Cats by nature are very clean animals that prefer to bury their waste. Because of this, cat litter training is usually quite easy to accomplish. More often than not, the mother cat has done the majority of the work already and you just have to show the cat the box, run your fingers through the litter a few times and – voila! – your work is done.
For most people, the problem arises when their cat suddenly stops using the litter box and starts having ‘accidents’ around the house. When this occurs the very first thing you should do is take your cat to the vet for a checkup. If he has a urinary tract infection or some other problems that cause him pain when he uses the litter box, he will associate the box with the pain and stop using it. Once a medical condition has been ruled out, it is time to figure out what has caused the cat litter training to be derailed.
The litter box should be scooped regularly.
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Sometimes you can have a cat for years that always uses the litter box, but then suddenly one day they decide to urinate on your bed or in the laundry basket. Figuring out the exact reason that your cat has decided to stop using the litter box is the quickest way to help them to use it again. If it gets too dirty, many cats will chose to go somewhere cleaner. With a sense of smell much more acute than ours, a litter box that hasn’t been cleaned for a few days would be the equivalent of a port-a-potty that’s been at a construction site for a week. If you bought a litter box with a lid to lessen the smell for the humans in the house, it is also doing the same to keep the smell in for the cat. Just removing the lid may solve the problem. Also, the perfumed litters that help mask the odor can be a deterrent to your cat because the smell may be overwhelming. Some of the other litter box related problems include changing the type of the litter you buy and using more or less litter than you usually use.
Your cat will normally do things the way he always has unless something in his world has changed.
It’s now your job to figure out what it is. Cats are very habitual animals and any change can upset their routine and cause them stress.
Did you get another cat? If this is the case, make sure they each have their own litter box plus one extra. Have you moved? Keeping your cat in a small room with his ‘things’ for a week or two before allowing him to venture out into the rest of the house will lessen the stress. Did you buy new furniture? Allow your cat to gradually get comfortable with the new stuff before removing the old. Has a new cat moved in next door and taken up residence on your front porch? Cat deterrents can be used to keep them from your yard or you can close off visual access with blinds or heavy drapes to keep your cat from seeing out. These are just a few examples of things that can cause your cat stress and may be the reason he is staying away from his litter box.
Your cat started to avoid his litter box because something which may seem inconsequential to you, has upset his routine and he feels uncomfortable. It is important to see things through your cat’s eyes to get the cat litter training back on track.
One of the only real advantages of feeding your cat commercial cat food is the cost. You can comfortably feed a cat for pennies on the dollar with the low-grade, low-nutrient food you buy on the shelf of your local pet store, or supermarket. What many of us don’t know is that most of what comes in such foods are animal by-products, fillers, etc. that your cat doesn’t need: While essential nutrients are added to the mixture during manufacturing. Homemade cat food puts a nutritious meal in front of your cat and the best thing about it is you know exactly what they’re eating (as opposed to the “mystery mix” that comes in commercial cat food).