What could be more frustrating for a cat owner than mishaps in the litter tray? Quite often, the cats that tend to have litter tray accidents are the ones that end up in animal shelters due to their owner’s exasperation. If a cat adamantly refuses to use the litter box, it means there could be an underlying reason or problem, so potty training your cat, or in other words, potty training, can be the way to go. You may find that some cats that are not litter box trained or dislike using the litter tray are very difficult to potty train, so before going down this path, you may need to find out the reasons. why the cat does not use the litter tray. .
One main reason you may find cats refusing to use the litter box is because it’s dirty. Most cats are very particular when it comes to cleanliness and may turn up their noses at a dirty litter box and refuse to use it, even if they’ve only used it once. So one of the first things to check if you discover an ‘accident’ is the litter pan, make sure it is not dirty.
Depending on how many cats you have, you may encounter the problem related to not having enough litter trays. Cats love their own space and privacy, especially when it comes to litter tray use, so they should have at least one litter tray each. In fact, some vets recommend two litter trays per cat as a sort of de-stress measure, although this would be beyond most people’s idea of a stress-free life for themselves! Imagine the daily routine of cleaning two litter trays per cat!
Accidents can happen because you may be using the wrong type of cat litter. Some of our feline friends are particularly picky when it comes to the smell and texture of a particular type of litter. Also, certain types of litter are very dusty, which could cause problems for some cats.
The shapes and sizes of litter trays have also been known to cause some litter tray accidents. Some cats may prefer the privacy of an enclosed litter tray, but some kittens or older cats may have trouble getting in and out of this type of litter tray. Keep an eye on your cat’s actions in a litter box and you will be able to determine from this which particular tray your cat needs.
If you think none of the above explanations apply to your cat, then there could be an underlying health issue causing litter tray accidents. The cat may have a urinary tract infection, kidney problems, bladder problems, or even diabetes. Visit your local vet so your cat can be examined and if a problem arises, medication can be prescribed.
Make sure that if your cat does have a litter pan related accident that you give the area a good clean afterwards to remove all unpleasant odors. If you don’t, the cat may return to this particular area out of habit because it can detect odors and associate the area as a potty space.
Lastly, another reason your cat may have stopped using a litter box may have nothing to do with any of the above. In fact, there may not be any underlying problem at all. The cat could simply be ‘marking’ his territory and these facts may be particularly true in multi-cat households or in homes where a new pet has just been introduced.
