Litter Box Issues

Almost 100,000 cats are put to sleep each year due to behavior problems and litter box issues, like peeing outside the box, are right up there as the proximate cause.

Countless others are given up for adoption due to this issue. Some of these cases are related to medical conditions and some are purely behavioral. Both can be treated successfully.

Before you get excited about confronting a behavior issue (does my cat hate me?) you have to make sure that your cat does not have some kind of medical problem that accounts for his peeing outside the box. In fact, that is usually the first thing that a veterinarian will do - check for a medical reason for the behavior.

Urinary tract disease including kidney disease is one of the more common causes. Feline lower urinary tract disease where the bladder is involved is another rule out. Diabetes can occasionally result in voiding large volumes of urine and arthritis can make it difficult for older cats to get to the box or get in and out of the box without pain. Cognitive dysfunction in older cats can also be a non behavior cause or inappropriate urination.

 

There are a host of potential behavioral issues dealing with aversions to litter type and texture, litter box type and size and even litter box location. There can be inter cat aggression or social interaction problems in multi-cat households that lead to this behavior. Some cats may also suffer from anxiety related issues where they react poorly to changes in their environment. New cats, babies and even new furniture can precipitate a bout of inappropriate urination.

 

Depending on what you are dealing with the solution may be as easy as changing how you manage litter boxes to getting a prescription for anti-anxiety medication.

 

I wrote a post dealing with litter box management and general guidelines over on the pet blog that I would encourage you to look at. You may need to consult with a behavior specialist but in most cases, maybe not. If you do, those bills would be eligible for benefits under you PurinaCare policy just like everything else because we cover behavior.