Cat Not Using the Litterbox: Causes & Solutions | The Cat Butler (2024)

_{There are many reasons why a cat may stop using its litter box. In this guide we discuss the main ones and what you can do about them.}

Added on: 15 Sep, 2020 Posted by: Sandra James 8 min read (1316 words)

In this guide:

Has your cat suddenly stopped using its litter box? This is a surprisingly common problem - around 10% of all cats develop elimination problems at some point in their lives. However, this doesn't have to be an ongoing frustration. There are many reasons why cats change their litter box habits, but here are the main ones that you should look out for:

Medical issues

If your cat has started to eliminate outside of their litter box, it is important to first check with your veterinarian whether this may be due to a medical issue. Cats are very good at concealing pain, so this might be the only outward sign that there is a problem. Some common medical issues that impact cats' litter box habits include:

Metabolic issues

Diabetes and kidney disease can cause your cat to drink and urinate more than usual, and they may not be able to get to the litter box quickly enough.

Digestive/urinary tract issues

Urinary tract inflammation and digestive tract problems could also be the culprit. These cause pain when urinating or eliminating. Your cat may associate the pain with the litter box, and therefore avoid using it.

Age or special needs cats

Cats such as older, arthritic orvery young might have trouble with certain types of litter boxes. Boxes that have sides that are too high or have a top-side opening might make it difficult for your cat to enter or leave the box. Try switching to a litter box with low sides.

Behavioural issues

If your vet has given your cat the all-clear, then you should next look into any behavioural problems that may be causing it to eliminate outside thelitter box.

Stress

Stress can cause litter-box problems. Cats can be stressed by events that their owners may not think of as traumatic. Changes in things that even indirectly affect the cat,like moving house,the arrival of a new feline friend or family member or even a change in routine, can make your cat feel anxious. The cause of the stress might not be so obvious, but try to think if there have been any changes to your cat's environment.

You can help alleviate your cat's stress by keeping a consistent routine in feeding and playing and ensuring that your cat has safe spaces to retreat. Once your cat is used to the new situation, it should happily return to its litter box.

Stress might also be causing your feline friend to mark their territory. This is not an elimination problem, but providing more litter boxes and regularly cleaning them may help.

Boredom

Cats can also start eliminating outside of the litter box due to boredom. You can help combat this by ensuring that their environment is stimulating, especially if they are an indoor-only cat. Make sure they have a varietyof toys to play with, lots of different levels to perch on, and places to look out the window. Make sure that you're also giving your cat individual attention too.

The litter box

If there aren't any clear signs of stress or boredom, the problem could lie in the litter box itself.

Smelly litter box

Some cats can be sensitive to odours.Make sure that their litter box is clean and doesn't smell. Some cats are particularly fussy and will not use their litter box if there is any waste in it whatsoever. Scoop and change your cat's litter at least once a day, and make sure that you're giving the litter box a good clean at least once a week.How often you actually replace the litter depends on the number of cats you have, the number of litter boxes and the type of litter you use.

Location of the litterbox

Take a look at where you've placed your cat's litter box. Is it near their food or water bowls? Although this might be convenient for you, cats don't like to eliminate near their food or water. Understandably!

Another common problem is that the litter box isn't private enough. Look at whether you've placed it in a high-traffic area where your cat may be disturbed by other animals or children. You may need to move it to a quieter area.

Size of the litter box

Another potential problem could be the size of the box. A large cat will need a giant litter box with enough room to turn around and kick their litter into place. If the box is too small, your cat might feel claustrophobic. Some cats don't like hoods or feel trapped because the box only has one entrance. A different size or type of box might be all your cat needs.

Number of litter boxes

Do you have enough litter boxes? If you have more than one feline friend, you'll need more boxes. It is recommended one has as many boxes (in different locations) as cats in the house, plus one more. This should stop your cats from competing for or guarding the litter boxes. This is an important territory, after all!

Litter

It could also be the litter itself that's causing the problem. Have you recently switched from one litter to another? Some cats can be very particular about their litter - it can be too hard, clump too much, too scented, or something else entirely! It is also possible that the box has too much or not enough litter for your cat. You may need to experiment to see the type and amount of litter that your cat prefers. Most cats prefer clumping, unscented litter; yourcat may prefer the type of litter she used as a kitten.

Multi-cat household conflict

In a multi-cat household, sometimes one or more cats control access to the litter boxes and prevent the other cats from using them. Even if one of the cats isn’t actually confronting the other cats in the litter box, any conflict between cats in a household can create enough stress to cause litter-box problems.

Cleaning the accidents

• As in any situation where the cat may have eliminated outside her box, clean accidents thoroughly with an enzymatic cleanser designed to neutralise pet odours, you can find this kind of cleaner at most pet stores.
• Do not clean up accidents with an ammonia-based cleanser. Urine contains ammonia, and therefore cleaning with ammonia could attract your cat to the same spot to urinate again. Instead, use a product specifically for cleaning pet accidents.

If your cat begins to toilet outside the litter box, your first call should always be to your veterinarian. Punishment is not the answer, nor is banishing your cat outdoors. For long-standing or complex situations, contact an animal behaviour specialist who has experience working with cats.

Although eliminating outside of the litter box is inconvenient, in many cases, this is your cat's way of telling you that there's something wrong. It's up to you to listen!