Someone contacted us on surrendering a cat because it was going outside the litter box . Often cats will go next their litter box for a variety of reasons. They do this to try and get their owner’s attention since they can’t shout “Hey, I there is problem here!”
Have you considered all options on why your cat is not using the litter box?
- Have you taken her to the vet to be evaluated? It may be that she has a UTI or some other problem. Your cat is trying to tell you it does not feel well.
- Have you using a kitty litter with a strong scent? The scents are for humans but can be really offensive to cats. Cats live by their nose rubbing their cheeks and bodies on you as a friendly way to establish scent. The scent may discouraging the cat from going inside the litter box. As humans, no one wants to be in elevator with the person with bad body odor or reeks of perfume/ cologne. Kitty litter scents can be just as shocking and the cat is trying to give you a thumbs down vote.
- Have changed the kitty litter brand? By changing from one brand to another can be offensive if the smell is different (see above) or the texture is different for their paws. If you want to change litter brands, do it gradually by mixing a small amount into what is familiar. Keep gradually increasing the mix so the transition is easy and feel comfortable.
- Do you not scoop the litter box on a regular basis? Cats will stop using a litter box if it is too full. If you are not consistent, consider buying an automatic litter box that will scoop itself.
- Did you add another cat to the household? Some cats are fine to share the litter box versus others will not. Cats are scent sensitivity when it comes to territory. Consider adding an extra box.
- Is the litter box in a quiet area? If cats become startled by loud noises while in the box, the cat could be afraid to crawl into it. Is there is a dog, child, or another cat that pokes or attacks the cat when it tries to use its litter box? Cats are predators but also prey animals so they need to feel safe when using a litter box. (Humans too are known to have performance issues when using public restrooms!) Consider moving the litter box to a new location where your kitty can do its business undisturbed. This noise issue also applies to food dishes.
Contact us at info@babybobbysmeowhouserescue.org if you have other questions. When in doubt, please take your cat to a vet for evaluation!
