The lack of stimulation can result in boredom, anxiety, and illness (such as idiopathic cystitis, a painful disease and a major
cause of litter box mistakes).
As mentioned above, stress can be a big factor and common
cause of litter box avoidance.
Many cats suffer in pain because a cat parent assumes
the cause of the litter box aversion is due to a behavior problem when in fact, it might be due to lower urinary tract disease, renal failure, diabetes, or any number of medical issues.
Here are some common
causes of litter box problems.
In the overview, we cover some of the major physical and behavioral
causes of litter box avoidance.
Not exact matches
She offers straightforward solutions to the problems that
cause people to give up their cats, many
of which are avoidable, including
litter box avoidance, scratching furniture and physical ailments.
If your kitties»
litter box is close to the appliance, it certainly could be the
cause of the kitty behavior problem.
Customizing
Litter Boxes After determining the cause of your bunny's behavior change and seeking medical attention as needed, you can do a little more training and change the litter - box situation so that it suits your bunny's new situ
Litter Boxes After determining the
cause of your bunny's behavior change and seeking medical attention as needed, you can do a little more training and change the
litter - box situation so that it suits your bunny's new situ
litter -
box situation so that it suits your bunny's new situation.
UTIs
cause the sensation
of having to urinate,
causing several trips to the
litter box or outside without any elimination occurring.
Routine exams help a veterinarian determine the
cause of ailments when they occur, and these ailments could be the
cause of your bunny's sudden non-use
of the
litter box.
And, all
of the disease processes listed for urine can also
cause a cat to defecate outside
of the
litter box.
This condition can
cause real pain in urination, so while you may think your cat is behaviorally urinating outside
of the
litter box, they could actually be in pain, which is why we will always want to check your cat and their urine first.
If your veterinarian has determined that the
cause of your cat urinating outside the
litter box is not a medical problem then the
cause may be stress.
The number one medical problem that
causes cats to break their
litter box training is irritation
of their lower urinary tract and bladder.
If this is the
cause of the excessive meowing, you may need to move the
litter box back or clean up the mess until your cat stops throwing a fit.
In the study, researchers compared the number
of sickness behaviors, such as vomiting, not eating, or refusing to use the
litter box, among 12 healthy cats and 20 cats with feline interstitial cystitis, a chronic illness that
causes recurring discomfort and pain in the bladder, following a change in their environment or routine.
Cats are picky and you do not want to
cause the cat to eliminate outside
of the
litter box.
The sight
of an unfamiliar cat in the yard is a common
cause of behavior problems (such as elimination outside
of the
litter box or redirected aggression).
Scoop the
litter box every day — a dirty
box is the primary
cause of cats refusing to use their
litter box.
Unfortunately, the shield on these IRIS
boxes have
caused some confusion in a few
of my cats (my 3 male cats, in fact) who previously did not have any sloppy
litter box issues.
If you're dealing with a
litter box problem and the veterinarian has ruled out underlying
causes, you can find step - by - step information on behavior modification techniques in any
of Pam's books, including the latest release, CatWise.
Remember, if your cat begins urinating or defecating outside
of the
litter box, visit the veterinarian right away to ensure the
cause is not medical.
The cat's nails can
cause holes in them which will allow urine to leak between the liner and the plastic bottom
of the
litter box.
It can be
caused by low levels
of exercise, very dry cat food or a dirty
litter box.
The
litter may irritate painful paws wounds even more, or the act
of digging in the
box could
cause extra soreness.
Somehow the design
of most self cleaning
litter boxes caused the units to have some issues where you needed to deal with troubleshooting more often than you would like.
In addition, declawing can itself
cause a host
of behavioral problems in cats, including being less likely to use the
litter box and more likely to bite.
For some cats, the sensitivity will be a lifelong issue and this could
cause litter box problems for the rest
of your kitty's life.
If your cat is urinating outside
of the
litter box, the first thing you should do is visit the veterinarian to rule out a medical
cause.
Stress
of any kind can
cause a cat to abandon his
litter box routines, especially if another animal is introduced into the household.
An accident
caused by a closed laundry room door can be the beginning
of a nightmare when your cats decide that since the sofa cushion smells like a
litter box, it must be one.
Anti-microbial protection inhibits growth
of odor -
causing bacteria in cat
litter boxes.
If you have a cat who is eliminating outside the
box and is free
of any medical issues that might
cause the behavior, I recommend providing several
litter boxes representing a variety
of options (different size
boxes, placed in a variety
of locations, with a variety
of litter choices) so you can determine your kitty's preference.
It's a simple practice that will save you a lot
of trouble, as a full
litter box will
cause your pet to do its business in another part
of the cage.
Once you get to the bottom
of the
cause of the blood in her urine and treat it, she will more than likely start using her
litter box again.
Dogs which have been taught and have understood the importance
of housetraining will rarely
cause urinating «accidents» inside the house or in any places other than their
litter box or outside.
There is a wide range
of causes that may lead your cat to prefer your sofa, your bed or the corner
of the living room to his
litter box.
Price says medical issues are the
cause for 60 to 70 percent
of her cases involving
litter box accidents.
However, it also leaves them at greater risk for bladder stones, rock - like deposits that can interfere with their ability to urinate,
causing symptoms like blood in the urine and passing urine outside
of the
litter box.
The noise
of the washing machine when it is on might
cause your cat to refuse to use that
litter box, even if it is located in an adjacent room.
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)- This is a common
cause of a lapse in
litter box manners.
Creating fear in cats is the last thing you want to do, as in extreme cases it can
cause aggression and urinating outside
of the
litter box.
Rearrangement
of furniture around the house for the holidays may
cause your feline to stop using the
litter box.
Provide extra scratching posts and pads, extra
litter boxes, extra food bowls, provide your cat with a quiet place away from construction noise, and do whatever else you can to alleviate the
cause of your cat's stress while also using Feliway in the following ways:
While some cats may not like using the strips
of newspaper that many veterinarians recommend placing in the
litter box temporarily after surgery, there is no evidence that declawing
causes long - term
litter box problems.
Unfortunately, the sedentary lifestyle
of many indoor cats creates a life
of inactivity and boredom,
causing weight gain, even obesity, and sometimes leading them to act out by not using
litter boxes or attacking housemates.
Cats are creatures
of habit, so even a small change in routine or location
of the
litter box might
cause stress.
HOUSE SOILING Cats that pee and poop on clothing, floors and furniture instead
of outdoors or in the
litter box cause owners a great deal
of frustration.
«Behavioral
causes include marking (a form
of communication in cats), which can occur when the cat is stressed, and inappropriate toileting, which is when the animal develops aversions to something about the
litter box or develops preferences for soiling in other locations.»
For example, if your cat is urinating outside her
litter box, it's helpful if you take note
of how often it occurs and any possible
causes: Has there been a recent move?