Why your cat won’t use the litter box

Most cats take to using the litter box like the naturals they are. When cats refuse to use them all of a sudden, it can be puzzling and also frustrating. Cats often do have reasons for refusing to use their boxes however, and often when these problems are remedied, the litterbox issues disappear too.

Let’s take a look at the most common reasons why cats refuse to use their box, and how they can be helped.

Medical reasons

One of the most common reasons cats start going outside of the box is due to discomfort from an underlying medical condition. This could be a urinary tract infection, upset stomach, increased urination from chronic conditions like diabetes, etc.

These medical conditions cause your cat to need to go more frequently, and often more urgently. If they simply can’t reach the box in time, they’ll go where ever they are.

If your cat is suddenly falling short of the potty, your first step should be to get your cat checked out by a veterinarian. They can help find out if a medical reason is causing the cat to soil outside the box, and offer treatments to fix it.

The litter box is too dirty

Have you ever went into a public toilet and gone into a stall with toilet paper slung all over, the toilet brimming with someone else’s feces, and perhaps a few smudges on the toilet seat itself? You wouldn’t go in that stall, that’s for sure!

Cats are naturally clean animals, and they don’t like pottying in a soiled box. Keep up on cleaning, and your cat may go back to toileting there again.

If your litter box is sparkling but the cat avoids it like the plague, it could be the location itself. If they were going to the bathroom and the dryer suddenly let out a loud beep to notify you it was done, it could have given the cat a terrible fright. He may be avoiding the litterbox due to noise related fears. A simple solution for this one is to simply move the litterbox.

Marking

Sometimes cats pee and even poop as a kind of territorial display. If your cat suddenly started pooping outside the box, it could be because they’re feeling threatened by a perceived interloper. If you recently introduced a pet, this might be what caused the issue, but it also might be a stray cat moving into your backyard.

You can help calm this behavior down by blocking the view out of windows so they can’t see other animals moving through the yard. If the problem is caused by a new pet, you can try to discourage the cat from marking by feeding them in these areas. This will change how they view the area in some cases, and make it less likely for them to mark.

If the cat is stressed by a newcomer, talking to your vet might also help. They may be able to help provide medication or behavior modification recommendations that will work to smooth things over in the short term.

There are many reasons why a cat won’t use the litter  box, but it’s usually something a little detective work can find and fix. Cat’s prefer using litter boxes for their needs, so if they’re not going in the litter box there is definitely something off.

https://www.petful.com/pet-health/cat-refuses-to-use-the-litter-box/