How to Make a Cat Use the Litter Box Again

Has your cat stopped using the litter box? Understanding the reason for avoiding the litter box is critical to correcting your cat'south behavior. The underlying crusade is often a source of stress, such as a change in the household. Medical problems are another common culprit if your cat suddenly stops using the litter box, especially in senior cats.^[1]

1. i

   Move the litter box to the correct location. Cats may stop using the litter box after a scary experience in the area, such as a loud noise or harassment by some other pet.^[2] They may likewise dislike the spot you lot chose after moving the litter box, or moving to a new home. Keep the litter box in a tranquillity, low-traffic spot where the true cat can see people coming. Choose a room with at least 2 exits so the cat doesn't feel cornered.^[3]

   • Keep litter boxes away from nutrient and water bowls. Cats practise non similar to combine these two areas.
   • Signs that your cat may have had an unpleasant feel in the litter box including running apace in and out of the litter box, or using an expanse near the litter box.^[iv] Attempt moving the box to a new room if you notice this.
   • Keep at least one litter box on every floor of a multistory dwelling.^[v]

2. two

   Play with toys near the litter box. Play with your cat in the same general area as the litter box. Go out toys (just not food) in the room so the cat spends time there and develops positive associations.^[6]

   • Yous tin can bring the cat to the litter box to investigate on its own, simply exercise not drop it within or reward information technology with treats for using it. These tactics can backfire by making the true cat uncomfortable or afraid.^[seven] Unlike dogs, cats should choose the litter box on their own, particularly if they used ane in the past.

3. 3

   Go on the litter box clean. ^[viii] If your cat perches on the edge of the box or eliminates right adjacent to information technology, the box might be likewise dirty for it. Remove clumps and top upwardly with fresh litter at least once a day, preferably twice. Rinse the litter box in one case a calendar week with baking soda or unscented soap.^[ix]

   • If yous use non-clumping litter, change the whole box every couple days to forbid odor build up, which can drive away the true cat.^[ten]
   • Do non clean the litter box with scented products. Do not use a disinfectant unless information technology is specifically fabricated for litter boxes, as many of them contain chemicals toxic to cats.^[11]

4. 4

   Switch to new litter gradually. If y'all bought a different kind of litter, innovate it slowly. Mix a little of it in with the quondam type, and gradually increase the proportion each time yous change the litter box.^[12] Cats ordinarily find it easier to adjust to unscented litter with a similar texture to their old litter.^[13]

   • If the old type of litter is no longer bachelor, purchase two or three new types. Put them in separate litter boxes side by side and allow the cat choose its favorite.
   • Try adjusting the depth of the litter, specially if information technology has a different texture than the cat is used to. Many cats prefer a shallow layer of litter, less than two inches (5 cm.) deep. Long-haired cats often like an extra-shallow layer and then they can dig to the flooring of the box.^[14]

5. five

   Troubleshoot new litter boxes. If your cat hasn't responded well to a contempo litter box replacement, endeavour these adjustments to brand it more than appealing:^[fifteen]

   • Some cats prefer covered boxes, and other prefer open trays. Try adding or removing the hood.
   • Remove plastic liners from the litter box. These tin snag a cat's claws.^[16]
   • Most cats conform well to cocky-cleaning litter boxes but not all. In that location is a adventure of an anxious cat being frightened by the motor, and refusing to employ the box equally a consequence. If in doubt it's all-time to stick with a regular litter box.
   • If the box is smaller than the former one, you lot probably need to replace it with something larger. A large box with low sides works best; some people utilise a plastic sweater box.^[17]

6. 6

   Clean up urine and feces with an enzymatic cleaner. When the true cat fails to employ its litter box, clean the expanse with an enzymatic cleaner designed for true cat urine (or a 10% solution of enzymatic washing powder in water). Rinse with cold water. This removes the smell of urine that can attract a true cat to return to the same location.^[18]

   • For best results, lightly spray the area with rubbing alcohol afterwards the h2o has stale. Scrub gently and let it air dry.

7. 7

   Make soiled areas less appealing. If your cat has adult a addiction of going in sure locations, cake its access to those areas, or find temporary means to discourage information technology until it has relearned skilful habits:

   • If the true cat uses a dark hiding spot, install a bright light, preferably motion-activated.^[19]
   • Make rugs or other areas unpleasant to stand on with tin can foil or double-sided tape.^[20]
   • If the cat urinated on curtains, pin them up out of reach until the cat is back to using its litter.^[21]
   • Cover targeted furniture with plastic sheets or shower curtains.^[22]
   • Make full bathtubs and sinks with a shallow layer of water when non in use.^[23]

8. eight

   Identify litter boxes in the problem areas. Ane solution is to give in to your cat'southward preferences and add new boxes in the areas it's using as a bathroom. Clearly this isn't platonic if your cat is using the center of the living room rug, simply it's worth considering if the true cat is soiling an out-of-the-way corner of your house.

   • Another selection is to move the cat'southward food basin to this location. Nigh cats will not eliminate and eat in the same place.

9. 9

   Use your cat's preference to your advantage. If none of these adjustments work, you may have to resort to a slower transition. For example, if your true cat prefers to urinate on rug, place a slice of similar carpet in the litter box. If the cat is willing to utilize that option, add a modest corporeality of litter on top of the carpeting the adjacent day. Proceed adding more litter and replacing the carpet when information technology gets as well dirty, until the cat is transitioned to litter completely.

   • You may have to confine the cat to a non-carpeted area of the house for a while to become this option to work, or to roll up your carpets temporarily. Confinement tin backfire if the cat is stressed or bored.
   • Similarly, if your true cat is indoor/outdoor, or if your cat used to eliminate mostly outside, add garden soil or sand (without any fertilizer) to the box. Again, transition slowly from sand/soil to litter past adding minor amounts of the new substrate to the preferred substrate a piddling at a time.

1. 1

   Spay or neuter your cat. This is not a requirement for litter preparation, but it does brand urination outside the litter box much less likely. Unneutered males are peculiarly likely to spray urine when they're stressed, non getting forth with another male, or demonstrating their availability to a female cat.^[24]

   • The sooner this happens, the more likely the behavior will stop. If it goes on too long, the habit can persist fifty-fifty afterwards surgery.^[25]

2. 2

   Reduce stress in your true cat. ^[26] Just like humans, cats may feel stress from changes in their surroundings or schedule. Your true cat may stop using the litterbox after a person or other animate being leaves the household, or when a new one moves in. Some cats even respond desperately to redecoration. Hither are a few ways to aid:

   • Provide private places where the cat can be on its own, including hiding spots and high perches.
   • If your cat is allowed outside, let it come and go whenever it likes.^[27]
   • Let your cat initiate contact, and exist at-home and consistent in your response. Some cats are stressed because they aren't getting enough playtime, while others dislike being pet or picked upwards whenever the owner feels similar it.
   • If the true cat'due south behavior continues, consult a veterinary or animal behaviorist.

3. three

   Reply to vertical spraying. If your true cat backs up against a vertical surface, wiggles its tail, and releases a spray of urine, your true cat is spraying. If you don't run into it in action, look for roundish areas of strong-smelling urine a little higher upward than the height of your true cat's rear finish, with streak marks running down to the baseboard or floor. Whatsoever true cat tin can perform this territorial behavior, but information technology is virtually common in unneutered, male cats. Here'due south how to respond if your true cat is spraying:

   • Spraying is often a response to stress or the presence of other cats.^[28] Follow the advice higher up to address this.
   • Spraying tin can exist a response to a new neighborhood cat, especially if the spray is focused on a door, window, or air vent. Try to keep the cat out of your g, or close the blinds so your true cat can't see information technology.
   • Most thirty% of cats that vets examine for spraying have a medical condition.^[29] It's a practiced thought to take your cat examined, peculiarly if you cannot find a solution.

4. 4

   Replace small boxes as a kitten grows. If you adopted your true cat as a kitten, information technology may need a larger litter box once information technology grows upwardly. The cat should be able to turn around comfortably, and nonetheless exist able to detect a clean spot if y'all miss a cleanup.^[30]

   • Cats dislike change, and may accept a while to conform to the new box. Follow the instructions above if issues continue.

5. v

   Clip away matted fur in long-haired cats. Some long-haired cats dirty the fur around their rear when they eliminate. This can cause painful or unpleasant experiences that the cat learns to associate with the litter box. If you discover this happening, carefully clip away disordered fur from the area.^[31]

6. 6

   Minimize damage when the owner is abroad. Some cats react poorly when their owner is away. They may try to urinate somewhere with a strong scent of the owner, usually the bed. Instruct the pet sitter to go along the bedroom door shut, and provide actress litter boxes so the cat tin always reach one without walking past the pet sitter.^[32]

   • If possible, hire a pet sitter the cat already knows, or at to the lowest degree introduce them earlier you leave.

7. 7

   Amend behavior in multi-pet households. Urine marker is a common reaction to conflict with another cat or domestic dog, which tin happen even if the animals got forth in the by. For best results, make certain each animate being can access resource without approaching the other:^[33]

   • Proceed one litter box for each fauna, plus one extra. Put each i in a separate location with at to the lowest degree two exit routes if possible.
   • Give each brute its own bed and food bowl. Keep these resource away from litter boxes and from each other.
   • Provide plenty of perches and hiding spaces for each cat.

8. 8

   Separate animals if bad behavior continues. If your cat nonetheless won't use the litter box, or still acts aggressive to the other animal, try a stricter method of separation. This is often necessary when bringing a new cat into the household:^[34]

   • Divide the cats into rooms with a closed door in between, so they do not come across each other. Assemble each cat's facial pheromones (forehead, cheeks, chin) on a pocket-sized sock or gauze pad and put each sock in the others' space. And then, castor each cat to collect their facial pheromones and place 1 cat'south pheromones on the other, creating a grouping odour.
   • Swap spaces so they tin can odour each other's scent in the environment.
   • Introduce them carefully, providing a high place and hidey holes for escape if one is aggressive to the other.
   • Consult a cat behaviorist if the cats only can't get along.

1. ane

   Assess whether your true cat is having a hard time urinating. If you run across your cat straining while trying to urinate, or spending a long time trying with no result, take your cat to the vet immediately. Male cats in particular tin develop urinary conditions where the urethra (the tube from the bladder to the penis) narrows or gets blocked. Typically small amounts of urine can pass until the true cat is completely blocked and cannot urinate at all. This is a life threatening state of affairs and needs immediate medical care. Blockages tin also occur in the intestinal tract.

   • Some cats with a urinary infection or blockage spend a lot of time trying to urinate, licking their genitals, or crying at their owner.^[35]

2. two

   Evaluate whether your cat is having fecal issues. Fecal constipation does occur in cats and tin can atomic number 82 to chronic bug requiring special diets and laxatives. Diarrhea is not uncommon either, including chronic diarrhea related to inflammatory bowel affliction. Any of these weather are uncomfortable for the true cat and may cause the cat to be afraid of the litter box or unable to get to the litter box in fourth dimension to avoid an accident.

   • Many cats with inflammatory bowel disease only take occasional symptoms for no obvious reason. Ambition changes, lethargy, vomiting, or increased hairball production can be signs of intestinal discomfort.

3. 3

   Improve physical access to the box. If your cat is older or has an injury, it may not be able to get into the litter box as comfortably as it once could. Does your cat limp, need help jumping upwards to a chair or bed, take episodes of shaking legs, or seem painful effectually its spine or tail? If so, have the cat to the vet immediately! You may exist able to brand the cat more comfortable by getting a litter box with lower sides, or with a "doorway" cut into the side. You lot may demand to consider a larger box and then that the cat can turn around easily in one case within.

   • An overweight cat may not fit comfortably in the box whatever longer. Get a larger box and identify the cat on a nutrition. Consult with your veterinarian about safe weight loss strategies for your true cat.

4. 4

   Talk to your veterinarian to rule out other medical issues. ^[36] Urinating outside of the litter box oftentimes results from a feline medical result, including urinary tract infections, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease, hyperthyroidism, bladder inflammation with or without urinary crystals, and abdominal issues (IBD). When in incertitude, have a veterinarian conduct a medical checkup.

   • Observe your cat then yous are prepared to reply your veterinary'south questions. Possible questions include: Does the cat urinate correct by the litter box or farther abroad? How big is the spot of urine? Does the cat e'er effort to urinate in the litter box? Does the cat vocalize when urinating? Is at that place an increase in h2o consumption? Can you lot tell if the urine is nigh clear, normal color, or nighttime? How often is the true cat urinating?
   • Even if there is no medical cause, your vet could prescribe anti-anxiety drugs to forbid spraying. This is not a guaranteed or hazard-free solution, then talk to your vet virtually the pros and cons.

Add New Question

• Question

  Why is my true cat starting to non use the litter box?

  

  Francine Miller is an Applied Animal Behavior Counselor and Founder of Call Ms Behaving, a beliefs counseling service for dogs and cats in San Diego, California. With over 16 years of experience, Francine specializes in treating behavior issues such as aggression, separation feet, phobias, fear reactions, destructiveness, urine marker, and compulsive behaviors. She uses a behavioral direction and modification plan that is positive reinforcement only. She holds a Diploma in Canine Behavior Counseling from the American College of Applied Science (ACAS). Francine has completed all coursework toward an MS in Applied Creature Behavior Science and Family Counseling for Companion Animals from the American College of Engineering (ACAS). She is a certified Associate of the International Clan of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and a fellow member of the Pet Professional Guild.

  

  Certified Animal Behavior Advisor

  Expert Reply

  There are several possible reasons for this behavior. Your cat may have a medical condition that needs treatment from a vet. However, information technology's also possible that your cat is agape of the box because something scary happened near information technology, like a loud sound or a fight with another household cat. Information technology could also be as simple as the box is dirty.

• Question

  What do you practise if your cat stops using the litter box?

  

  Francine Miller is an Applied Beast Behavior Advisor and Founder of Phone call Ms Behaving, a behavior counseling service for dogs and cats in San Diego, California. With over 16 years of feel, Francine specializes in treating behavior problems such as aggression, separation feet, phobias, fright reactions, destructiveness, urine mark, and compulsive behaviors. She uses a behavioral management and modification program that is positive reinforcement only. She holds a Diploma in Canine Beliefs Counseling from the American College of Engineering (ACAS). Francine has completed all coursework toward an MS in Applied Animal Beliefs Science and Family Counseling for Companion Animals from the American College of Applied Science (ACAS). She is a certified Associate of the International Association of Fauna Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and a member of the Pet Professional person Society.

  

  Certified Animal Behavior Advisor

  Expert Answer

  I would get-go endeavour to figure out what'south causing your true cat's event. Most cats stop using their litter box because they don't like the box, its location, the litter, or information technology'due south not make clean enough for them. I would experiment until you find what works best for your cat. If your cat still isn't using the litter box, talk to your vet to rule out a medical issue.

• Question

  Tin a stray true cat be litter trained?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the Academy of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal dispensary in her hometown for over twenty years.

  

  Veterinary

  Good Answer

  Cats are clean creatures that dislike soiling their living quarters. You tin litter train a stray but it does take patience. Go on the true cat in a small room with a tray in ane corner, food and water in another, and a bed in a unlike corner. Given a selection between soiling their bed or food, the cat will most likely chose the tray.

• Question

  How many times a mean solar day do cats apply the litter box?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinary with over thirty years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion fauna practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a caste in veterinarian medicine and surgery. She has worked at the aforementioned beast clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinary

  Good Answer

  Cats empty their float a couple of times a day. They often have a bowel movement shortly later eating. So if you feed the cat 3 times a mean solar day, you can look poops three times daily in addition to the pee. But conduct in listen all cats are different and so if the cat seems well just only poops in one case a 24-hour interval, this is nothing to worry about.

• Question

  Do y'all have to train a cat to use the litter box?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over xxx years of feel in veterinarian surgery and companion animate being practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinarian medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Proficient Reply

  Cats are amazingly make clean creatures and most learn to use a tray by copying their mothers. When provided with the right tray, a familiar true cat litter, and a nice serenity spot, near cats will outset using the tray and non need preparation to do so.

• Question

  Why is my cat of a sudden peeing exterior the litter box?

  

  Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over xxx years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animate being exercise. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a caste in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same beast dispensary in her hometown for over 20 years.

  

  Veterinarian

  Expert Reply

  A modify of toilet habits can be caused by a medical problem (such as cystitis or bladder stones) or behavioral. Behavior reasons include the cat developing a dislike of the tray. This can happen if the cat was frightened while using the tray, or the box is dirty.

• Question

  Why would my cat be peeing outside the litter box?

  

  Depending on the length of fourth dimension the cat has been doing this, she may take learned this equally a behavior and you will have to retrain information technology. Expect at your cat equally an individual and run into how the environs in your home may exist affecting it.

• Question

  My young Tabby was using the litter box at commencement, but at present she is besides peeing on my bed where she sleeps with me. How do I terminate her from doing this?

  

  Block her out of your room at night, get a true cat bed, lock her in a room, like the kitchen or living room, and exit the litter box in in that location with her. Hopefully, if you practice this for a few months, she will get used to the box and use it all the time. Withal, some cats don't, and you may demand to encounter a vet if this doesn't piece of work.

• Question

  I have a female parent cat with iv kittens that have suddenly stopped using the litter box. Any ideas what is causing this and how to get her back on runway safely?

  

  If the kittens are using the aforementioned box, become a new box and so the mother can eliminate without them underfoot. If she already has her own box, information technology's probably stress-related: she did just give birth, after all. Attempt to notice the immediate cause. Possibly she doesn't have a comfortable, quiet place to keep her kittens, or mayhap she needs a vet visit to check for medical issues related to the birth.

• Question

  My 10-yr-old female person cat all of a sudden stopped using her litter box. Why might this be?

  

  She could be going senile. At a sure historic period, cats' brains end functioning similar they used to. This means you will accept to make clean up afterwards her. It will exist difficult to retrain her at that age.

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• You lot may accept to seek out urine spots that are non obvious in order to discover them all. This includes the underside of carpet, and the padding and the floor under that. A black light, used in the night, will make spots that have had urine on them glow.

• If you have multiple cats and are not sure which ane is urinating outside the box, talk to your vet about giving one of your cats fluorescein. This is a harmless dye that will temporarily cause that cat's urine to glow blue under a blackness calorie-free.^[37] Alternatively, keep your cats in separate rooms until you've figured it out.

• If your domestic dog harasses the cat while it is on the litter box, or tries to comb in the cat's litter, cake access to the litter box with a baby gate. Enhance the gate high plenty that the true cat can skid underneath, but the canis familiaris cannot.^[38]

• Do not punish your cat for not using the litter box, including past rubbing its olfactory organ in the urine or feces.^[39] This volition not improve the cat's behavior.

• Do not make clean up urine with an ammonia-based cleaner. Urine contains ammonia, and then the scent may concenter the cat to the same spot side by side time.^[40]

• Urine spraying is much more likely if y'all keep many cats in a small space. According to some studies, information technology is almost unavoidable in households with x or more cats.^[41]

• Cats that spray when stressed often return to the beliefs when they come across a new source of anxiety. If this happens, a prompt visit to the vet can make it easier to observe a long term solution before the problem becomes a persistent habit.^[42]

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Article Summary X

To retrain a cat to use the litter box, put its litter box in a depression traffic area with at to the lowest degree 2 exits so the cat doesn't feel cornered. Then, effort to play with your cat in the same general expanse as the litter box so it becomes more than comfortable there. If the cat still doesn't apply the litter box, try to limit its access to the places it likes to soil and then information technology has to discover a new spot, and place another litter box nearby so it chooses it instead. Proceed reading for tips from our Veterinary reviewer on how to see if stress or medical issues are causing the problem.

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