Cat urine problems are probably one of the top feline behavior problems for pet owners. Frustration from finding nasty, smelly messes all over the home often leads to the pet being given up, or even put down.
If your pet stops using the litter pan, don’t get the idea that she’s punishing you for some slight. We all love our kitties, but let’s be honest. Cats just aren’t capable of that kind of reasoning.
Sometimes a veterinary problem, like a bladder infection, is causing the kitty to avoid the litter pan. Maybe she is older and has developed arthritis, which makes it hard to enter and leave her pan. Taking her to the vet for a check-up is always recommended.
Don’t give up too soon on your pet. Avoid having this habit become ingrained, by quickly solving the problem of a pet who won’t use the cat litter pan. If you’re tired of finding cat urine on carpet, here are three tips that may help.
Three Reasons For Urine Problems
- Your kitty doesn’t like her litter pan
- She doesn’t like the cat litter you’re using
- The pan is located someplace she doesn’t like
The Litter Pan Is All Wrong
She won’t use the pan if she doesn’t like it. A feline bladder infection may teach her to associate pain with the litter pan, so she goes elsewhere. An overweight animal may need a super-sized pan. An elderly one, or a young kitten, may have trouble getting into and out of the box.
Humans like covered litter pans, but cats don’t, because they trap odors. Don’t neglect to clean the pan every day, as kitties don’t like yukky bathrooms any more than humans do.
When she’s using her pan, don’t let another pet, or a small child, bother her. Your kitty may well decided to find another, more private place, for her bathroom.
She Hates The Litter You’re Using
Cats especially dislike scented litter. Keep the pan clean to avoid odors, instead of covering them up with scent.
Don’t change the type of litter suddenly. Cats don’t like change. Using the same type of cat litter she’s already accustomed to is recommended. If you really must change brands, do it gradually, over a period of time.
Location, Location, Location
Just like people, cats like a private bathroom area. A bathroom closet is usually a good spot. Avoid locking kitty out of her pan by using a block in the door so it can’t be closed accidentally.
Avoid putting the pan in the basement. Most cats don’t care for dark places that come complete with loud, scary things like furnaces and clothes washers that come to life unexpectedly.
Stop spending your precious free time on urine cleaning. If you’re dealing with cat urine problems, just click on any link in this article to find the solution.
[...] affecting felines can range from bad teeth that have become infected and require extraction, urinary tract problems that can be a long term issue, colon problems requiring lifelong medication and feline leukemia [...]