Getting Good Litter Box Behavior

In This Chapter

• Understanding why cats avoid the litter box
• Deciding whether your cat’s problem is health-related
• Encouraging your kitty to use the litter box
• Discouraging spraying

Few behavior problems strain the relationship between cats and humans more than that of the cat who refuses to use the litter box. Even the most tolerant cat lovers, capable of overlooking couch shredding, plant chewing, or overexuberant claws-out playfulness, have a hard time maintaining their good nature when faced with a cat who urinates on the beds, in the bathtub, or on clean laundry.

The cat who won’t use the litter box can strain human relations as well: It’s not uncommon for one partner to be willing to work on the problem, while the other one wants an immediate solution — the cat must go. While we know of no one who has divorced over the cat, we know of many angry arguments caused by a cat with a litter box problem.

Sometimes a cat who has a litter box problem becomes an outdoor cat; other times he ends up in need of a new home. Neither prospect is necessarily a good one: Exposed to dangers ranging from foraging coyotes to speeding cars, an outdoor cat’s life span is considerably shorter than an indoor one’s.

Cat Tracks

For a discussion of the pros and cons of keeping cats inside or letting them roam, see Chapter A New Appreciation of the Cat.

Despite the risks, some formerly indoor cats do well enough outside. But you can’t say the same thing about a cat given up to a shelter. That cat may have the shortest life span of all, especially if he has a behavior problem. Almost nobody wants to adopt a cat who avoids the litter box — especially when so many problem-free cats and kittens are out there. Putting your pet outdoors is not a good option, and giving him up is even worse, which is why you need to commit to working on the problem.

When we decided to revise this book, we knew we needed to expand the information on how to deal with litter box problems. The need is great: House-training problems — called inappropriate elimination — are the number one behavior-related complaint from cat lovers. That’s the bad news. The good news is that by approaching the problem in a systematic, thorough, and unemotional way, you’ll be doing your best to get your cat on the right track. And chances are good that you’ll be able to live happily with your cat once again.

Remember

You must understand why your cat isn’t using the litter box if you want to have a chance at figuring out how to get your cat to use the litter box again. No one-size-fits-all cure exists for litter box problems. Getting your cat to use a litter box is a matter of figuring out what kind of inappropriate elimination is involved (and remember that there may be more than one) and applying the right strategy (or strategies) to get your cat comfortable with going where you want him to.

Cat Tracks

You use some of the same strategies for addressing litter box and marking problems that you use for other behavior problems. We strongly advise you to read our more general behavior chapter, Chapter Solving Behavior Problems, in tandem with this chapter. That way you’ll have a good overview of the feline psyche, including an understanding of why punishment doesn’t work well with cats. And you do need to understand that advice, because nothing seems to make some people feel like spanking a cat more than inappropriate elimination — even though corporal punishment is counterproductive!

Defining the Problem

Many times people see inappropriate elimination as one problem, when in fact it’s potentially several problems, some of which may be related — or not. The most basic behaviors are those intended to mark territory and those that express dissatisfaction or discomfort with using a litter box. You must first observe what, exactly, your cat is doing — marking territory or avoiding the box — before you can figure out what to do about it.

Tip

Start a journal of your cat’s errant deposits. A simple steno notebook works well. In it, write down the date and time, what you found (urine or feces), where you found it (on a horizontal surface or, in the case of urine, on a vertical one, such as the side of a couch), and the location in the house of the mess (in the bathtub, on a throw rug, next to the litter box). Note taking not only helps you to figure out what kind of behavior the problem is and how you should approach it, but also helps you spot even small signs of progress. And perhaps most importantly, having a written record provides you with the information your veterinarian needs to help diagnose any medical problems.

What’s being done, and where?

With many animals, urine and feces are almost as much about marking territory as they are about eliminating waste products from the body. A dog who lifts his leg on every piece of furniture and wall corner in the house, for example, is making a far different statement than the one who hikes his leg once and lets flow all the urine stored in his bladder. The first is marking territory; the second doesn’t understand where he’s allowed to relieve himself, or has been cut off from that spot, or both.

Remember

The same scenario can be true with cats, especially male ones. Sometimes a cat’s relieving himself, and sometimes he’s sending a message. The difference is often one of location and context. Where is the mess? And what’s going on in the cat’s environment?

Recognizing “I gotta go” behavior

A cat who’s not relieving himself where he should deposits urine on a horizontal surface. If you see him releasing urine, you’ll notice that he squats. Squatting is a very different behavior from the one used to mark territory, as you see in the next section.

If you have a cat who’s leaving urine on a flat surface — even an elevated one such as the bottom of a sink — you have a cat who’s relieving himself in an inappropriate way, as opposed to a cat who’s marking territory.

Distinguishing “I’m sending a message” behavior

The cat who’s marking territory — spraying is the term behaviorists use — takes an entirely different approach to the release of urine. He sniffs the object of his interest and then turns and backs up to it. With his tail held high and quivering, he releases a small spray of urine straight back onto the surface. Sometimes he shifts his weight from one back leg to another as he sprays.

Cool Cat Facts

All cats have the potential to become sprayers, male and female both. That being said, the worst offenders, hands down, are unneutered males.

Okay, but what about feces?

It’s not too hard to figure out what’s going on with urine — wet spots on flat surfaces and squatting are the signs of a cat relieving himself, while wet spots on vertical surfaces from a standing position are the signs of a cat marking territory. But what about those little gift piles? What do they mean?

Although some cats use uncovered feces to mark territory — the word for the behavior is middening — it’s more likely that gift piles are signs of a cat who is avoiding the litter box.

2 Which cat is the culprit?

Because many people share their lives with more than one cat, when they’re faced with a wet spot or a gift pile, the question immediately arises: “Okay, which one of you did this?” Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to tell.

Some behaviorists suggest isolating each cat, one after the other, in a safe room (more on that in “Retraining through isolation,” later in this chapter). But that approach may not work if a territory dispute is at the heart of the problem. The culprit cat may react positively to the separation and quit his inappropriate behavior, but when you put the cats back together, the problem reappears. And you still don’t know which cat is responsible.

Technical Stuff

One solution veterinarians use to help identify a problem cat in a multicat household is to give a fluorescent dye to one cat at a time. The dye will pass in the urine and can be detected through the use of what’s called a Wood’s Lamp. To figure out which cat is leaving gift piles, ordinary food coloring will do. Place a few drops of green or blue in the cat’s mouth before he eats. The stool of the marked cat should come out darker than the other’s.

Is Your Cat Sick?

After you know which cat is responsible for the messes, you can start to work on solving the problem. The absolute first step you must take is to make an appointment with your veterinarian.

Why? Inappropriate elimination problems are often caused by, or were started by, a physical problem — commonly a bladder infection. If you don’t have the health problem correctly diagnosed and treated, you have almost no possibility of fixing the behavior problem. Further, you’re not being fair to your cat.

Remember

If you have a sick cat, all the behavioral strategies in the world will not do you much good. Your cat must be healthy to have a shot at changing behavior you don’t like.

So what are the possibilities that a medical condition is causing your cat to avoid the litter box or spray? Pretty good really, and numerous, besides. Your veterinarian may recommend urine and blood tests and an ultrasound or X-ray of the abdomen to rule out many medical possibilities before giving your cat a clean bill of health.

Remember

Your cat can’t speak, so his body must speak for him. Your veterinarian has been trained to listen and look for the clues to what may be a pretty difficult puzzle. You own observations are extremely important, too, so bring along your notes. And realize, finally, that diagnostic tools such as blood and urine tests are not “padding the bill” — they’re essential to making an accurate diagnosis.

Cat Tracks

We put a more thorough discussion of how best to work with your veterinarian to get the best health care for your cat in Chapter Preventive Health Care for Your Cat. For more information on common diagnostic tests used in veterinary medicine, see Chapter Common Cat Health Problems.

Urinary tract problems are a common reason why cats don’t use the litter box, but certainly that’s not the only one. Here are a few things your veterinarian looks for (but this list by no means includes all the possibilities):

• Urinary tract or bladder problems: A cat with urinary tract or bladder problems finds it painful to urinate — it burns! Because cats can’t think to themselves, “Oh, I bet I’m sick,” they think, “Oh, when I go in the box, it hurts!” So they stop using the box. These kinds of problems may even encourage spraying.
• Medications: Your cat may be on a medication — such as a steroid or diuretic — that may cause her to drink more and to urinate more volume and more frequently, or have looser stools. Either of these conditions may cause a cat to need to go before she has time to get to the litter box.
• Infectious disease: The feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), or feline infection peritonitis (FIP) may make a cat sick enough so that bothering with a litter box isn’t a high priority. (You can find out more about all these nasty “F” words in Chapter Common Cat Health Problems.)
• Noninfectious disease: Untreated diabetes can increase the amount of urine a cat produces — in fact, more frequent urination is a symptom that veterinarians ask about when they suspect the disease. Hyperthy-roidism, primarily a disease of older cats caused by an overactive thyroid gland, also increases urine production. (We discuss more about both of these diseases in Chapter Caring for an Older Cat.)
• Old-age-related causes: Some cats may become a little senile as they age, so they’re not as particular about where they go. Other cats may have arthritis, making it difficult to climb in and out of a box or to access a box on a different floor of your house.
• Constipation or obstipation: Stools that are difficult to pass or cannot be passed cause a cat a great deal of discomfort, which she tries to relieve by straining to pass the stool. The results can be something that looks like diarrhea — a soft substance produced by frequent efforts to pass the stool. As with a urinary tract infection, a cat may come to associate the box with pain and start avoiding it. (You can find more about obstipation, a complete blockage more commonly seen in older cats, in Chapter Caring for an Older Cat.)
• Diarrhea: Loose stools can be a problem, too, making it difficult for a cat to “hold it” until she gets to the litter box. Diarrhea is a symptom; the causes can vary, especially in long-term cases.
• Parasites: Some parasites reproduce by sending their eggs or larvae out with the stools, where another animal can come in contact and get infected. Grown worms, too, end up in stools. Having a load of worms can make it very difficult for a cat to “hold it” long enough to find the litter box.

Correct diagnosis and proper treatment alone may take care of a problem with inappropriate eliminations, but not always. The cat who learned to associate the box with discomfort, for example, or the cat who learned it’s just as easy to go on the rug will need retraining — after the medical problem has been resolved. In other words, getting your cat a clean bill of health is an essential step — we cannot stress this enough — but it’s often just the first step.

Caution

When we say “a clean bill of health,” we’re talking about making sure your cat is healthy. For that, you need your veterinarian to do some follow-ups. Too often, people make one trip for an exam, refuse any testing, and leave the veterinarian with little more to offer than her best guess and a course of antibiotics. Even if the veterinarian guesses correctly and the problem is a urinary infection, for example, your cat may need more than one course or more than one kind of antibiotic to eliminate the problem. More importantly, they may miss discovering another problem that underlies the urinary tract infection, such as bladder stones or a tumor. Until the underlying problem is address-ed, the infection and signs will recur. If you just assume your cat is fine because she has been on antibiotics, you may still have a sick cat. And that means three things: She’s still suffering; in the end it will cost you more money than if you had dealt with the issues earlier; and any behavioral strategies you try will not be effective.

Use the Box, Kitty!

At the beginning of this chapter, we warn you that you need patience and thoroughness to help your cat to use a litter box again. You’ve likely used some of these qualities in making sure your cat has no health problems that would contribute to his not using the litter box. Now you need to draw on these resources again, in addition to taking a nonemotional approach.

Remember

Although you may get lucky and fix the problem with the first strategy you try, chances are, you won’t be so fortunate. Getting a cat to use the litter box is a matter not only of trial and error but also of getting the combination of factors just right to encourage proper behavior.

Figure 15-1: Illness is the trigger for many kinds of misbehavior, including failure to use the litter box. You must have your cat thoroughly checked out by your veterinarian before attempting any retraining

Tip

The same notebook we suggest earlier in this chapter to track problems can now be used to note progress. And we very much encourage you to keep up the notes. Progress can be slow when dealing with inappropriate elimination, and it may well help you to keep your sanity if you can, indeed, see that your cat has improved.

Cleanliness is next to catliness

Cats are fastidious animals, and if the litter box is dirty, they look elsewhere for a place to go. Think of how you felt the last time you were faced with a dirty public restroom, and you can probably empathize!

So how clean is the litter box? Is it something you “get around to” every few days, or maybe just on the weekend? Do you wait until you can’t stand the smell of it, or the lumpy-clumpy sight of it, before you clean it? And even then, do you really clean it, or do you simply half-heartedly fish out a few stools or clumps and add more litter?

Remember

If you don’t keep the litter box clean, you can’t expect your cat to use it. You need to start with a clean box and keep it clean.

Starting out clean

Even if the box you bought is brand-new, give it a good scrubbing with hot water and soap, rinse well, and let it air-dry. Cats have a much better sense of smell than we do, and they may be put off by the odor a new box has picked up through its manufacturing, shipping, and storage before you bought it.

If the box has been used before, follow the soap-and-water scrub with a bleach soak — one-half cup to a gallon of water will do — and then rinse, rinse, rinse, and allow to air-dry.

Tip

Diluted bleach is a safe disinfectant, but other types of disinfectant shouldn’t be used — their lingering scent may cause more harm than good. Ammonia, for example, shares some chemical properties with urine and can make a clean box smell dirty to a cat.

Keeping it clean

All the scrubbing in the world isn’t going to help you if you offer your cat a clean box and then don’t bother to keep it that way. Some cats are so fussy that a box that has been used even once may be unsuitable. If you can’t scoop immediately — and honestly, not many of us can — try to scoop twice a day, or daily at least.

Tip

You can almost always offer your cat a clean bathroom if you provide two litter boxes, placed side by side. Some cats even prefer the two-box system: They urinate in one and defecate in the other. (More about multiple litter boxes later in this section.)

Don’t forget that even if you’re very good about scooping frequently, you’ll still have to scrub out and disinfect your litter box completely on a regular basis. When in doubt, clean it out!

Tip

Some people use plastic liners to make cleaning easier. Problem is, some cats don’t like them — they find the odor offensive or they don’t like the feel of the plastic underfoot when their claws catch on them.

The Cat’s Meow

The Litter Maid self-cleaning box has caused a lot of discussion since its release, but it is a pretty promising piece of equipment. The machine uses an electric eye to note a cat’s entry and exit, and then runs a rake through the litter to sift out the clumps, putting them into a holding area for later disposal. Reviews are mixed for the product, however. Some cats are put off by the noise and motion, while some owners complain that the mechanism clogs too easily, especially in multicat households. That said, many cats and owners are quite happy using the Litter Maid; for them, the cleanliness and convenience are worth every penny.

Offering alternatives

Here’s where it gets interesting. After you’ve worked with your veterinarian to establish your cat’s good health and are dedicated to the ideals of feline cleanliness, you can embark on the excitement of finding out exactly what litter box arrangements your cat finds suitable.

Many choices people make to suit their own tastes don’t match with what their cat wants, but when you’re talking litter boxes (filler and location) your cat’s opinion is the only one that really counts.

Tip

Remember that notebook we keep mentioning? This is where it comes in. A notebook will help you keep track of what works and what doesn’t as you try to figure out what combination of factors will keep your cat happy.

Changing the box and filler

Many times the litter box or filler is one chosen in an attempt to reduce the odor that people find offensive. Covered boxes and litters with deodorants may fool our pathetic sense of smell, but they aren’t going to fool your cat. And often people let cleaning chores wait because the box isn’t making them crazy. Sorry, but you still have to clean it even if you can’t smell it.

Try various boxes, various fillers, and even various depths of litter in the box. Some cats like the privacy of a covered box, for example, while others don’t. Another problem with covered boxes is that they often don’t get cleaned as regularly, because the humans in the house follow the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach. You may not notice a problem in there, but we’ll guarantee you that your cat does!

Caution

If your cat’s an asthmatic, skip the covered litter box. A covered box traps the dust kicked up from the litter, and that dust can trigger an attack. For more on feline asthma, see Chapter Common Cat Health Problems.

Other health problems may dictate the kind of box that works best for your cat. An arthritic cat may have difficulty getting in and out of the box. A box with low sides or a box that you’ve customized by cutting down a side may help with this problem.

A high-sided box, on the other hand, may be just the ticket if your cat doesn’t squat all the way, either from stiffness or just plain personal preference. Some cats nearly stand while using the litter box and shoot their waste over the side. (Cut one side down, though, to make it easier for an older cat to get into the box.)

Also experiment with filler — try clumping and nonclumping, scented and unscented, and so on. Studies suggest, however, that a high-quality, unscented, clumping litter is favored by more cats, so that’s probably the best kind to start with.

Changing location

Is the location of your cat’s box convenient for you — or for your cat? Does your cat feel safe using the box, or does he feel as if he’s going to be ambushed? Pick a location that’s quiet and out of the way of traffic, and where your cat can keep an eye on things so he won’t be surprised.

Your cat’s box should be away from his food and water dishes. You don’t eat near the toilet, so why should your cat?

Also, consider how easy it is for your cat to get to the box. Maybe you like the box in the farthest corner of the garage or basement, but does your cat? And finally, is the location always accessible? A spare bathroom is a good place to keep the litter box, but only if everyone in the house remembers to leave the door open. (If you have a dog, the accessibility of the litter box can cause a problem. Check out our sidebar on “Litter-munching dogs” in this chapter for help with this disgusting problem.)

Using multiple boxes

Two boxes side by side may help with the cat who simply must have the cleanest box around — or the cat who uses one for urinating and the other for defecating. You should also try increasing the number of boxes and locations where your cat can find a litter box.

In a multilevel home, it often helps to have a litter box on each floor. You’ve got a cat who, for whatever reason, isn’t that interested in using a litter box. Make it as convenient for him as possible!

Tip

In multicat households, a good general guideline is one litter box per cat. Some cats gladly share, but many won’t. Extra boxes are the only way to give every cat what she wants.

Discouraging misbehavior

At the same time you’re making your cat’s litter boxes more inviting, you should be gently suggesting that he shouldn’t revisit the sites he used instead of the box. The trick to keeping your cat away from inappropriate elimination spots is to make those areas unappealing and even revolting. How do you do that? Through the use of smell, touch, and even some basic cat knowledge.

The first step is to thoroughly clean the area where an accident occurred, using a enzymatic cleaner designed for use on pet messes. Any lingering odor invites reuse. After the area is clean, try some of the following methods to discourage reuse or to change the way your cat uses the area:

• Put food bowls on the spot. Cats don’t like to relieve themselves where they eat. You can gradually move the bowls to another location when your cat is using the litter box reliably again.
• Put a deterrent on the area. You can cover the area with material that a cat doesn’t like to set foot on, such as double-sided tape, aluminum foil, or plastic carpet runners with the pointed side up. Scat Mats — plastic mats that give off a slight static shock when stepped on — are another option. Also try to spray the area with a scent that cats hate, such as citrus. If your cat uses houseplants for litter boxes, cover the top of the soil with sharp rocks or small pinecones.
• Put a litter box on the spot. This is the “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” technique. After your cat is using the litter box, you can gradually change its location.

Caution

One form of discouragement we don’t recommend is physical punishment. For one thing, it doesn’t work. For another, punishing the cat who’s already avoiding the litter box because he’s stressed out won’t do anything to make him more relaxed. The old nose-in-it-and-swat method of training isn’t even recommended for dogs anymore.

Don’t use anything like it on your cat.

Tip

Don’t forget the value of praise! If you see your cat using the litter box, reward him with a tasty treat.

Stopping Sprayers in Their Tracks

Although both male and female cats spray, unneutered males are the biggest offenders, followed by unspayed females in season. The first rule of dealing with this stinky problem is to make sure that your pet is neutered — this procedure takes care of the problem in 90 percent of the cases if done before sexual maturity is attained at about 6 months.

For those cats who don’t respond to neutering, environmental stresses — such as a new person in the house, a move to a new house, or another major change in routine — may trigger the spraying. Antianxiety drugs may help (see our sidebar, “What about behavioral medications?”); so can cleaning sprayed areas thoroughly and covering them with foil and citrus odor to discourage fresh marking. (Cats dislike anything involving foil, and the sound of urine hitting the stuff really annoys them.) One product that may help is called Feliway, which helps to remove the odor that triggers a repeat performance. (Check with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist for advice on buying and using this product.)

Tip

One common trigger for marking behavior is the sight of outdoor cats. Because cats are so territorial, seeing cats on the other side of the window can annoy an indoor cat to the point of spraying. If you can’t discourage the traipsing of other cats across your property, restrict your own cat’s access to any area where he can see the intruders.

Figure 15-2: Cats often need to be restricted to a small area of the house so they can “chill out” during retraining.

Litter-munching dogs Gina gets calls all the time from readers who are astonished that their dogs consider the contents of a litter box as some kind of special treat. When faced with a constant supply of litter “munchies” and ready access to them, no dog can resist for long, which is why efforts to train a dog to leave the litter box alone are rarely successful. The better plan is to restrict access, which you can accomplish in many ways. Here are a few suggestions: Purchase covered litter boxes. Some cats don’t like them, and cats with asthma can’t use them. (See Chapter Common Cat Health Problems for more on feline asthma.) If your cat falls into either category, this solution isn’t going to work for you. Change the litter box’s location. You must be careful not to upset your cats. But experimenting with such ploys as gradually moving the litter box to a location above the dog’s reach usually doesn’t hurt. Provide barriers. One way is to rig the door to the room containing the litter box so that it stays open wide enough for the cat but not for the dog. Another possibility is to put a cat-sized door through the door to the litter box room if your dog is medium-sized or larger. For small dogs, try a baby gate — the cat can jump it, but the dog can’t. Keep it clean. Don’t forget to keep the box scooped: A dog can’t eat what a dog can’t find.

Retraining through isolation

If your cat is marking or avoiding the litter box after you’ve tried to change the environment to discourage errant behavior, it’s time to try keeping him in a small area for a few days. By offering no other options for a cat to relieve himself, this technique helps to calm an anxious cat and helps to retrain one who has learned to avoid the litter box.

A spare bathroom is an ideal spot, but any quiet, small area with a door will do. The room should contain food and water, a litter box, a scratching post, and a toy or two. Make sure that the room has no good options besides the litter box for elimination — no carpet, no pile of dirty laundry. Block off the bathtub — keep an inch of water in it to discourage its use as a place to go.

Tip

Visit your cat in his safe room and indulge him with loving sessions of petting and some energy-burning play. This attention helps him settle down into his new routine.

After your cat is reliably using the litter box in his safe room, let him slowly expand his territory again. As long as you keep up your end of the bargain and keep the litter box appealing, he should keep up his end and use it, too.

Cat Tracks

The safe room is also good for introducing new cats to the household and for moving cats from one home to another. For information on introductions, see Chapter Getting the Relationship Started Right. Chapter Out and About with Your Cat has tips on helping your cat through a moving day.

What about behavioral medications? In recent years, veterinary behaviorists have started using medications to help with behavioral problems. For most cats, these medications are of short-term benefit, a way to ease a cat’s anxiety while you work on making it easier and more appealing for him to use the litter box, or to help him ignore triggers that prompt spraying. Their availability, however, is another reason to work with your veterinarian or get a referral to a veterinary behaviorist for more specific, long-term help with difficult cases. Your cat’s health-care professional can help manage the overall attack on inappropriate elimination, ensuring that your cat is healthy, reviewing your plans for adjusting his environment, and prescribing antianxiety medications as necessary to help with the transition.

by Gina Spadafori and Paul D. Pion