What To Do If Your Cat Won’t Use the Litter Box

While using a litter box is typically learned from watching mom, there are some felines who just won’t get with the program. Here are some tips to help prevent this from happening as well as what to do if you find yourself experiencing some litter box problems.

Prevention

Location is Key: Put her box where she has some privacy but is not so out of the way that she just doesn’t want to bother.

Quiet is Best: While it may be tempting to place her box next to the washer in the laundry room where it’s conveniently out of the way, she may not like the noise when the washer is running.

More than One: No one likes to deal with multiple cat boxes, but having one on each level of your home will encourage him to use it. And if you have a home with multiple cats, one box per cat is recommended.

Keep Away: Never put his box near food and water dishes. You don’t eat in your bathroom, do you?

Type of Litter: Sometimes the right litter makes all the difference. A fine-grained litter is softer on paws and may be the thing she likes best.

Remedial Action

If your cat or kitten has decided they are mounting a political protest about using his box, here are some things to do.

Box Time: If you have a new kitten, make sure to put him in the box after meals, waking up and playing. This is a similar training for dogs where you take them out immediately after waking up and meals to teach them the concept of a clean den.

Make it Clean: Occasionally a cat will stop using the box if it’s dirty. Make sure to scoop urine clumps and feces daily.

In Extreme Cases: If you’ve tried things to get her to use the box to no avail, check with your vet. She may need to be confined with her box to start on a retraining method.

A combination of prevention and rehabilitation should get your kitty back on the road to reliable litter box usage.

Photo Credit:  istockphoto.com

Have you experienced some little box problems?