The number one concern of all cat owners is the cat stops using the litter box. If the cat is not using the box, he/she is choosing to do business elsewhere in the house. This can occur for several different reasons. Sometimes a cat will not like the location of his or her litter box. This Problem might be caused :

• Some kind of pain at the location of the box
• Something that has caused the cat to be afraid at the location
• An odor around the location of the box

Where is the best spot to put a cat litter box?

• Most cats prefer an easily accessible spot, but one with privacy
• Avoid placing the box near a noisy appliance like the washer, dryer or furnace
• Experiment with types of boxes: some cats like the privacy of closed boxes, and most like large boxes, but some like small ones.

In general, cats usually dislike having to eliminate near where they eat, so avoid putting the food and water bowls near the litter box.

Stress or anxiety as a source of cat litter box location must always be considered, but is not as frequent a cause of house soiling. It has been said that one cannot have too many litter boxes. A household of three cats would probably fair much better with four boxes. Specific kinds of stress such as separation anxiety, believed to occur in cats also, usually occurs when there has been a prolonged absence of the owner

Some owners report cats that are naturally shy or fearful. This type of personality may not want to come out into the open to go to the litter box. If there is an identifiable cause such as a certain person, cat dog, object or sound, try to remove or modify it. You might also try using a litter box in a "safe" location for the shy and fearful type cat.


 

Tips For new kitten owners.

There are a few things you can do to help avoid house soiling problems

• Make the litter box location easily accessible, private and in a low traffic area
• Try to provide at least one litter box per cat
• Use finely-grained, non-scented litters
• Do not put food and water beside the litter box
• Scoop the litter box at least daily
• Change clay litters at least once weekly
• Change scoopable litters every 6 to 8 weeks
• Avoid frightening the cat in the litter box, trapping or catching it there
• Never punish a cat for house soiling
• Make changes to the litter box filler or location very gradually
• Call your vet when house soiling occurs to rules out any medical problems that may be causing the problem

 

Common Cat Litter Box Problems and Solutions

Cats can be unpredictable. Litter boxes can be messy and are no fun to clean every day. Three common cat litter box problems are:

1. cat stops using the litter box.

There are many reasons a cat will stop using its litter box.  Perhaps you only scoop out your litter box every few days. Take notice if the accidents coincide with the times your litter box is very dirty. Your cat hates a dirty litter box.

 
There are scented litters, odor reducing litters, etc. Cats can be picky about foreign smells. Although a scented litter may smell nice to you when filling the box, it may be giving your cat a headache. Odor neutralizing litters or sprays may eliminate the natural scent the cat expects when approaching the box. If the box does not smell right to the cat, this could be the cause of your problem. Try changing litters to see if that solves the problem.


Another reason your cat stops using the litter box could be because it is having a medical problem. Your cat could be associating the pain to the litter box - that is, blaming the litter box as the cause of the pain.

 

2. cat kicks litter out of the box or pees on walls and

Maybe you have this problem. Your cat kicks litter out of the box. The obvious solution is to use a litter box that has a hood. Purchasing automatic cat litter (Litter-Robot)  is another great solution. Litter-Robot is a self-cleaning cat litter box that holds litter in a globe. Similar to a hooded traditional litter box, there is a small opening for the cat to go through.

 

3. foul litter-box odor.

A third common litter box problem is foul smells. Not only is it very unpleasant for you, a foul smelling litter box can be another cause your cat refuses to use the litter box. If you do not clean the box well enough, your cat could reject the box. If you use a scented cleaner, your cat may scoff.

 
Experts recommend washing the litter box once per month. Start by washing your litter box with a mild unscented soap. Then disinfect your litter box with a solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part water. Baking soda also reduces/eliminates odors without adding a scent the cat may reject. Certain essential oils are known to reduce or eliminate odors. Test your cats' reaction to the oils before wiping them onto your litter box.


Once you determine your cat will not likely reject its box, clean your box thoroughly using the procedure above. Wipe the box surface and the hood (if you have one). Then refill with clean litter.