Will a Cat Start Using the Litter Box Again
No one wants to come up home to detect poop on the floor, but unfortunately, for some cat owners this can become a regular occurrence. A cat can get-go pooping outside the litter box for many reasons, some behavioral and others due to underlying medical bug.
If y'all're dealing with a cat pooping exterior the litter box, there are some steps yous can take to get your cat back to the box. First, you'll demand to troubleshoot your litter box management and meet what may exist causing your cat's sudden litter box disfavor. You'll also need to consider whether your true cat's inappropriate elimination could be due to a medical problem, and consult your veterinary for further advice.
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Why do cats poop outside the litter box?
There are many reasons why a cat may offset pooping outside the litter box, and information technology can be difficult to define why your cat has started this new behavior. Some of the mutual reasons for pooping exterior the litter box include:
- Dirty litter box
- Aversion to litter or the litter box
- Pain
- Parasites
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Arthritis
- Inter-cat aggression
- Incontinence
- Territorial marking
- Gastrointestinal problems
How to stop a cat from pooping outside the litter box
If your cat is frequently pooping outside their litter box, the skillful news is there a few things yous can endeavour to resolve the behavior. A visit to your veterinarian volition dominion out whatever medical issues just skilful litter box direction is likewise essential.
i. Consult your vet
To get to the bottom of what'southward making your cat poop outside the litter box, the offset step is a visit to your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will perform a full head to tail physical examination, and may recommend some additional diagnostic testing such every bit radiographs (x-rays) or evaluation of a fecal sample.
These tests will aid your veterinary rule out common causes for pooping outside the litter box and, hopefully, accomplish a diagnosis for your cat.
2. Keep their routine consistent
One of the nearly mutual reasons cats poop outside the litter box is an aversion to the litter box itself. Cats can be extremely picky about their litter boxes and even small changes can cause them to stop using the box.
If your cat is pooping outside the litter box and you have recently made some changes – such equally buying a new type of litter or changing the location of the box – try reversing those changes first to encounter if this will encourage your cat to use the box again.
3. Litter box management
When dealing with inappropriate elimination, good litter box management is essential. First, brand sure you lot take enough litter boxes – at least ane box per cat in the household, plus ane extra. This ensures at that place is e'er a box available when your cat needs one. The litter boxes must be cleaned at least one time a day. Some cats who are extra fastidious may not utilize a dirty litter box at all, and then yous may demand to clean the box even more frequently in these cases.
Exist sure to offer unlike sizes and types of litter boxes, and then your cat can choose what he likes best. Use a clumping, unscented dirt litter, considering this is what nigh cats prefer.
The litter boxes should be located in different spots throughout the firm and so there is always one easily attainable. If your cat is pooping exterior the litter box, putting a box where he nearly normally poops may encourage him to use the box once again.
4. Consider the location of litter box
Finally, take some time to consider the route your cat takes to reach the litter box. What obstacles does your cat run into forth the way? Does he take to cross the path of a scary domestic dog, or does a bully cat stand in his way? Will he accept to become up and down stairs, or jump over obstacles to reach his box? Is the litter box next to a noisy appliance or in a musty-smelling corner of the basement?
All of these factors tin can make your cat less inclined to brand the journeying to the litter box. Consider adding new boxes in more than easily attainable areas of the house and this may resolve your true cat's inappropriate emptying issue.
How to subject area a true cat for pooping outside the litter box
While inappropriate emptying may crusade not only worry in cat owners, merely frustration, it's of import to understand that the resolution does not involve disciplining your cat.
Your true cat isn't pooping outside the litter box out of spite, and they aren't being naughty. In that location is an problem that needs to be addressed. If the underlying effect is not treated, and then inappropriate elimination will continue or worsen.
Why is my cat pooping on the floor with a clean litter box?
If your litter boxes are well-managed and your cat continues to poop exterior the litter box, information technology is definitely time to run into your veterinarian to become to the bottom of the issue. Your veterinarian can help you farther troubleshoot your litter box management, and tin also assess your cat for medical problems such equally hurting and arthritis, which tin can commonly cause inappropriate elimination.
If your cat is painful it can be very difficult to get into and out of the litter box, especially if there are obstacles forth the way such as stairs, which can be quite painful for an arthritic true cat to navigate.
In many cases, treating the pain and providing a more hands attainable litter box can resolve the problem. Other causes of inappropriate defecation, such as parasites or constipation, tin too be resolved with advisable treatment.
When to be concerned when a cat poops outside their litter box
If your true cat has pooped outside the litter box once or twice and and so returned to using the litter box normally, this is likely non crusade for concern. Your cat may have been blocked from reaching the litter box or may not have been able to get to the litter box chop-chop enough.
Information technology'due south always a practiced idea to periodically review your litter box management, and so this is a nifty fourth dimension to double bank check that you are following all of the recommendations to a higher place to requite your true cat a make clean and welcoming litter box. If your cat does not poop exterior the litter box again, and then there'due south probable no cause for concern.
If your cat continues to poop outside the litter box, and then information technology's best to run across your veterinarian for an examination and diagnostic testing. Your cat may take an underlying medical issue contributing to the inappropriate defecation. Once an underlying cause for the inappropriate defecation is diagnosed, your veterinarian can prescribe appropriate treatment to assist get your cat back on runway.
Determination
Inappropriate defecation can be a messy problem, only there is hope! In some cases, good litter box management may be all that is needed to become your cat back into the box. In more than severe cases, working with your veterinary to place both the medical and beliefs aspects of this problem will aid yous get your cat back to using the litter box appropriately.
Dr. Elizabeth Racine is a small animal general practice veterinarian covering all things pet wellness and wellness. Her special interests include veterinary behavior, nutrition, and internal medicine. Every bit a freelance writer, Dr. Racine has written content for major companies in the industry such as the American Kennel Club, Merck Beast Health, Bayer PetBasics, Elanco, and CareCredit. In her complimentary time, Dr. Racine enjoys playing trampoline dodgeball, hiking with her beagle Dasher, and spending time with her three mischievous cats. Dr. Racine can exist establish at www.theveterinarywriter.com (opens in new tab) and at https://world wide web.linkedin.com/in/eracinedvm/ (opens in new tab)
Source: https://www.petsradar.com/advice/stop-cat-pooping-outside-the-litter-box
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