get to know him or her while you are still around to add comfort to the meeting.

It's also not uncommon for some cats to urinate/defecate inappropriately as you are preparing to leave for a trip. Despite how it might appear, your cat is not "mad" at you! This generally happens because your cat realizes that something is up when your routines change right before the trip. The luggage coming out is a common trigger for cats to become anxious. Due to all the activity of getting ready to leave, your cat might feel as though her routine has changed and begin to worry. Add to that the luggage, which is an environmental change for your cat, and you have a potential problem. There have been plenty of reports of cats using the newly packed suitcase as a litter box as the result of this anxiety, so be proactive and plan to keep your cat's routine as normal as possible while keeping a close eye on your luggage!

Other pets or cats

Displacement behaviors (the calming behaviors that help your cat resolve conflict) due to stress often go unrecognized by humans when trying to figure out why their cat is eliminating somewhere other than in the box. Even when cats appear to get along, there are many tell-tail physical signs that offer clues to your cat's comfort level around other cats.

Excess grooming is a sure bet that one cat is worried. Other signs of stress can include, but are not limited to: Dilated eyes, lip-licking in the presence of the other cat, slinking around, hiding more that usual, and scratching on things more than normal.

Another often overlooked sign of stress is excess water drinking. The chemicals of stress require more fluids for their production so if you have noticed the water levels in the bowl going down faster than usual (and there is not a medical reason) this could be a good clue that your cat is feeling some extra pressure in her life. This would also cause your cat to urinate more often and if she is not comfortable getting to the box, this might be the reason she chooses more readily accessible locations to eliminate.

Litter box problems are also seen more often when cats have access both in and outside of the home since your cat's elimination outside may attract other cats to the area. This could convince your cat to stake out and mark her territory, including the inside of the house. (Both male and female cats can and do spray to mark territory.)

Even if you never allow your own cat outside, cats outside your home may also have an effect on your cat's litter box habits, and sometimes just seeing other cats through the window can trigger episodes of inappropriate elimination. A product called a Scarecrow motion detection water sprinkler can humanely keep unwanted cats (and other critters) out of your yard. These can be found online at a number of sites, including Amazon.com. The Scarecrow is also a good way to keep neighborhood cats from urinating on your doors, as is so often the case with unaltered male cats that are left outside.

Whether it's other cats, dogs or even birds for some cats, the presence of another animal in the home might affect successful litter box use.

The most common situations are where one cat is stalking the other and preventing her from getting to the box, or she is being ambushed by the bully cat while she is actually using the litter box.

Behavior phone calls about cats that once got along, but are now fighting can often be attributed to one of the cats having gone to the vet for treatment, being groomed, or even something like an injury or infection can change the household dynamics enough that cats will eliminate outside of their boxes to re-establish their territory, or in fear of encountering what they believe is a different animal.

Whenever you take one of the cats to be groomed or for a vet visit, plan on taking some extra time re-introducing her to the others once you are back home again. Be sure to have litter boxes in each of the areas where the cats are confined.

If your cat has had to have anesthesia, take extra precaution that you wait until she has had a full 24 hours recovery before allowing the cats to interact again since she won't be able to defend herself if the other cat attacks.

Dogs chasing cats, (in play or prey) is another common connection to cats not using their litter boxes successfully. It's important that your cat feel safe and have places to go where dogs are not allowed to ensure she has uninhibited access to her litter boxes. Baby or dog gates are wonderful for keeping dogs out of areas where your cat's litter box is housed.

Can you really train a cat?

Using positive reinforcement training can also help your cat to be consistent with the litter box and speed along any rehabilitation program. Even if your cat is doing fine with her littler box, use positive reinforcement to cement good behaviors for any future changes that might visit your life. After your cat has used her box successfully tell her, "Good girl," pet her or toss her a yummy cat treat - or any combination of these to really send home the message that it would be good to repeat that behavior. That will make using her box a really positive experience.

Animals often stop using the behaviors we would like simply because they have not received any feedback about whether or not it was a good choice. As humans, we tend to ignore the acceptable behaviors and only give attention to the unwanted behaviors. This often backfires since many animals will continue to do the unwanted behaviors because that's when we interact with them. Attention is often the very thing they want - even if it seems like a negative to us! By giving your cat lots of feedback whenever she is doing something you like, she will choose those behaviors to get your attention rather than those that drive you crazy, like eliminating outside of the box.

If your cat is already having a difficult time with the litter box, start rewarding her for just being in the same room with it, or close to it. Find food treats that your cat loves and toss them close to the litter box (not too close or your cat might not like eating them near her toilet), and add verbal praise and petting as she eats. Of course, if your cat uses the litter box successfully, let her know what a wonderful cat she is by using verbal praise, petting and treats. This positive connection to the litter box will help your rehabilitation program as you move forward with retraining your cat.

Remember not to use any punishment with your cat even if you catch her in the act of going in the wrong place. Just quietly pick her up and place her in her box if you catch her in the act. Don't talk to her and don't rush with her hanging out in front of your body to the nearest litter box. That could very well scare her enough so she never wants to set foot into the litter box again. Carefully pick her up, don't talk to her, and gently set her in the litter box. Once she is in the box, you can pet and talk to her to encourage her to finish what she started.

Conclusion and recommendations

Being proactive with your cat's litter box situation, feeding your cat the best food you can supply and understanding more about your cat's body language can greatly reduce future problems with the litter box.

If you are already experiencing problems, and you feel you have gone to great lengths to try and promote successful litter box use, it might be time to call in an expert in cat behavior. This person should be willing to come to your home and look at your environment and space to see if there is something you might have missed, as well as set up a behavior modification plan for you to follow.

Having your cat seen by a holistic veterinarian for alternative treatments should also be an option. Many cats are helped with herbs to help calm them, body work such as chiropractic adjustments, and homeopathic remedies to work on imbalances in their bodies. Many of these treatments augment the standard management and prevention, as well as set your cat on a healthier path for life.

Realistic expectations and consistency are the final pieces to solving a litter box puzzle. If your cat has been having accidents outside of the box for months or years, changing her behavior is not going to happen overnight. It may take a good deal of time to override the current reinforcement history of going outside of the box, and it's important to follow through until the problem is solved.

It's your commitment that will help you solve the problem, and that commitment includes always knowing where your cat is (a collar with a bell is useful here) or having her in your sight at all times to prevent accidents. If you can't keep an eye on her, confining her to a smaller space will prevent her from adding to her reinforcement history of accidents. Overall, if you make the commitment and set realistic goals during the behavior modification process you will soon have a cat that is successful at using her litter box.

Recommended premium cat foods:

• Wellness


• Wysong


• Solid Gold


• Eagle Pack


• Natural Balance


• Merrick


• Halo


• Paul Newman's 2nd Generation


• Blue Buffalo


• Flint River

Tips:

• Raw diets speak directly to our carnivorous cats. Talk to your holistic vet or supplier about the proper diet and supplementation and how to go about making the change.


• Home cooked diets that are designed by a holistic vet or an expert in the field are also a good alternative or adjunct to commercial food.

Related products

• Feline Pine cat litter


• World's Best cat litter


• Urine-Off


• Pet gate


• Cat treats


• SmartCat corner litter box


• All you ever wanted to know about herbs for pets

====================================================

"Solving Cat Litter Box Problems" was written by Nan Kené Arthur, CPDT www.wholedogtraining.com.

Produced and edited by Well Beings - Senior Cat & Dog Products.

Copyright © 2005 WellBeings.com. All Rights Reserved.

====================================================




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