Introduction
One of the reasons cats have adapted so well to living in our homes is that they can be trained to use litter boxes or to eliminate outside. A failure in this system is one of the most common reasons that people give up their pets. Because there are many reasons why a cat might not use a litter box, including a number of medical causes, it is important that you have your cat examined by a veterinarian if this is a problem. Once you treat or rule out medical causes for your cat's inappropriate behavior, then you can address other things that might be causing the problem, including marking, social issues, and litter box aversion.
Training
While cats tend to be easier to housebreak than dogs, they do still need to be trained to urinate and deficate in an appropriate place. The substrate, or material, on which the cat eliminates can vary from cat to cat. Kittens develop a preference as early as 5 1/2 weeks of age. A kitten or cat living outside might develop a preference for dirt, pine needles, or dry leaves. To train a kitten or an adult cat that has not previously used a litter box, it is important to limit the total area to which it has access, place a clean litter box in one corner, and place its food and water on the opposite side of the room. Cats will not generally eliminate near their food and water. After your cat has begun to consistently use the litter box, you can gradually give it more access to the rest of the home. If you have a large home, you may need to provide litter boxes in several places.
Medical causes of inappropriate elimination
There are a number of medical reasons that may account for your pet urinating or defecating in inappropriate places. Incontinence - the inability to control the flow of urine or feces - is one of those reasons. If your cat is incontinent, it may want to use the litter box but not be able to get there quickly enough or be able to control where it goes. Additionally, cats that drink excessively because of medications or diseases such as diabetes will produce excessive amounts of urine and may not have time to reach the litter box. Cats with diarrhea may also be incontinent. Other medical causes of inappropriate elimination can include pain associated with urinating or defecating. Cats with arthritis, spinal problems, other injuries, constipation, or feline lower urinary tract disease may associate the litter box with pain and, therefore, avoid going there. These cats will often urinate in many different spots of the house. Stress related to disease processes will also cause cats to search for other places in which to urinate.
Nonmedical reasons for inappropriate elimination
While it is important to rule out and/or treat medical causes of inappropriate elimination, there are also a number of nonmedical reasons that can come into play.
• Marking - Cats use urine and feces to communicate with other cats. Urine marking is often characterized by small amounts of urine sprayed on vertical surfaces around the home, especially around windows, doors, and other favored places. Both male and female cats can mark their territory, but it is most common in unneutered male cats. Female cats in heat will also mark. Having your cat spayed or neutered will usually decrease or eliminate this problem.
• Litter box aversion - For some reason, a cat may not like his or her litter box. Cats can be picky about the cleanliness and odor of their boxes. For example, many cats don't like the deodorants in cat litter. Some cats prefer "clumping" litters or deeper litter that they can scratch in to bury their feces and urine. Some cats prefer covered litter boxes, while others prefer open boxes. For best results: Clean the box frequently (scoop the solid materials once or twice daily); put the box in a fairly private area (but not too isolated so the cat can get to it at all times); be sure the box isn't next to something that sporadically makes a lot of noise (cats have been known to be frightened away from using a box placed next to a noisy furnace or an off-balance washing machine); and offer your cat a couple of different litters in two different boxes (research has shown that most cats prefer nonperfumed, fine or clumping, clay litter at a depth of at least 1 1/2 to 2 inches).
• Litter box accessibility- The litter box should be in a location to which your cat has constant access. A cat that is prevented from using its litter box because of a closed door will find somewhere else to eliminate. This is particularly important for elderly cats that may no longer be able to climb stairs, jump over a barrier, or climb over the sides of a deep box that they previously used.
• Social issues – In families with more than one cat, sometimes one will “guard” the box from the others. It is recommended that you have one more litter box than the number of cats in the household. This will help make sure that there is always an available, unguarded, relatively clean box for every cat at any given time.
• Stress - Stress-related reasons for inappropriate elimination are the most difficult to identify and sometimes to treat. Cats may be stressed by a change in routine, the addition of a new family member or a visitor, a new cat or dog, or even a cat outside that your cat views as threatening. Punishing a cat for urinating out of the box is counterproductive because it adds to the stress level. Treating this problem depends on what the original stressor is. Make sure you are still paying attention to your cat, and try to keep his routine as stable as possible. Be sure that you are still keeping the box clean and feeding him at his regular times. If there is a cat outdoors that is bothering your cat, limit his access to windows and screens so they cannot interact.
Remember, cats don't urinate outside of their boxes to spite their owners; it is often more a sign that they think there is something wrong and are stressed as a result. If this is a continuing problem, medication may be necessary. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian for more information.
Nancy Dreschel, D.V.M., Ph.D. - Pennsylvania State University
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