A cat who won’t use its litter box is the most common feline behavior problem pet owners struggle with.  Unfortunately, this problem is so common, it is the most frequent reason why people surrender a cat to animal shelters.

Why a cat, sometimes after years of trouble-free litter box behavior, suddenly decides to urinate or defecate elsewhere can be a mystery. Since cats aren’t much on talking, you have to try and use a process to work through the different possibilities behind the behavior.

Medical Problems

A urinary tract infection can be one reason why a cat will suddenly avoid the litter box, although, statistically, less than two percent of cats with blood in their urine actually have an infection when a sample is tested. A condition called Feline Interstitial Cystitis can cause inflammation of the bladder that can be painful and sometimes cause a cat not to use the litter box. Age-related medical conditions such as arthritis or cognitive dysfunction can also be a possibility, as can other medical problems including diabetes and kidney disease.

Litter Box Aversion

This can be one of the most common reasons for a cat forgetting its potty manners, and there can be a number of causes: The litter box may be covered or uncovered, the scented litter that covers the odor for people is annoying to the cat’s more sensitive sense of smell, the litter is dirty, the litter texture bothers the cat, the litter box is located somewhere that the cat doesn’t like or they were frightened while using the litter box in that location and now avoid it.

Stress

This is probably the most unrecognized problem related to many aspects of feline health. This subject is further complicated by the fact that we are still learning so much about feline health and behavior. Moving, changes in people’s work schedules, new pets, conflicts with other cats in the household, just about anything can cause stress in a cat’s life, which they can react to with inappropriate elimination behaviors.

What to do:

• The best place to start is with the litter box. Have a minimum of one litter box for each cat in the household. For multiple cat households adding even another litter box to that number can also help.

• Older cats prefer litter boxes with low sides to make it easier to get in and out.

• Most cats prefer uncovered litter boxes.

• Clean the litter at least twice a day, adding new litter as needed. Periodically empty the litter box completely and clean it thoroughly with soap and water.

• Consider using unscented, fine-textured, clumping clay litter. Also, sprinkling a small amount of fine-textured dirt over the top of the litter can encourage a cat to use the box.

• Avoid placing litter boxes in high-traffic, noisy, or dark areas.

• Thoroughly clean areas that your cat has urinated or defecated on, avoiding products that contain ammonia or vinegar. There are urine odor neutralizing products available that can be helpful.

Will medications help?

Maybe. Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications have been used to help cats stop this behavior with varying degrees of success. Like any behavior-modification strategy, medication combined with litter box management and environmental enrichment is more successful than just trying to rely on medication alone to fix the problem.

Dr. Kiel is the U.S. Army veterinarian currently supporting NAS Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett. His columns appear the first and third Friday of each month. Please send questions or comments to Dr. Kiel at joseph.kiel@navy.mil.