If you’re planning on raising green pets, an eco-friendly cat in this case, properly investigating why he isn’t using his litter box could help save him from impending doom.  If your cat is not using his litter box, this is not just a phase.  Sadly, it’s a problem you can’t just dismiss or ignore.  In fact, this problem ranks as #1 among cat parents and it is one of the top reasons why cats are given away, given to shelters or put down.

There’s always a reason for everything.  If your cat is not using his litter box, it does not have to mean he’s trying to get back at you for making him wear that ridiculous rooster costume for Halloween.  In fact, if he’s not using his litter box, he’s trying to tell you something – his way of crying for help.  And if you don’t act soon, doing his business outside his litter box could develop into a habit that’s hard to get rid of.  Here are the top 10 possible reasons why your cat is not using his litter box:

# 1 – He has medical problems

This is probably the most serious reason why your cat isn’t using his litter box.  Make sure you see your veterinarian to rule out the possibility that your cat may have any of the following medical problems:

• Urinary tract infection (with or without bladder stones)
• Diabetes
• Cystitis (Urethral blockage)
• Arthritis.  This is common among older cats.  It might be too painful for them to travel to their litter box.
• Diarrhea.  Sometimes they just do not make it in time!

These are just some of the medical conditions associated with litter box problems.  It’s important that you rule any possible medical problems first before attempting to diagnose what’s causing your cat to avoid using his litter box.

Your cat’s diet could be behind some of these medical problems, especially if you’re feeding your cat dry food.  Instead, try feeding him canned food as the increased water and decreased carbohydrate content of these kinds of food may be healthier for your cat.  Either way, do not take any action without first consulting your veterinarian. Feeding your cat high quality food is foremost to avoid medical problems.

# 2 – He finds the cat litter box dirty

Cats are finicky creatures.  They don’t like it when their litter boxes are dirty and even the strong stench of their urine and poop averts them.  Make sure that you regularly clean his litter box.  Every few days sounds like a good idea.  In between cleanings, make sure you scoop out or remove soiled litter from his box at least twice daily. If you don’t like using a dirty toilet, neither does your cat!

Use warm soapy water when you clean out his litter box but don’t use strong smelling detergents.  Do not, under any circumstances, ever use bleach – cats hate the smell of bleach and it’s toxic.  Don’t use commercial deodorizers either.  Not only do they contain potentially harmful chemical substances, their strong scents may also deter your cat.  Go all-natural when keeping cat urine and poop odour at bay, and use baking soda or diluted vinegar instead.  After all, your eco friendly cat will certainly not like commercial products and neither will Mother Earth.

# 3 – He doesn’t like the cat litter you have chosen

If you’ve recently switched different brands or types, this could be the reason why your cat is avoiding his litter box.  Cats, like most pets, are creatures of routine.  Don’t surprise your cat with his new cat litter.  This will only cause him stress.  If you want to switch cat litters, do so gradually.  Mix a small amount of the new litter with his old litter.  Start with mixing a small amount of the new litter with his old litter.  Adjust the ratio between the new and old litter as time passes.  Gradually increase the amount of the new litter while reducing the amount of the old litter.  Do this until there is no more old litter in his litter box.

Another reason why your cat would hate the litter you have chosen for him is because he doesn’t like how it smells.  Avoid scented cat litter.  Cats do not like strong scents, especially synthetic ones.  Studies also show that scented cat litter does little to get rid of the stench of urine and poop.  So why bother using it?

Your cat may also not like the texture of the cat litter.  Large rough particles usually deter cats and may even hurt their paws.  Cats like litter with sand-like consistency.  Most eco-friendly cat litters have that kind of texture or consistency.  Cat litter made from recycled newspaper is one example.

Some cats may be over-sensitive to certain substances, even cat litter.  If you notice your cat licking the pads on his feet, take the time to check his paws for burns or sores.  Your cat might have been in pain while using his litter box and this could be the reason why he’s avoiding it.

# 4 – The litter box isn’t where he wants or needs it to be

Poor location of the litter box is another possible cause for your cat to stop using it.  Either he can’t find it or he just doesn’t like the location.  Put it in a quiet place that he can easily access.  Remember: cats are very private creatures.  They wouldn’t want to do their business while someone is watching them.  Here are some guidelines you can follow when finding a suitable location for your cat’s litter box:

• Do not place the litter box near his food or water bowl, or where he eats.  I’m pretty sure you don’t want to eat where you take your dump now do you?
• Move his litter box away from noisy objects or appliances like washing machines, dryers, TVs or even a noisy furnace.
• Avoid putting his litter box in the basement.  Cats, especially kittens, may be scared to enter big, dark rooms.
• Make sure your cat can easily access his litter box.  If you put it inside a room that’s occasionally locked, he won’t get to it when he needs to and may resort to taking a dump elsewhere.

# 5 – He is being “bullied” out of his own litter box

You can expect this to happen if you have more than one cat in your house.  Most feline conflicts are caused by competition for resources and “social status”.  Pet cats may fight over anything, from food to sleeping beds to litter boxes.

If your cat is avoiding his own litter box, try looking for signs of “bullying”.  Common signs involve the “bully” cat blocking him from using his bed or his food bowl, or hanging out near his litter box just staring at him (cats don’t like to be stared at).  If you see this happening, relocate your cat’s litter box to a more secluded but accessible place.  Another way of dealing with this would be to find out where your cat runs off to do his business away from the “bully”.  Relocate the litter box there.

# 6 – He is not comfortable using his litter box

For starters, make sure that the litter box can accommodate your cat’s size.  If he feels cramped, he will find a more comfortable place on his own.

Is your litter box covered?  This could be another reason why your cat is ditching his litter box.  Although a lot of pet owners prefer these kinds of litter boxes, most often, cats don’t.  Instead of allowing odours to dissipate, covered litter boxes tend to trap them in.

# 7 – He wants his own litter box

While some cats don’t mind sharing their litter boxes with others, there are those who hate it.  Cats are territorial by nature and they need to have their own space.  If you have more than one cat at home, this need may not be provided very often and stress arises.

Follow this rule of thumb when providing litter boxes for your cats:

Number of Litter Boxes = Number of Cats + 1

This helps cover the potential problem of dominant cats staking out some of the litter boxes.  This way the less dominant cat has a “way out” and can avoid the other more dominant cats.

# 8 – He has been de-clawed

Some countries still consider it legal to de-claw their cats.  If your cat has been de-clawed it may be painful for him to scratch or run his paws through the litter.

# 9 – He gets anxious about using his litter box

Your cat may be associating negative experiences and feelings, or activities he dislikes with his litter box, which is why he would avoid using it.  Avoid punishing or scolding your cat near his litter box (all the more avoid this while he’s USING his box).  Also, your cat may not like certain grooming activities such as bathing or filing.  Avoid doing these near his litter box.

If you have children in the house, do not let them pester the cat while he’s doing his business.  This will only give your cat more reasons to avoid his own litter box.

# 10 – Something is stressing him out

Like I said, cats are creatures of habit and do not adjust well to extreme or sudden changes.  If you’ve recently moved to a new house or apartment, or if you’ve just renovated your home, your cat could be having trouble adjusting to his “new” environment.  It’s important that you work with your cat on this.  In some cases, you may need to train your cat to use his box again.

Dealing with the problem

Never punish or scold your cat.  Punishing your cat will not solve the problem.  It will only make it worse as punishment leads to more stress on his part.  Reinforce positive behaviour.  If you see your cat urinating outside of his box, quickly but gently move him to his box.  If you catch your cat about to do it, distract him with loud noise but don’t shout at him.

Now we have to deal with stains.  I’m not going to talk about how to actually get the stain out.  The most important thing is to get the smell out, especially if your cat urinated on the location.  This is extremely important as once a cat has “marked” an area he will go back to it again to do his business.

Use eco friendly products or all-natural methods to get rid of the so-called “mark”.  My favourite so far is using diluted vinegar.  After scrubbing the area with warm soapy water (avoid using strong detergents of course), spray some diluted vinegar on the spot.  Leave it for a couple of minutes before wiping it dry.

Finding out why your cat is avoiding his litter box may put your detective skills to the test.  Just remember to be patient and kind to your cat to get to the bottom of things before urinating and pooping outside of the cat litter box evolves into a habit. Be a supportive pet parent and guide your cat every step of the way.  After all, raising green pets isn’t all just about building a safe eco-friendly environment for your pet it’s about building a healthy, safe and happy HOME for you and your precious pet.

Marisa

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