Top 5 Reasons Cats "GO" Outside the Litter-Box!

As you probably know, cats are very sensitive and particular about their environment. If you are having trouble with your cat using the bathroom somewhere other than their litter box, there are a few things that could be the issue. Here are my top 5 tips for getting your cat to “go” in their litter box!

Increase the Number of Boxes

Even if you only have one cat, you should have at least TWO litter boxes in your home. Cats often like to urinate in one box and defecate in another, so having the options available for your kitty is important. 

This is especially important if you have multiple cats. While some cats have no problem sharing their space with other cats, the litter box can be a very private and sensitive area for your kitties. If they feel that they will be interrupted, they may avoid the litter box! To avoid this, always have at least one litter box for each cat in your home, plus one extra.

Keep Them Clean

Cats are very clean creatures. They often spend a large portion of their day grooming themselves, so they don’t like to be in areas that are dirty. This is especially true of their litter box, as a dirty litter box is hard to use and wet will stick to their paw pads. 

Make sure that your litter box is scooped regularly. This may look different for every cat, their digestive system, and their preferences, but a good rule of thumb is to scoop at least once a day. If you have multiple cats or a cat that is particular about their litter cleanliness, you may need to increase this to 2-3 times a day or invest in a self-cleaning litter box. 

Keep Them Quiet

Using the bathroom is a very private experience for all creatures, but especially for cats. They often like peace and quiet while doing their business, much like we prefer the luxury of a private, individual bathroom versus a loud, busy public restroom, for example.
If their litter box is located in a high-traffic or loud area, it’s not exactly a comfortable place to settle down and do their business! While some cats may have no problem with this, others will refuse to use a box if they feel they will be interrupted. Keep the box in an offshoot area of your home, such as a laundry room or spare bathroom to ensure that your kitty feels comfortable enough to use it.

Check Your Litter

It’s possible that your cat doesn’t like the litter you are currently using in your litter box. Clumping clay litter is the most popular on the market, but certainly is not the only option! Recently, crystal litter, pine litters, paper litters, and even litter made of food-grade materials like corn or tofu have become popular. 

You want to ensure that the litter you choose is soft on your cat’s paws. This often means that it has small pieces instead of large chunks that can dig into the sensitive areas of its paws. Dust can also be an issue for your cats, so litter should be hypoallergenic and mostly dust-free.

Check Your Box

You want to ensure that your cat has plenty of room to move around in their litter box. If they feel too cramped, they will not want to be in there, meaning they won’t want to use it! They should be able to get in and turn around. This usually means the box needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of your largest cat. 

Another consideration when choosing a little box is if you choose to have a hood on your box. Some cats much prefer the hood for privacy reasons, while others don’t like how strongly it holds the smell around the area. You may need to try the box with and without the hood to see what your cats prefer. 

Keep giving your pets the best of natural life!

~PetCoachApril 

April Arguin A.S., C.P.N., M.P.H