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by Janice Willard DVM, Newsletter Volunteer, from the September 2007 Newsletter It is not a minor thing when people have a problem with their cat not using the litter box. Failure to use the litter box is the leading cause of loss of homes for cats, which often translates to loss of life for the cat,
thus representing, by far, the most toxic disease that housecats may face. Secondly, people have a “me-centered” thought process when they think of this issue: it is not you who has a problem with your cat not using the litter box, the cat has a problem with the litter box you expect her to use and the environment you are providing her. Cats in the wilds are clean creatures: they eliminate away from their living space and neatly cover it. If your cat is not using the litter box you have provided her in the artificial environment you are expecting her to live in, really, the cat has a problem with you, not the other way around. Sadly, because of our failure to recognize this is a problem of our creation, many innocent cats have lost their lives. There are a myriad of reasons why a cat will fail to use the box. Often people think that any urination outside the box is the same, but if the urination is in small amounts and on a vertical surface, this is spraying, not eliminating. Spraying is a communication behavior that can be expressed by any cat (although most frequently seen in intact males) in response to stress. No amount of litter box alterations will affect a spraying issue; it has to be approached differently. If this is an elimination problem, then other factors need to be examined such as box location. Is the box in a safe, easy to get to location? Think about it, if you are in a campground in the middle of the night and the only restroom was a three-block distance away over a difficult trail, it reeks to high heaven and there is a convenient bush close to your tent, come on, be honest, what (particularly if you are male) would you use? (This is why we invented chamber pots — so we didn’t have to trek outside to a difficult to reach out-house). Look at your box location and put yourself in your cat’s paws: who can blame a cat for using your planter like a chamber pot, if her litter box is stinky, arduous to get to or in a busy location where there is no privacy? Likewise, most people don’t prefer to eat in their bathroom, if a cat’s food and water is placed close to its box, she may prefer to go elsewhere. Another problem can be the litter box itself. It may be too small, not cleaned often enough, or your cat may just prefer a different substrate. The desire to dig into a loose, crumbly organic material or sand is largely innate. Your cat might not like the cat litter you are using. What we like to buy isn’t really the important issue here — what is important is what your cat likes to use. One way to determine what your cat likes is to do a Kitty Litter Smorgasbord test. To do this, place 3 or 4 identical cat boxes in the normal litter box location and fill each with a different litter. At the end of the day, scoop each box and record which litter was used. At the end of a week, a clear preference will likely be obvious (although, if you have more then one cat, they might prefer different litters, in which case you can provide each in a separate box). It has been my experience that the more fluffy and natural textured a litter, the more cats prefer it. The Co-op has several litters made with natural substances that can be included in your litter test. (Swheat Scoop, Heartland, Here’s the Scoop and One Earth cat litters) Using your smorgasbord, you can test these against other brands. However, ultimately, if you want your cat to use the litter, it is not your preference that matters, it is your cat’s preference. Another article on Kitty Litter .
Janice Willard DVM is a long time Co-op member. Her first book, Eternal Puppy, Groundbreaking Veterinary Advances to Enrich your Senior Dog's Life, is coming out in September. |
